Aliy Zirkle – On the Iditarod Trail - Part 2

Thanks to Aliy & her SP Kennel (Skunk’s Place Kennel) for an amazing adventure for those of us who long to experience this unique and wonderful sport.  I’m trying to keep these videos in a logical order of the run but they may upload more that might be out of sequence later on as there is rumor of a video descending the ice falls in Dalzell Gorge which should be pretty spectacular and maybe some night runs.

These next videos are making the climb up to Rainy Pass the highest point on the Iditarod Trail and shows Aliy going through the Finger Lake Checkpoint where you can see the check in process, a quick review of the dog log and continuing on towards Rainy Pass.  The camera is mounted on the sled and shows the dogs eager to run and the instructions given them. 

The first couple of days the weather was pretty nasty with snow, winds and at times blizzard conditions.  The chase planes and helicopters were grounded for a couple of days so making sure the mushers had all of their pre-dropped supplies in place as they come through is important.  Food for the dogs and other items are ready for a speedy rest if needed.

Going through Finger Lake Checkpoint

Staying at Rainy Pass Checkpoint

Contrasting the previous video you can see Aliy approach Rainy Pass Checkpoint with it snowing pretty hard.  She meets the timekeeper and then is instructed where to park her dogs and is moved there with guidance from a couple of dog handlers. 

You can see Aliy going about caring for the dogs as the Vets review the log and start looking at the animal’s condition while the team starts to settle in for a nice rest and sleep.  What happens after the video is cut off is putting out the straw for the dogs to lay on, being fed, and watered.  The animals were probably asleep before Aliy tends to her on needs.  This is still early on the trail for the required eight and twenty four hour rest stops which are taken farther down the trail.

Crossing the Alaska Range going through the Dalzell Gorge and the ice falls is a place where many mushers have difficulties descending while making the sharp turns.  There have been many mushers who have crashed and injured themselves in this early stretch of the race.  One of the first mushers out of the race this year hit a tree and was found unconscious by the next musher coming past. Pat Moon, (Bib #17 from Chicago Illinois) scratched after crashing his sled in the Dalzell Gorge.  Belgian musher Sam Deltour came upon Moon and his team after the incident.  Deltour stated that he attended to Moon who was unconscious at the time, and then checked on his team.  By the time Deltour got back to Moon, he had regained consciousness but later Moon was transported to Anchorage where he was driven to Providence Medical Center and received a check up.  All members of Moon’s team were in good condition.

I’ll post more of this incredible run in the next couple of days as the images and sounds allows a better understanding of what it is to be out alone in the wilderness in extreme conditions. 

Grit and determination along with a great love for the dogs makes one only imagine if you have within you to take on such a task.  There has to be an incredible deep surrender to allow oneself to feel the pain and bite of the cold, snow in your face and be smiling watching your team joyously run with the constant sound of precision like a sewing machine as the runners cut through the icy trail.

Thanks once again to SP Kennel to provide these wonderful vignettes of Team Red during Iditarod 38.  Aliy’s husband Allen Moore (Team Black) and all of the canines I’m sure are resting now and preparing for their next run . . . after all these are “Born to Run” athletes.

Stay tuned for Part 3 . . .

There are still 8 teams on the trail making their way towards Nome.

And the Red Lantern Award will go to . . .

Ice