Mushin Down a Dream
Michele participated in the Women’s Twilight Race at the Willow Winer Carnival and came in fourth. The trails were super fast and she had a great time of just over 18 minutes for the five mile race.
Michele talks about the race and mushing in Willow in an article in The Fronteirsman
This is an up to the minute track of the group on the serum run expedition. We hope that you will follow the group as they make their way down the trail. For more information, our support team will be updating our Serum Run Facebook Group page. Tell you friends to follow along too.
A group of thirteen adventures will take off in Nenana on the way to Nome on an epic 18 day journey that re-traces the original 1925 Serum Run. The group will leave Nenana on Saturday February 22 and arrive in Nome 18 days later on March 10. Each night along the 700+ mile trail they will be staying in lodges, community centers, schools, public use cabins and arctic oven tents. The group will also do some community service projects including: vaccine clinics for dogs in the villages, showing the mushing documentary Attla, and doing some trail work along the coast by hanging signs. When the group arrives in Nome they will be having a finishers banquet and it will be open to the public. Date and time TBA.
A little history of the serum run: Back in 1997 the great arctic explorer, Col. Norman Vaughn started a non-profit to pay homage to the past and bring history to life. These serum run expeditions were held every other year with the last one running in 2011.
In 2011 Robert was kennel partners with one of the organizers for the serum run trip and had plans to go the following year but the non-profit disbanded. In 2015 Robert and two other past serum run participants began planning a new event based loosely on the trips done in the past. They were all set to go and we had to cancel the trip because of lack of snow.
Step back a year and in 2014 Robert retuned to college and earned a degree in outdoor leadership and the serum run expedition was always on his mind. In 2016 he designed a one-of-a-kind winter multi-sport expedition that would prove to be the building blocks of the current iteration of the serum run trip. On that winter multi-sport expedition Robert lead a group of nine outdoor leadership students on a week-long trip leaving from Willow, Alaska. They travelled more than 170 miles by dog team. fat bikes and snow machines.
The winter multi-sport expedition became a college course for credit at UAA and is the only one like it in the country. The course was taught by Robert and his assistant Miranda Sheely in 2018.
In 2018, Robert enrolled in a masters program at Liberty University to pursue a degree in outdoor adventure sport and designed his masters project as the 2020 trip. In that project Robert was required to do all of the logistics and pre-trip planning and have it set to go in February 2020. In October 2019 Robert presented his research and planning of the serum run trip to a round-table panel at the AORE conference in Spokane, Washington and received a lot of great feedback from academics and outdoor professionals from around the world.
If all goes well Robert hopes to continue the expeditions in the years to come. If you have an interest in a future trip please reach out to us at info@serumrunexpedition.org
In the months to come, Robert will be presenting on the trip at several outdoor industry conferences, and other places around Alaska and the Lower 48 as part of his masters project. The other participants are planning on doing similar presentations as well. Dates and times TBA.
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Robert Forto–Trip Leader
Robert is from Willow, Alaska and runs a 40 dog mushing kennel, Team Ineka with his wife Michele. This trip is part of a larger masters degree project.
Stephanie Masters-Johnson–Musher Coordinator
Stephanie is from Nome Alaska and is the co-orgaizner for the trip. Going on the serum run is a life-ling dream for her.
Juliah is from Trapper Creek, Alaska
Kathleen Frederick–Musher Coordinator
Kathleen is from Palmer, Alaska. She is done the serum run and the Iditarod before.
Marla is from Massachusetts and is the owner and operator of Hilltown Sled Dogs.
Kirsten is from Nome, Alaska. She has done Iditarod before.
Phil Pryzmont–Trail Boss
Phil is from Nome, Alaska and is our trail boss which means he is responsible for the trail marking and figuring out the daily logistics to get us all down the trail safely and efficiently. Phil has done the serum run before.
Carla is from Willow, Alaska and is an Iditarod finisher.
Cody is from Oregon. He works as a winter guide and a tiny house builder.
Bill is from Palmer, Alaska. He grew up on a dairy farm and is traveling the serum run trail with his wife, Kathleen.
Gil Van Sciver–Veterinarian
Gil is from Delaware and is our veterinarian. He travels to Nome, Alaska to offer veterinary services several times a year.
Frank Carruthers
Frank is from Nome, Alaska
Lou is from Wasilla, Alaska and is our medical doctor on the trip. He has run the Iditraod before.
The book that started it all. I remember reading this book when it came out and shortly before I moved up to Alaska and said, one day I will plan a trip based on this!
Did you know that Robert and his podcast co-host Alex Stein did a podcast series on the serum run? Its very good! You can listen to it here.
Below you will find our trip schedule. Each night we are in a different location. After the trip we will update with stories from the trail, pictures, video and podcast interview with all of the participants.
Approx. Miles: 28
The adventurers will arrive in Nenana the night before and do any last minute preparations. We will have one last meal together with our family and friends and have a meeting before we embark on our journey the next morning. Nenana is on the “road system” and is about 300 miles from Anchorage and about an hour south of Fairbanks. Our adventures will meet each other, many for the first time.
Our adventurers come from as far away as Massachusetts and Delaware. Most of us are either from the Mat-Su Valley or Nome in Alaska.
Early Saturday morning we will hook up the dog teams, secure our gear and supplies for the the next three days on the snowmachines and kiss our family and friends goodbye. Our family and friends will be traveling home with our dog trucks and trailers and anxiously wait for our finish in Nome over two and a half weeks later.
