The BrownStone Iditarod litter has turned three.
The Iditarod Race trail begins on Willow Lake and winds through typical northern forests, consisting of alternating birch woods and spruce swamps. At this point most of the trail is flat to gently rolling hills. BrownStone Willow lives in Eugene with her family of four.
Mushers come off the Yukon River at Kaltag and leave the checkpoint on a trail that follows the ancient Kaltag portage, a relatively straight valley angling southwest through the coastal mountains. The route has been used for millennia by Natives. It makes the major transition from the inland river environment to the Bearing Sea Coast. Conditions can be vastly different at opposite ends of the portage, and wind is a constant threat on the western half. BrownStone Kaltag lives in the Seattle area.
The route to Koyuk is on the Bering Sea ice. The mushers guide states: you may see some pressure ridges but little else along this way. There may be cracks in the ice, some of which can be several inches wide. These are normal and shouldn't cause you any concern. You will probably also hear the ice cracking under or around you, also normal, if a bit unnerving. Stories about the ice cracking off and drifting mushers and their teams out to sea are probably a bit over done. BrownStone Koyuk, here with mother Cedar, lives in Eugene.
The mushers guide goes on to say that you'll leave Koyuk on the sea ice headed southwest along the shore. The trail generaly stays just far enough offshore to avoid shore ice which can be jumbled and rough. The trail will cut inshore just past a prominent rocky headland and run for another couple of miles across low ground and then begin to climb over a series of small ridges, eventually back to the tree line and sea ice. The trail between Koyuk and Elim is notorious for wind. BrownStone Elim is now River. She lives in Portland with her family.
Big boy Nome was whelped last. The mushers guide starting on the sea ice states: Finally you will swing sharply up the bank and find yourself at he east end of Front Street. The arch is at the far end of the street, half a mile away. You will usually have a police escort, hopefully the flashing red and blue lights won't spook your dogs. There may be enough snow to run down the middle of the street, otherwise you'll have to pick your way along the sidewalk or else just scrape up the asphalt as best you can (but who cares anyway?) Finally you'll pull into the fenced in chute for the last couple hundred feet. Stop your team when your leaders pass under the arch. Amid congratulations from everyone, the checker will inventory your sled. Once he's done, you're no longer a rookie and you can tell tales from the trail to next year's crop of newbies.Nome lives with his family in the North Cascades.
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