The weather hasn’t been bad for the first part of the race, but after they enter the interior anything is possible.

They have started with about 11 hours of daylight, and that will increase every day. Running at night is going to require their headlamps because the moon is a waxing crescent and won’t provide much light. They need the light because you definitely don’t want to go off the trail. It runs along the side of gorges, and requires switchbacks to make it up some of the heights. A lot of mushers and their sleds get broken while crossing the mountains and the Farewell Burn [second growth as the result of a major wildfire].

The positions keep jumping around because the experienced mushers have their own run/rest schedule They will be leapfrogging each other.

The experienced teams all rested at Rainy Pass so the dogs will be alert and fed for the nasty bits just ahead of them. This is the slowest part of the trail, as a wrong move can take the team out of the race.

The first award, Spirit of Alaska Award, awaits the lead team into McGrath. PenAir gives them an original spirit mask [it is piece of handmade Native Alaskan art] and $500 in credit for air freight or travel on PenAir.

The leaders are beyond Skwentna coming into the “interesting” section of the trail – mountain climbing followed by moose and stump dodging.

Update: Beyond Rohn

1 Lance Mackey (17)
2 Hugh Neff (35)
3 Sebastian Schnuelle (31)

At Rohn

4 Robert Bundtzen (10)
5 Paul Gebhardt (34)
6 Ray Redington, Jr (3)
7 Martin Buser (11)
8 Hans Gatt (23)
9 Gerry Willomitzer (33)
10 Bruce Linton (13)

Beyond Rainy Pass

11 Mitch Seavey (28)
12 Michael Williams, Jr. (41)
13 Sonny Lindner (52)
14 Nicolas Petit (14)^R
15 John Baker (53)
16 Judy Currier (29)
17 Jessie Royer (58)
18 Ramey Smyth (30)
19 Aliy Zirkle (18)
20 Rick Swenson (49) [Read more →]