We will be on the trail heading from Nenana to Old Minto.
Nenana was the railroad stop for the original serum run in 1925 where they handed off the antitoxin to start its voyage onward to Nome by ‘Wild Bill’ Shannon.
When we arrive in Old Minto we will be staying at a small camp that is used as a native rehab center.
Approx. Miles: 35
On day two of our expedition we will be traveling about 35 miles from Old Minto to Beaver Point Lodge. Our gracious hosts are already preparing for our stay. They will have to fly into the lodge several times to get the place ready and put in a trail for us. They will be providing us with luscious meals.
Approx. Miles: 35
On day three of our serum run expedition we will travel from Old Minto to Manley. We will be traveling 35 miles.
We will be staying in the lodge and in serum run expeditions of the past this spot has been the place where they stayed for a couple days. Manley is accessible by road and we will have our last contact with the “road system” for the next two and a a half weeks when a friend of ours will deliver our last batch of straw.
A little history of the area:
The Manley Hot Springs area was founded way back in 1902 by In 1902 a prospector, John Karshner, discovered several hot springs in the area. He began a homestead and vegetable farm. In the same year, the United States Army built a telegraph station. The area became a service and supply point for miners in the Tofty and Eureka mining districts. It was known as Baker’s Hot Springs, after nearby Baker Creek.
Farming and livestock operations in the area produced fresh meat, poultry, and produce for sale. In 1903, Sam’s Rooms and Meals, now called the Manley Roadhouse, opened. The Manley Roadhouse was owned by Robert E. Lee, who was also the town’s postmaster until his death in 2010. In 1907 a miner named Frank Manley built the Hot Springs Resort Hotel. The resort was a four-story building with 45 guest rooms, steam heat, electric lights, hot baths, a bar, a restaurant, a billiard room, a bowling alley, a barber shop, and an Olympic-size indoor swimming pool which used heated water from the hot springs. During the summer, the hotel’s private boat transported guests from steamers on the Tanana River. In the winter, an overland stagecoach trip from Fairbanks took two days. The town was renamed Hot Springs.
The resort and the mining in the area caused the town to prosper. It had a store, a newspaper, a bakery, clothing stores and other businesses. The population of the area in 1910 was more than 500. In 1913 the resort burned to the ground. Mining activity was also in decline and by 1920 only 29 residents lived in Hot Springs.
The town’s name was changed to Manley Hot Springs in 1957.
Approx. Miles: 55
Movie and vaccine clinic
On day four of our expedition we are on the trail for the longest day yet at about 55 miles. This is where the real fun will begin. We will have left behind the safety and comfort of the road system and our family and friends and this will be our last stop before we hit the mighty Yukon River.
In Tanana it will be our first opportunity for a re-supply as we all send out supplies ahead of time. In these supplies we have food and provisions for dogs and people and enough to last us for the next few days of travel. Hopefully we don’t get socked in by weather.
During our time in Tanana it will be our first opportunity to give back. A big part of this trip was to do service projects along the trail. Here we will be giving a vaccine clinic and showing the movie Attla to the residents of the village.
Approx. Miles: 42
We will be on day five of the expedition at this point. Welcome to the mighty Yukon! For the next six days we will be traveling on the river for a total trail miles of 256, well more than a quarter of the trip. Tonight will be the first night of several on the trip where we will be staying in our arctic oven tents and/or old trapper or pubic use cabins along the trail. Over the next week it will test the resilience of the teams, dogs and humans alike.
Approx. Miles: 45
On the sixth day of the expedition we will have been on the Yukon River for two days. The long days on the wide, expansive river are hard on the dog teams. Most dog teams get bored easily on these long runs and because the scenery never changes. It can be really hard on the snow machiers too with all the jumbled ice from the river heaving and hoing and creating a bumpy ride full of moguls. This will also be our second night in either our arctic oven tents or one of the trapper cabins along the river bank.
Approx. Miles: 35
Movie and vaccine clinic
Our third full day on the mighty Yukon but tonight we will be back in “civilization” when we visit Ruby. Our gracious host, and also our new friend, Billy Honea will be greeting us when we arrive. This is also a spot where we will get our second re-supply and will will be showing the Attla movie and a vaccine clinic the next morning for the local village dogs. If we are lucky we may be able to use the local laundry facilities and showers since it has been a week since we have cleaned ourselves up.
Approx. Miles: 50
Movie and vaccine clinic
Our fourth day of travel on the mighty Yukon but also a nice village to stay in for the night in Galena. It will be a long 50 mile run and should take us about eight or nine hours. Galena is supposed to be one of the best in terms of hospitality on the trail and we will be looking forward to it.
A little history of the area: The Koyukon Athabascans had seasonal camps in the area and moved as the wild game migrated. In the summer many families floated on rafts to the Yukon River to fish for salmon. There were 12 summer fish camps located on the Yukon River between the Koyukuk River and the Nowitna River. Galena was established in 1918 near an Athabascan fish camp called Henry’s Point. It became a supply and point for nearby lead ore mines that opened in 1918 and 1919, and from which the place takes its name. Also during the Cold War there was even an Air Force base in the area.
Approx. Miles: 48
The fifth day on the Yukon and I am sure we are tired of it and want a change of scenery. At least there is Bishops Rock. We will be staying the night in the small community of Nulato which has quite this history.
Nulato was a location for trade between the Koyukon people and Inupiat people of the Kobuk River area before the arrival of Europeans.
