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Trail from Rohn to Nikolai by Sanka W. Dog

Posted by Sanka in Along the Trail, Explore Alaska, Off-Season News Date: November 11, 2008

There was so much to share with you about the village of Nikolai, there wasn’t enough time or space to tell you about the trail between Rohn and Nikolai. Between the stories, pictures Handler has and what I’ve discovered about the trail from the Bower’s Trail Notes in Iditarod’s Guide to the Last Great Race, there’s reason to tell you a little more about this part of the trail.

Dogs Teams are unmistakable from the air in the Farewell BurnThe trail between Rohn and Nikolai is beautiful and challenging. During the clear, cold daytime the mushers and dogs can see Denali and Mt. Foraker in the northeast. Try to imagine how beautiful these peaks are around sunrise and sunset when they are still brightly lit by the sun over the dark landscape below. On the other hand, challenges include areas of glare ice, overflow, open water, wind and lack of snow. I had to ask what overflow was. Handler explained that it’s water that sits on top of frozen ice. How does it get there? It comes up through cracks in the ice or around the edges. You know, I’ve done a few open water crossings - just little steams and it’s not so bad. We have to change booties pretty soon afterward.

Egypt Mountain is a stand alone peak that’s about 3,000 feet tall. The teams run low along the shoulder of this mountain as they head from Rohn toward Farewell Lake. This is where the buffalo live. Buffalo? I thought handler was making this up! Back in 1965, eighteen of the big brown beasts were moved from Canada and then a few years later another 20 were added to the herd. Now there are 200 to 300 bison that graze in the burn area. They aren’t a problem for Iditarod teams but they are curious. There are stories about mushers who decide to pull over to rest with their teams and wake up to a buffalo kissing their cheek. Now who would believe this but Don Bowers, Jr. speaks the truth in his Trail Notes!

Cessna 180 provides an aerial view of the trail through the Farewell BurnThe Farewell Burn is exactly what its name implies. During the summer of 1978, one and a half million acres burned in Alaska’s largest ever forest fire. Forty miles of Iditarod Trail runs through the burned area. After the fire, the trail was covered with snags and downed trees, so for several years it was very tough sledding but in 1984 a 25 foot wide trail was cleared through the burn by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). If there is good snow, this can be a great section of trail - without snow, it’s still tough sledding.

Buffalo Camp in the Farewell BurnIn the Burn, about 40 miles from Nikolai, the teams will come upon a tent camp complete with people and snowmachines. This is the Buffalo Camp. Teams are welcome to stop to rest and have some stew. The hunters sure helped Paul Gebhardt out in 2006 when he lost his team. Paul told Handler his story while they were eating Cheeseburgers and Fries at the Nikolai Community Center.

Gebhardt was coming into the burn when his sled hit a tree and the gangline snapped. The team kept going leaving Paul standing on the runners of a motionless sled. Paul yelled at his leaders to stop but they didn’t so he began to run after the team. He got hot so he took off his anorak and tossed it beside the trail - he kept running. Next he took off his coat and tossed it beside the trail - he kept jogging. Next he took off his insulated pants and tossed them beside the trail - he kept walking. Paul was in the lead when he lost his team. Doug Swingley, not too far behind, came upon the abandoned sled. He saw Paul’s footprints going down the trail and the anorak, coat and pants laying beside the trail. He knew what had happened. Pretty soon Doug caught up with Paul and gave him a ride to the Buffalo Camp. Paul borrowed a snowmachine from the hunters and finally caught up with his team a couple of miles down the trail. Gebhardt tied his team off and then raced back to his sled, picking up his anorak, coat and pants on the way. He towed his sled up to the Buffalo Camp, picked up a hunter then went on up the trail to where his team was tied off. The hunter returned to camp with the snowmachine. Paul replaced his gangline and continued down the trail, now in second place.

I’ve heard about the rule that mushers can’t receive outside assistance on the trial. Do you think Paul was penalized for riding on Doug’s sled or using a snowmachine to recover his team? The rules allow a musher to use any means available to recover a team. The Race Marshall said that Gebhardt didn’t gain any time or advantage in using these options to recover his team so there was no penalty. Lucky for Paul that the Buffalo Camp was so close and lucky that mushers are really Good Samaritans and willing to help each other out.

Well, there you have it - some stories, history and information about the trail between Rohn and Nikolai. From Nikolai, the teams move on to McGrath. Stay tuned for that story and remember - in everything do your best every day and have a plan.

Born to Run,
Sanka

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Virtual Trail Journey - Rohn at Mile 210 By Sanka W. Dog

Posted by Sanka in Explore Alaska, Off-Season News Date: October 22, 2008

I’ve got a question about Rainy Pass so I was really happy to see Handler park that bike and come into the dog yard. I took careful notes on everything Handler told us about Rainy Pass but I’m still a little confused as to how the checkpoint called Rainy Pass can be at 1,800 feet elevation but Rainy Pass is at 3,160 feet elevation. It seems that more than one place is known as Rainy Pass.

Handler said that I had a good question and that I was paying very close attention to details. Before climbing high into the mountains, the dogs and mushers come to Rainy Pass Checkpoint, which is located on Puntilla Lake at Rainy Pass Lodge - elevation 1800 feet. After leaving the checkpoint, the teams climb high into the Alaska Range to a valley that cuts through the mountains and is the highest point of the Iditarod Trail. This valley is the TRUE Rainy Pass - elevation 3,160 feet.

