Day 5: The trail doesn't care

Racers sharing a meal at Rainy Pass Lodge at the Puntilla checkpoint (photo: Kendall Park)

Today racers continued to battle frigid headwinds and tough trail conditions throughout last night and today (windchill was reported as -50 deg F at Puntilla last night). As always, the wilderness does what it does regardless of the ambitions of humans traversing through it. After a long night resting at Finger Lake Checkpoint (mile 124), perhaps hoping for conditions to improve, Annie Connelly (Palmer, Alaska, 150, foot), traveling with her younger brother Michael Connelly, left this morning. However, both turned around after a few miles and scratched from the race. 

A finish is never guaranteed at the Iditarod. DNFs (Did Not Finish/Did Nothing Fatal) are commonplace here, especially with the brutally cold and windy conditions racers are facing this year. Other drops today included Meg Inokuma (Palmer, Alaska, 350, foot), who was reported to be at Rohn (mile 188) last night and was on track for the 350 women’s foot course record, Natalie Taylor (UK) who was leading the field at times during the race but struggled with breathing issues Wednesday evening, and Frances Deblare (Palmer, Alaska, 350, bike). Meg, Natalie, and Frances are all rookies at the ITI.

Meanwhile, other racers continue onward. Ellen Humberston (Wausau, Wisconsin) now leads the 350 foot race, and is nearly to Rohn (mile 188) after crossing over Rainy Pass in exceptionally tough conditions today. In second, Laura Trentani (Italy) is headed over the pass this evening in the midst of many other racers. Finally, the rest of the women’s 350 foot field are all within five miles of each other and are approaching Puntilla (mi 153); that group consists of Gillian Smith (Whitehorse, Canada), Hilary Kunz (Golden, Colorado), Carol Seppilu (Nome, Alaska), and Sunny Stroeer (Kanab, Utah).

Earlier today Elsa Rabou (France) had been leading the women’s 150 foot race just a mile ahead of Jen Novobilski (Anchorage, Alaska), with 15 miles left in that race to Puntilla (mi 153). However, Elsa took a detour off of the Iditarod trail on a spur trail, allowing Jen to take the lead. At this point, given that Elsa is roughly four miles off route, it seems unlikely that Elsa will be able to make up the time to catch Jen. Sarah Kingstrom (Nome, Alaska) was resting the past few hours at the Finger Lake (mi 124), which is now closed. She will now make the 29 mile to Puntilla (mi 153) and needs to arrive by 2 pm tomorrow in order to meet the time cutoff.

Leading the 350-mile race on bike, Ginny Robbins (Victor, Idaho) is in 9th place overall, and has been resting in Nikolai today and tinkering with her bike after the long push from Rohn without a break. Petra Davis (Anchorage, AK) is arriving at Nikolai after a push from Bear Creek cabin (mi 228) today. Bear Creek cabin is not a true checkpoint; it’s a cabin about a mile off the trail, but is the only potential warm place to rest on the long stretch between Rohn (mile 188) and Nikolai (mile 259). Some years there is no trail to the cabin, but this year trail breakers from ITI rode through with the snow machines and created a path that some cyclists have already taken advantage of. Athletes will do a cost benefit analysis to either take the trail and maybe get a warm shelter if there is wood and a trail; or keep pushing through to bivy on the trail. For foot it is a two day crossing from the pass to Nikolai, and water is available to pull from Sullivan Creek, which is just seven miles beyond the cabin. 

In the 1,000-mile bike race, Maya Krause (Brazil) and Kendall Park (St. Louis, Missouri) are racing together and going over Rainy Pass currently, bound for Rohn (mi 188). They have both completed the 350-mile race twice before but are rookies in the 1,000-mile bike. Earlier today, Maya was feeling a sense of confidence that she has gained since first embarking over Rainy Pass for the first time just two years ago, when she made the trek alone in exceptionally challenging conditions, really similar to what they are experiencing now. She knows that she can get through it. She drew an analogy to the experience of playing video games that are tricky and challenging, but this time through Rainy Pass she has the cheat codes and knows what she needs to do.

Tracie Curry (Fairbanks, Alaska) leads the 350 ski race and is closing in on Rohn (mi 188). Behind her is Laura Rushfeldt (Boston, Massachusetts), arriving at Puntilla (153), and can now enjoy the warmth and hospitality.

This race can be a wild experience in extremes, where racers go from dinner at Rainy Pass Lodge, with can be a fun party with friends, good food, wine, warmth, in a cozy atmosphere to the most brutal and exhausting conditions imaginable, going up to the mountain pass in -50s deg wind chills. Generally speaking, this trail can provide the highest highs and lowest lows. These contrasts between the challenges and joy make the moments of joy that much more special. These intense experiences, which are hard to find in regular life, can foster deep friendships and can keep many ITI athletes returning year after year. 

Congrats to race finishers since yesterday’s update -

350 bike - Seth Harney (Buena Vista, Colorado), Curtis Henry (Fairbanks, Alaska), Chris Olsen (Big Lake, Alaska), John Phelps (Montrose, Colorado), and Tom Kavanaugh (Ridgway, Colorado).

… as well as the first 1,000 mile racer who has reached McGrath, which is only another checkpoint in the race of that distance - Tyson Flaharty (Fairbanks, Alaska, bike).

In a challenging race such as this, not everyone who starts the race finishes it. However, getting to the start line and giving it your all is a tremendous feat, worthy of celebration. For those of you who did not finish your race for whatever reasons, you should know that we’ve been rooting for you and we’ve loved cheering you on as much as every finisher and you are an important part of the ITI family. Most of the folks in the WWW group have been there before, and we wish you the very best in your recovery and in all of your future endeavors!

Stay tuned for more updates and stories from the trail, the next of which is coming tomorrow night. Until then, you can follow the tracker.

Written by Madeline Harms

Thanks to Wild Winter Women - Allison Carolan, Amanda Harvey, Faye Norby, Jan Redmond Walker, Jessica Roschlan, Kari Anne Gibbons, Laura Wiesmann Hrubes, Leah Gruhn, Lynn Hall, Rashelle Hintz, Rebecca McVay-Brodersen, and Sarah Bergstrom.