In 1838, the Russian explorer Malakov established a trading post in Nulato. The Kokukuk River people massacred a large part of the population of Nulato on February 16, 1851, during the Athapaskan uprising.
After the Alaska Purchase, a United States military telegraph line was constructed along the north side of the Yukon River. The gold rush along the Yukon River that began in 1884 brought many new diseases to the area and many people died. Our Lady of Snows Roman Catholic mission and school were opened in 1887 and many people moved to Nulato to be near the school. A measles epidemic and food shortages during 1900 reduced the population of the area by one-third. 1900 was also the peak year for steamboat travel on the Yukon River, with 46 boats in operation. That summer, two boats per day stopped at Nulato to purchase firewood.
Gold prospectors left the Yukon River area for Fairbanks and Nome in 1906. Lead mining began around neighboring Galena in 1919. This of course eventually led to the Nome Gold Rush and then later on the Diphtheria epidemic that was the reason behind the 1925 serum run.
Approx. Miles: 36
Our sixth and final day on the mighty Yukon River. More than 200 miles traveled on this huge expanse. It is also trip-leader, Robert, Forto’s birthday and he will be celebrating it in style on the trail!
In the small village of Kaltag we will be picking up our third re-supply for the dogs and people on the trail.
A little history of the area: Kaltag was a Koyokon Athabascan area used as a cemetery for surrounding villages. It is located on an old portage trail which led west through the mountains to Unalakleet. The Athabascans had seasonal camps in the area and moved as the wild game migrated. There were 12 summer fish camps located on the Yukon River between the Koyukuk River and the Nowitna River.
Kaltag was named by Russians for a Koyokon man named Kaltaga.
There was a smallpox epidemic in 1839 that killed a large part of the population of the area.
After the Alaska Purchase, a United States military telegraph line was constructed along the north side of the Yukon River. A trading post opened around 1880, just before the gold rush of 1884-85. Steamboats on the Yukon, which supplied gold prospectors ran before and after 1900 with 46 boats in operation on the river in the peak year of 1900. A measles epidemic and food shortages during 1900 reduced the population of the area by one-third. The village Kaltag was established after the epidemic when survivors from three nearby villages moved to the area.
There was a minor gold rush in the area in the 1880s. In 1906, gold seekers left for Fairbanks or Nome; however, the galena lead mines began operating in 1919. Kaltag was downriver from the mines and grew as a point on the transportation route for the mines. It declined in the 1940s as mining declined.
The old cemetery caved into the river around 1937. An airport and clinic were constructed during the 1960s.
Kaltag has a week long Stick Dance (memorial Potlatch) every two years that draws visitors from many neighboring villages. This Potlatch is sponsored by relatives of the recently deceased, in appreciation of those who helped during their time of mourning.
Much of the economy around Kaltag is based on subsistence hunting and fishing. Salmon, whitefish, moose, bear, waterfowl and berries are elements of the subsistence economy.
Approx. Miles: 48
We will finally be off the Yukon River and making our way toward the coast but before we do we have to spend the night at Old Woman Cabin. Legend has it that it’s haunted.
Old Woman — the name of both the mountain and the cabin — is the threshold where our expedition transitions from a protective inland run to one that cuts through the harsh, whistling winds along the Bering Sea coastline, the last leg before the finish line in Nome.
Old Woman’s also a place long known among Iditarod racers to harbor wandering spirits.
The haunting presence is so well known that race organizers warn mushers to “be sure you leave something, such as candy. for the Old Woman when you leave. Legend has it that she loves candy! You don’t want her ghost-chasing you to Nome and throwing bad luck your way.”
There’s something about the mountain and the old cabin — which, legend has it, belonged to a woman who once lived there and may never have left — that infiltrates a musher’s desires.
Approx. Miles: 33
Movie and vaccine clinic
We are headed toward the coast and the last third of the expedition as we work our way to the village of Unalakleet. This will be the largest city that we will have seen since we left almost two weeks ago. We will be picking up a re-supply and if we are lucky we will enjoy some of the best pizza on the planet from Peace on Earth.
A little history of the area: Unalakleet is located at the Norton Sound end of the Unalakleet-Kaltag Portage, an important winter travel route between Norton Sound and the Yukon River. Unalakleet has long been a major trade center between the Athabascans who lived in the interior of Alaska and the Inupiat who lived on the coast. The Russian-American Company built a trading post here at Unalakleet in the 1830s. Sami reindeer herders from Lapland were brought to Unalakleet to teach sound herding practices in 1898. In 1901, the United States Army Signal Corps built a 605-mile (974 km) telegraph line from St. Michael that passed through Unalakleet.
Approx. Miles: 40
On this day of the expedition we will be doing a lot of climbing and racing down the hills of the infamous Blueberry Hills as we head toward the village of Shaktoolik which was talked about in the recent movie about Togo on Disney+.
A little history of the area: Shaktoolik was the first and southernmost Malemiut settlement on Norton Sound, occupied as early as 1839. Twelve miles northwest, on Cape Denbigh, is the Iyatayet Site that is 6,000 to 8,000 years old, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Shaktoolik was first mapped in 1842-44 by Lt. Lavrenty Zagoskin, Imperial Russian Navy, who called it “Tshaktogmyut.” “Shaktoolik” is derived from an Unaliq word, “suktuliq”, meaning “scattered things”.
