Deep snow stalls riders on the trail, Jay P has a big lead

I spoke with several racers between Shageluk and Grayling by calling the B&B's where they are holding up. Deep snow, drifted in trail is reported by Phil in Grayling and Kevin and Jay C in Shageluk.  

There is a weather advisory for the Yukon River area for the next 24 hours and a winter weather warning for the Bering Sea Coast. The pattern has been several system that are bringing in more snow and wind to the area. 

The first musher is out of Ophir and the Iditarod Trail brakers are always ahead of the first musher, within a day the bikers should have a trail. The temperatures have been warm, so trails should pack down well and firm up, especially once it cools off a night. 

The race leader Jay P is making pretty good progress and is only 36 miles from Kaltag this morning. The word is that he is traveling behind a crew of snowmachiners heading up the trail.