Surrounded by spruce trees, Rohn Cabin as seen from the AirThe run to Rohn from Puntilla Lake is 48 miles and takes four or five hours. From Rainy Pass Checkpoint, it’s a steady climb to the TRUE Rainy Pass. After reaching the trail summit it’s a sharp downhill run into the cold Interior of Alaska and the Rohn Roadhouse. This is the famous and feared stretch of trail known as the Dalzell Gorge. In two miles the trail drops hundreds of feet as it jumps back and forth across Dalzell Creek on narrow ice and snow bridges that span open but shallow running water. Imagine how fast that water must be flowing to not freeze! Depending on weather and snow conditions, the Dalzell Gorge can be a nightmare or just a challenge. From where the creek meets the frozen Tatina River it’s just 5 more miles to the Rohn Roadhouse Checkpoint. I once heard Martin Buser say that it takes 2 days to climb to the top of the range and less than two hours to get down the other side. WOW!

Rohn Public use cabin built in the 1930's by the BLMAfter that run, it’s no wonder that the dogs and mushers are happy to see the one lone cabin that is called the Rohn Roadhouse Checkpoint - population zero. In the old days, there was a roadhouse near this location for the dog teams and drivers who carried mail and others supplies into the interior. After the airplane took over for the dog teams, the roadhouse wasn’t maintained and eventually fell down. In 1930, The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) built the cabin used as the checkpoint today. It’s a beautiful spot, sheltered from the wind by larger majestic spruce trees. Before the BLM made improvements on the trail that runs through the Farewell Burn, many mushers chose to take their 24-hour rest in Rohn. Now it’s likely that mushers will move further up the trail before taking their long mandatory rest. By the way, Handler says that lots of folks refer to the Rohn Roadhouse Checkpoint as the Rohn River Checkpoint - don’t be fooled, there isn’t a “Rohn River.”

Drop bags and straw waiting for tired mushers and hungry dogsIf you want to read more about any section of the trail, you can do what I did - read the Trail Notes by Don Bowers, Jr. in Iditarod’s Guide to the Last Great Race. You can also find Bowers’ trail notes on www.iditarod.com. And another thing, Handler didn’t have pictures of Rohn so we got permission from Jasper Bond, Rohn Cabin Master, to share some of his pictures. You can see more of Jasper’s pictures at www.rohnroadhouse.com. Handler says it’s important to give credit where credit is due.

Well, there you have it - information about the TRUE Rainy Pass, the Dalzell Gorge and the Rohn Checkpoint. Next Handler is going to tell us about mushing through the Farewell Burn and the village of Nikolai. Stay tuned for that story and remember, in everything do your best everyday and have a plan.

Born to Run,
Sanka

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Virtual Trail Journey - Rainy Pass at Mile 162 by Sanka W. Dog

Posted by Sanka in Explore Alaska, Off-Season News Date: October 21, 2008

Teams on Puntilla Lake - Rainy Pass CheckpointThe distance from Finger Lake to Rainy Pass Checkpoint is about 30 miles with some really tough spots along the way. It’s beneficial for mushers and dogs to take a good rest at Finger Lake before heading to the Rainy Pass checkpoint on Puntilla Lake, a run of three to five hours. From Finger Lake the trail climbs into the Mountains of the Alaska Range.

It’s the Happy River steps that are equally challenging for veteran and rookie mushers. This part of the trail is very steep as it runs down to the Happy River through many hairpin turns and switchbacks. Most Iditarod mushers can tell stories about their experiences on the dreaded steps.

In 2006, one of my musher friends, K2 broke the brake on his sled coming down the steps. He was riding the brake to control the sled when it caught on something and snapped. It’s amazing that he made it to Rainy Pass Checkpoint without being able to use his brake. Once he got to Rainy, he went to work to fix the brake before going on. Good Job K2!

And then in 2007, it was unusually icy coming off the steps onto the Happy River. Really experienced humans like DeeDee Jonrowe, Doug Swingley and a few others had to scratch at Rainy Pass Checkpoint after crashing. DeeDee broke her hand and Doug broke some ribs. The dogs love that part of the trail but the humans are very happy to get through in one piece.

Sled & gear with Rainy Pass Lodge in the backgroundRainy Pass Checkpoint on Puntilla Lake is at 1,800 feet elevation. The checkpoint is located at Rainy Pass Lodge that is run by the Perrins Family, Steve and Denise along with their five sons. Humans come to the lodge to hunt Dall Sheep, Caribou, Moose and Bear - black and grizzly. In the summer, the lodge offers horseback trips, fishing and awesome scenery. Being in the Alaska Range, humans travel to the lodge by plane, snowmachine or dog team.

Well there you have it - some information about Rainy Pass Checkpoint, Rainy Pass Lodge and the treacherous trail from Finger to Rainy. Next the mushers will be heading over the highest point on the Iditarod trail on the way to Rohn. Officially, once the mushers reach Rainy Pass, elevation 3160 feet, and begin to head down the other side of the Alaska Range, they are in the Interior of Alaska. Stay tuned for that story and remember, in everything do your best everyday and have a plan.

Born to Run,

Sanka

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