Reindeer herds were managed in the Shaktoolik area around 1905. The village was originally located six miles up the Shaktoolik River, and moved to the mouth of the River in 1933. This site was prone to severe storms and winds, however, and the village relocated to its present, more sheltered location in 1967. There are presently only two occupied dwellings at the old townsite. The City was incorporated in 1969.
Approx. Miles: 40
At this point of the expedition we will have been on the trail for two weeks. Getting to Koyuk is going to be a challenge to all the dog teams and snow machines. We will be crossing over the sea ice. If you have seen the recent Disney+ movie, Togo you know the scene we are talking about. It shouldn’t be nearly as dramatic as the movie but it can prove to have its own challenges. Several times in the past few years Iditarod mushers have steered off course on the sea ice and has made for some hair-raising days on the trail.
Approx. Miles: 48
Another long day on the trail as we travel from Koyuk to Elim. We have been on the trail for more than two weeks at this point and we can see the finish that should be in about four more days. There is not much listed about the history of the area so we will just wait and see what it brings.
Approx. Miles: 48
Movie and vaccine clinic
As we travel to White Mountain we will only be about 80 miles from Nome! Many of our family and friends will be headed up to Nome in the next day or two to wait for our arrival and we will all be happy to see familiar faces after spending so much time with our team-mates on the trail.
A little history of the area: The area that is present day White Mountain began as the Eskimo fish camp Nachirvik which means “mountain look-up point.” The bountiful resources of both the Niukluk and the Fish rivers supported the Native populations there. The community grew with the influx of white prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush. The first non-Native structure was a warehouse built by the miner Charles D. Lane to store supplies for his claim in the Council District. It was the site of a government-subsidized orphanage, which became an industrial school in 1926. The Covenant Church was built in 1937. A Russian Orthodox Church was built about 1920 (although no longer utilized, the church log cabin building is still standing). A post office was opened in 1932. The tribal government re-organized under the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) in 1939. The city was incorporated in 1969.
Today, White Mountain is most notable as the last of three mandatory rest stops for teams competing in the annual Iditarod. All mushers are required to take an 8-hour rest stop at White Mountain before making the final push to the end of the race, 77 miles away in Nome.
Approx. Miles: 55
Our next to the last day on the trail happens to be one of the longest. Only two days of the entire expedition is 55 miles on the trail. The rest of the days average between 30 and 50. While we will be able to practically see the end in sight we still have almost 80 miles to the finish.
A little history about Safety: As many of you that follow the Iditarod know this is the last checkpoint the trail and even though its only about 22 miles many of the races can be won or lost in this last stretch. The Safety roadhouse is infamous but we will be spending the night just a couple miles further down the trail at the Nuuk camp.
There are many unique places on the Iditarod race trail. A spot that comes up daily in conversation as the mushers leave White Mountain and head to Nome is the Safety Road House. Back in the days when the dog team was the essential mode of transportation for supplies and people, road houses sprung up along trails a day’s travel apart. The Safety Road House is twenty two miles from Nome. When dog power ruled over horse power, twenty to twenty-five miles was considered a good day’s travel.
Approx. Miles: 22
After more than 18 days on the trail we should arrive in Nome on Mars 10, 2020. It will be bittersweet to see our long planned expedition come to to an end. We will be having a finishers banquet and it will be open to the public. As we get closer we will let you know.
A little history of Nome:
Inupiat hunted for game on the west coast of Alaska from prehistoric times and there is recent archeological evidence to suggest that there was an Inupiat settlement at Nome, known in Inupiat as Sitnasuak, before the discovery of gold.
In the summer of 1898, the “Three Lucky Swedes”: Norwegian-American Jafet Lindeberg, and two naturalized American citizens of Swedish birth, Erik Lindblom and John Brynteson, discovered gold on Anvil Creek. News of the discovery reached the outside world that winter. By 1899, Nome had a population of 10,000 and the area was organized as the Nome mining district. In that year, gold was found in the beach sands for dozens of miles along the coast at Nome, which spurred the stampede to new heights. Thousands more people poured into Nome during the spring of 1900 aboard steamships from the ports of Seattle and San Francisco. By 1900, a tent city on the beaches and on the treeless coast reached 48 km (30 mi), from Cape Rodney to Cape Nome. In June of that year, Nome averaged 1000 newcomers a day.
In 1899, Charles D. Lane founded Wild Goose Mining & Trading Co. Lane through his company constructed the Wild Goose Railroad, which ran from Nome to Dexter Discovery. The Railroad would later be extend in 1906-1908 to the village of Shelton also known as Lanes Landing.
Many late-comers tried to “jump” the original claims by filing mining claims covering the same ground.The federal judge for the area ruled the original claims valid, but some of the claim jumpers agreed to share their invalid claims with influential Washington politicians. Alexander McKenzie took an interest in the gold rush and secured the appointment of Arthur Noyes as the federal district judge for the Nome region for the purpose of taking control of gold placer mines in Nome. McKenzie seized mining claims with an unlawfully procured receivership granted by Judge Noyes. McKenzie’s claim-jumping scheme was eventually stopped by the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. However, the episode provided the plot for Rex Beach’s best-selling novel The Spoilers (1906), which was made into a stage play, then five times into movies, including two versions starring John Wayne: The Spoilers (1942 film) (co-starring Marlene Dietrich) and North to Alaska (1960, the theme of which mentions Nome.) Wyatt Earp, of Tombstone, Arizona fame, stayed in Nome for a while. In September 1899, Earp and partner Charles E. Hoxie built the Dexter Saloon, the city’s first two-story wooden building and its largest and most luxurious saloon out of more than 60 saloons.
During the period from 1900−1909, estimates of Nome’s population reached as high as 20,000.The highest recorded population of Nome, in the 1900 United States census, was 12,488. At this time, Nome was the largest city in the Alaska Territory. Early in this period, the U.S. Army policed the area, and expelled any inhabitant each autumn who did not have shelter (or the resources to pay for shelter) for the harsh winter.
By 1910 Nome’s population had fallen to 2,600, and by 1934, to less than 1,500.
In May 1910, the Industrial Worker, the newspaper of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), published a notice from the Nome Miners’ Union and Local 240 of the Western Federation of Miners for all unemployed workers to stay away, saying that “[a]ll the rich mines are practically worked out.”
Fires in 1905 and 1934, as well as violent storms in 1900, 1913, 1945 and 1974, destroyed much of Nome’s gold rush era architecture. The pre-fire “Discovery Saloon” is now a private residence and is being slowly restored as a landmark.
The Black Wolf Squadron, under the command of Capt. St. Clair Streett, landed here on August 23, 1920, after the culmination of a 4527-mile flight from Mitchel Field.Noel Wien and Gene Miller based their air services from Nome in June 1927.
In 1925, Nome was the destination of the famous Great Race of Mercy, in which dog sleds played a large part in transporting diphtheria serum through harsh conditions. In 1973, Nome became the ending point of the 1,049+ mi Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. The latter part of its route was used in the serum run.
The sled driver of the final leg of the relay was the Norwegian-born Gunnar Kaasen; his lead sled dog was Balto. A statue of Balto by F.G. Roth stands near the zoo in Central Park, New York City. Leonhard Seppala ran the penultimate, and longest, leg of the 1925 serum run to Nome. One of his dogs, Togo, is considered the forgotten hero of the Great Race of Mercy; another of his dogs, Fritz, is preserved and on display at the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum in Nome.
During World War II, Nome was the last stop on the ferry system for planes flying from the United States to the Soviet Union for the Lend-lease program. The airstrip currently in use was built and troops were stationed there. One “Birchwood” hangar remains and has been transferred to a local group with hopes to restore it. It is not located on the former Marks Air Force Base (now the primary Nome Airport); rather it is a remnant of an auxiliary landing field a mile or so away: “Satellite Field”. In the hills north of the city, there were auxiliary facilities associated with the Distant Early Warning system that are visible from the city but are no longer in use.
Total gold production for the Nome district has been at least 3.6 million troy ounces.
Nome’s population decline continued after 1910 although at a fairly slow rate. By 1950 Nome had 1,852 inhabitants. By 1960 the population of Nome had climbed to 2,316. At this point placer gold mining was still the leading economic activity. The local Alaska Native population was involved in ivory carving and the U.S. military had stationed troops in the city also contributing to the local economy.
The Hope Sled Dog Race was run between Anadyr, Russia, and Nome after the fall of the Soviet Union. The race continued for more than a decade, but has not been run since approximately 2004.
The Serum Run Expedition would like to thank the following villages, tribal councils, school districts, lodges, hosts and volunteers. Without them none of this would be possible for the thirteen participants.
Roughwoods Inn, Nenana, AK
Old Minto Family Recovery Camp & Community
First Chief Joseph Alexander
Beaver Point Lodge & Myles Thomas and Family
Manley Lodge & Lisa Owens
Tanana Chiefs Tribal Council
City of Tanana
Curtis Summer
Stan Zuray
City of Ruby
Billy Honea
Mike Day
City of Galena
Tim Bodony
Shawnda Huntington
City of Nulato
Shaine Nixon
Demoski School
City of Kaltag (home of the loan snowmachine)
Charles Burns
Yukon-Koyukuk School District
Native Village of Unakaleet
Bering Straight School District
City of Shaktoolik
Linda Bekoalok
City of Koyuk
Laverne Kimoktoak
City of Elim
Village of White Mountain
Henry Titus
Dan Harrelson, VSPO
Dorothy Barr
Village of Nuuk
City of Nome
Nome Kennel Club
Aurora Inn
ATTLA Movie c/o Good Docs, Catharine Axley and Nome Kennel Club
There are countless others who have helped us organize a vaccine clinic in some of the villages as well as a community project to replace signage on the historic Iditarod Trail
Underdog Feeds
Cold Spot Feeds
Wrights Transport
Northern Air Cargo
Airland Transport
Dog Works Radio
Husky Talk podcast
KVRF radio
KNOM radio
Alex Stein
Miranda Sheely
Casey Ann Randall
Dr. Laura Hatfield, Ph.D.
Dr. Clark Zealand, Ph.D.
The Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education
T.J. Miller, Department head at University of Alaska Anchorage
Liberty University
Alaska Dog Works
Wells Fargo Wasilla and Nome branches
We not only competed in but was also the lead sponsor of the Alaska Dog Works Dryland Derby that was held the first week of October. We had three mushers enter in the events.
The dryland season for us started in earnest with us racing each weekend during the month of September at both Chugiak and a new event down at Kincaid Park in Anchorage.
Dryland mushing is really picking up steam here in the area as more clubs are finding ways to add new events and to get mushers more involved.
The first few weeks were preliminary races. We tried a bunch of different team combinations and new equipment. Several of our dogs raced for the first time and Robert tried out his new carbon bike.
Our first race of the year was the Earl Norris Memorial Sled Dog Race that is part of the Willow Winter Carnival. It is a 30/30 race meaning you run thirty miles one day and then do the same trail the next day.
We decided to enter two eight dog teams with me (Robert) and Lacie running in the event. It would be Lacie’s first race. She has been training with us all winter and has hopes of running a team in a few more shorter races this season.
Sign-ups were held after the carnival kick-off dinner at 6:30 with the starting order draw to follow. I would be going out 10th and Lacie would be going out 13th. There were 15 teams entered. We headed home, picked the teams and loaded up all the gear.
Saturday
We got an early start and headed over to Willow Lake with 16 dogs in tow. The race called for 10 dog teams so we already knew we would be a bit slower than most of the other teams along with them being sprint teams as well.
We ended up parking together as a few mushers didn’t show and soon realized that starting would be a little chaotic. All the teams were hooked up and yelling to go by 10:00. I should be going out at 10:20 but several teams had to be shuffled for the no-shows. Very quickly a couple mushers went the wrong way across the lake and one musher lost his team. Two snow-machiners blasted off like rockets across the lake to catch the speedy, driverless team. Our friend, Kari got turned around a bit on the lake too but managed to quickly find the trail.
As my time to leave was coming up the timers skipped over me and went to bib 11. It caused a bit of chaos because we were supposed to have two spots between me and Lacie. By the time I was off, Michele and Vanessa were hurriedly trying to get her team on the line in less than two minutes and she incurred a penalty.
My dogs found the trail across the lake quickly and soon we were on our way. The first section of trails were on again, off again on the lakes before our first road crossing and then into the trees. I planned on keeping my dogs under 11 miles per hour this soon in the race but they wanted to go. By the time we made it to the long, wide road I started having problems with my leaders. Sidney is getting older and she is slowing down so I stopped and quickly changed out her with Mila in lead. This was her first time as a lead dog in a race and she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do. We were quickly passed by a few speedy teams on the road before we got to the Lucky Shot Trail. The trails were beautiful! The snow was just coming up and a fog was lifting. We were making our way around Almond Lake on our way to the swamp and suddenly a long patch of ice appeared. Almost at once I saw both my wheel dogs, Bodhi and Raegan slip and try to catch their footing.
Shortly after we arrived at the Willow Swamp Loop I knew something was wrong. Both Bodhi and Raegan were hobbling and I stopped and set my hook. It looked like the little slip on the ice took them both out and suddenly I had two dog in my sled bag with more than half of the race to go. Bodhi settled in soon in his comfortable spot but Raegan didn’t want any part of it. She was telling me about it too in her husky whine.
I now had a six dog team and pretty quickly Lacie caught up with me. We spent the rest of the Swamp Loop in tandem. Her team not wanting to pass mine.
After crossing Vera Lake and the road crossing near Eaglequest Lodge, Mila had enough. I made a decision to put Burton in lead. This was his first time too. We made our way back to the Lucky Shot and the road. It was now a long, slow up hill for almost two miles. Just as we entered the trees Bodhi was ready to get back on the line. It didn’t last long as he knew very quickly his shoulder was hurt and quickly stopped after we crossed the final road crossing just two miles from the finish. A couple volunteers asked if I needed assistance and said they could take him but I would probably be disqualified for outside assistance. I politely declined and loaded him back in the sled bag with Raegan.
I hadn’t seen Lacie and her team since the bottom of the Lucky Shot Trail and I hoped she would be okay.
There was a four hour cut off time limit and I was cutting it close with all the problems I had on the trail. I pulled into the finish with a time of 3:45. Lacie didn’t make the cut off and would not be allowed to race the next day.
To put things into perspective, I ran this race last year with two days of running at three hours a piece. Today I was 45 minutes slower and over and hour and a half slower than the first place finisher.
We unhooked the team and gave them all a frozen chicken thigh while we waited for Lacie to come in. After the race we headed inside to grab lunch and head home.
Sunday
Since I was the last to finish on Saturday I was the first team to go out today. I didn’t mind as I knew I would be passed quickly by the speedier teams coming up behind me. I started with Sidney again in lead and this time she and Frosty did veer a little to the left off the trail. I quickly called out, ‘Gee!” and got them back on track. By the time we were in the trees after the first road crossing I changed out Sid with Burton.
The run today was much faster even though I only had a six dog team. We decided to leave Bodhi and Raegan at home and run with the smaller team. I knew at this point I would be in last place but still “in the money” so to speak as long as I completed the race under the time cut off. That was no problem.
I did end up coming in last place and finished in ninth place, the same place as last year. The difference was last year there were a few teams that finished after me. This year they were either scratches, no-shows, or DQ’s.
I collected a small check that covered my entry fees and we headed home.
What we learned
We knew going in that training was not up to par to what we expect and what we usually do so we knew we would do poorly. It was nothing put lack quality training that caused us to come in last and required Lacie to not finish under the time limit. My dogs did great with what we had to work with and did very well carrying two dogs in the sled bag that added at least a hundred pounds or more to the sled.
I was a little worried about being able to finish with just a six dog team and lack of strong leaders. I know that a lead dog will make or break a team and I saw that Sidney just isn’t able to run as fast as the others at the excited start of a race anymore. She always does just fine in team and her gait is impeccable.
This is always a fun race and the trails are superbly groomed. The Willow Trails Committee puts in so many hours and their hard work is second to none. I always enjoy running on trails close to home and being a part of the Willow Winter Carnival is always an added bonus. We will be back every year as long as it fits in our schedule. I am always honored to support local events and take part in a race that pays respect to a mushing legend, Earl Norris.
Maybe I can get Lacie to add her thoughts when she is out next time…
This past weekend we arrived at our first event of the year at the preliminary dryland races at Chugiak Dog Musher’s Association trails in mass! We were racing in all of the events and entered teams in nine of them.
It is a great thing to have dryland events in Alaska. If it was not for all of the hard work of Debora Summers for all of her hard work none of this would be possible. We were proud to be sponsors of the second weekend of these races, with Alaska Dog Works donating to the trophy fund.
Training
We started training early this fall for these races. We knew going in that we wanted to try a bunch of the up-and-coming stars of the kennel in these low-key events to give them experience and build confidence on the trail and all important social skills around lots of dogs and people. In the weeks leading up to the races we ran our newest addition to the team, Mila, who arrived this summer from our friend Zoya, as well as Atreyu and Aryun the brother and sister duo from The Oracle Crew. We ran a bunch of dogs in lead including Bodhi, Burton, Aussie and others. Our friend Lacie trained hard with her pup, Boomer, in canicross down in the city.
Canicross
Nicole and Lacie competed in the canicross events. They both did great! Nicole ran with her German Shepherd Qyain and Lacie with her dog, Boomer. Lacie ended up finishing in 3rd place overall.
1 Dog Bikejor
In the biker class, Nicole and Michele ran. There was a bit of a mix up with the way that ISDRA rules were used. Unfortunately, we were only allowed to use each dog only in one event. That put a damper in our plans but we made it work!
2 Dog Bikejor
The two-dog biker was our biggest showing! At the time of sign-ups we had four teams and 8 dogs listed in the event, but with the sudden rule changes, Robert dropped out to leave Lacie, Michele and Nicole to run.
2 Dog Scooter
Robert tested out the big tires of the scooter for the event. It was the first time in his life he had ever run a race with a scooter. It made for slow but good times with the sloppy, rainy and muddy conditions.
4 Dog Cart
Robert ran the old Risdon-style Frank Hall made, cart that he has had for more than a decade and a half. He used to train 12 dogs at a time on this cart when he lived in Colorado with Michele chasing him in the mini-van with three little kids in tow.
The wheel-barrow style wheels didn’t work too good on the sloppy trails and Robert ended up in last place but still had a blast.
All in all we had a great time! We were so glad to be a part of the first ever ISDRA sanctioned dryland races in Alaska. We want to thank Chugiak Dog Mushers Association for all their hard work in getting this event going.
We were happy to have won some cash and prizes and thought our slow long distance dogs did pretty good against the speedy sprint dogs on the trails.
We will be back next year for sure!
Last year we heard about a race from our friend Dan that we knew this year we would have to put on the schedule to attend. It was the Tolsona 50/50. The Tolsona Lake Resort is on mile 170 of the Glen Highway, a couple hundred miles from home. It is one of the checkpoints on the Copper Basin 300 and from what we heard a great place to run dogs.
Pre-race discussions
We were scheduled to take part in the Willow Relay Race with our teams on this weekend but with the rapidly melting snow in Willow and the un-seasonably warm temperatures we made other plans. The Sunday before the race we decided we would enter two teams. Robert (me) and Tyler would run together. Tyler hasn’t ran in a race in two years and it would be good to get him back on the runners and spend some time on the trails with me.
We called Crystal at the lodge, made a room reservation and told her we would be there with two teams in tow.
Friday
We packed up the truck with gear, sleds, and dogs and hit the road about noon. Michele would have to stay behind to take care of the remaining dogs and she had several dog training client meetings over the weekend. She would be the designated social media liaison during the race.
I would be running: Frosty-Shock, Bodhi-Raegan, Shifter-Gabby, Spencer-Aussie.
Tyler would be running: TyTy-Vela, Lock-Burton, Barrel-Rasp, Trapper-Valdez
We made it over the rivers, mountains and through the woods in good time and arrived to the lodge at about 4pm. We checked in, dropped the dogs and fed them dinner before heading over to the lodge eat dinner. We spend the evening talking with Dan and his family and playing pool. Nicole had never played before so we tried our best to teach her the new game.
Saturday
The mushers meeting started at 9am and we drew our starting positions. Tyler would be going out second, behind our friend Karen and I would be going out six minutes later in lucky number 5. Running a small eight dog team it is easy to get things ready to go and it being a shorter race we only had a few pieces of mandatory gear. We were required to pick two of the following: parka, sleeping bag, axe, tree saw, cooker and fuel, or snowshoes. I took the lightest of the group and packed the axe and saw. Same with Tyler.
As the start approached we bootied up a few of the dogs and hooked up Tyler’s team and the countdown begun. With only ten teams entered, we would all be on the trail in short order. Karen pulled her hook and was on her way. Then the fun began!
Tyler pulled his hook and immediately the sled tipped over. The dogs took off like a rocket toward the chute with Tyler being drug down the lake. Several people started to run after him including Nicole with the big Canon camera around her neck. Tyler managed to finally right the sled and was on his way. While it was only a few seconds the whole thing seemed to be going on in slow motion. As he got back on the runners the people watching cheered and Nicole had to run back to help me with my team as I only had six minutes before I was supposed to leave.
Out of breath, Nicole managed to get my team on the line with a minute to spare and I was on the trail on time.
The trail
The race would be 50 miles each day with Sunday’s heat running in the reverse direction. The teams would also be starting in reverse order. Meaning the last team to finish on Saturday would be the first team to start on Sunday.
We were on Tolsona Lake for just over a mile before we made a sharp gee (left) turn into the woods and down a hill towards the creek. We were told that the creek had some open water and if we wanted we could make a sharp left turn and go over the bridge but a tree might be in the way.
Our dogs are used to running through a lot of open water during the rainy fall training season so we skipped across the creek soaking my Neo’s (boots) up to my calves. There was a bit of glaciation as we made our way to the very wide trail. The trail for the next 10 miles or so was as big as a two-lane road and is much used by snow machines and freighting gear to the cabins along the lakes.
Teams started passing each other as we made our way down the trail. At mile 8 I saw Tyler pulled over and changing out leaders. I yelled out. “are you okay?” and he said his shoulder was hurting real bad from the fall.
At mile 13 we made a sharp haw (right) turn and the trail crew was there taking pictures and recording times. I was in ninth place at that point with only Tyler behind me. We made our way through a winding wooded trail for several miles before coming to Crosswinds Lake. It is huge! We were on the lake for three or four miles and the trail was getting a little soft in the afternoon sun. As soon as we got off the lake we started up hill. The next twenty or so miles would be up and down, up and down. It as getting really warm and the dogs slowed down to about seven miles per hour. At about mile 30 I switched Shock out with Aussie in lead. I could see Dakota’s bright orange jacket in the distance so I knew I wasn’t too far behind the next team.
After all the hills we made a sharp left turn away from Lake Louise and headed back toward the intersection. As I approached the trail crew still there taking pictures and recording times I asked them how I was doing. They said I was about 30 minutes behind Dakota.
We were back on the wide trail and 13 miles from the finish and Reagan was slowing way down and dipping snow. I stopped the team and loaded her up in the bag on the sled. She didn’t want to go willingly but she finally settled down and we made our way back to the creek. We flew through the water and up the hill toward the finish line. I ski-poled a lot during this race and my arms were burning as we got closer to the truck.
We finished strong and I checked in with Greg, one of the race crew, on how we did. He thought we looked good. About the time Nicole and I were done snacking the dogs and putting them back in the truck Tyler came in with his hand in his pocket supporting his sore shoulder.
Once we got his team snacked and unhooked we could tell he was in a lot of pain. His shoulder was dislocated and I helped him get it back in place using the hood of my truck. He screamed in pain! He then pulled up his sleeve and had a huge ice rash up and down his arm that bled through his sweatshirt. He ran 50 miles with a dislocated shoulder. That’s a musher for ya!
We finished our chores and headed up to the lodge for a most excellent Prime Rib dinner before getting back to the room and retiring for the night.
Sunday
Tyler decided that he wouldn’t be running the second day with his hurt shoulder and the fact that one of his leaders, Vela, was just too slow in the heat of the day to be effective on the team.
The Race Marshal said we could trade out mushers, and have Nicole run, or let me use some of Tyler’s team on mine. I didn’t think it was right to change the rules up for us so I declined. I decided to start with seven dogs, leaving Reagan off the team. There was no reason to push them too hard as this was mainly just a fun training run for us all.
We started the day off in reverse order. I was heading out first now that Tyler was out of the race. I was followed by Dakota and Karen.
Shortly before the creek Dakota passed me. When we got to the creek it was fully open by then and Dakota had to wade through knee deep water to get his dogs across. As we were waiting for him to do that Karen decided to take the bridge and got her team tangled in the tree. She recovered nicely as I passed her by on the slick icy trail. I asked her if everything was okay and let her pass me a mile or so down trail.
By the time we were at the turn off all the teams had passed me and I was comfortably at the back of the pack. I knew the next 37 miles or so would just be me and my team on the trail and I settled in for the hills. I turned on my iPod and started listening to a mix of Godsmack and Rob Zombie, my trail favorites and slammed at 5-Hour Energy shot.
The hills weren’t nearly as bad on day two as we were going in the opposite direction. It was much more decent than ascent. We were averaging about 9.8 miles per hour when we reached Crosswinds Lake. I stopped the team and let them have a quick five minute break and switched Shock next to Bodhi which was an open spot on the line since I left Raegan at the truck. Now Frosty was in single lead.
We ran across the lake and through the wooded trail to the intersection. I saw the trail crew and asked how I was doing. It was about the same as the day before.
I ski-poled a good portion of the wide trail and was making decent time even though we slowed down to about 8.5 miles per hour.
We crossed the creek which was even deeper now and the sun was still warm. I look off my wind-shirt and headed toward lake and the finish.
We finished strong again.
It was almost 3 pm when I finished and we were just in time for the banquet. I rushed to the room, packed up our gear and changed clothes.
The banquet was great. The lodge had a spaghetti dinner for us all. The awards ceremony started and everybody got their prizes. I got a certificate for “the whitest parka” for my white wind jacket and even Tyler got a certificate for the “best start.”
We were back on the road and home by 7:30.
What we learned
As I always do on my race recaps I list what we learned during the event. I do this to hopefully learn from our mistakes and to show our rabid fans things we see and do along the trail. I am a firm believer that we all can learn from each other and this is as good of a way as any to do so.
Lastly I want to thank the folks at the Tolsona Lake Resort and to everyone there that made this possible. Their hospitality was top notch and they are a great place to visit if you get a chance. We will be back next year if the calendar allows. We had a blast–even if I was lead to believe this was a race around a lake! (wink, wink…)
Visit the Tolsona 50/50 Facebook page