So far there hasn't been a lot of snow. Early December had a lot of rain and warm temps all over the state. Temps have been cold for a while now. The wind has been blowing and the snow has blown away a lot of places. Below is a short report by Invitational volunteer, trail groomer, Rohn& Shell Lake checker Michael Schoder.
" If the race was today it would be the fastest ever between Swentna and Fingerlake. Trail is hard, wide, smooth and not very brushy. There is almost zero snow at Fingerlake, .the wind blew it away. I will be trying to punch up to Puntilla on Wednesdy or Thursday. Trail broke to Happy steps now."
M. Schoder
current conditions along Iditarod Trail
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
An Iditarod highway
Hello All,
I just read an article http://alaskadispatch.com/dispatches/news/7631-an-iditarod-highway by Craig Medred .
It makes me feel like I was just kicked in the belly by a horse and thought I would share it with all of you. I understand the Iditarod trail I first saw in 1998 was a far cry from the one that the first Iditarod mushers faced on stretches of the trail resurrected from decades of little or no use.
What I did see though was an adventure for human powered racers worth preserving that has become a passion for me. I have been on the trail for the last 13 years either as a racer or trail breaker. I have made bad decisions, wrong turns, been disoriented in blizzards and had my ass kicked badly as a trail breaker on Rainy Pass but never once have I felt the need for an "improved" Iditarod Trail.
I have held my ground all these years against the "gentle folk" who would have me change our race to make it more visible, more suited to the average "adventure tourist" and more profitable but I have lost every time I tried to prevent more urbanization of the trail by the powers that be ie: more markings, shelter cabins etc.
In the trail user meetings organized by the BLM and attended by Alaska Ultra Sport, Iditarod, Iron Dog and the Serum Run I am known as an anti-progressive when it comes to sanitizing the Trail and when decisions about improvements are announced they just look at me, smile and say, "I know this won't make you happy Bill but---."
When you compare the measly few thousand dollars our race brings to Alaska to the bone Donlin can toss the state I guess the writing is on the wall.
Hello Iditarod Highway. I am really not looking forward to going to McGrath on a pipeline pad.
Hope you're getting out and having some fun.
Bill M.
I just read an article http://alaskadispatch.com/dispatches/news/7631-an-iditarod-highway by Craig Medred .
It makes me feel like I was just kicked in the belly by a horse and thought I would share it with all of you. I understand the Iditarod trail I first saw in 1998 was a far cry from the one that the first Iditarod mushers faced on stretches of the trail resurrected from decades of little or no use.
What I did see though was an adventure for human powered racers worth preserving that has become a passion for me. I have been on the trail for the last 13 years either as a racer or trail breaker. I have made bad decisions, wrong turns, been disoriented in blizzards and had my ass kicked badly as a trail breaker on Rainy Pass but never once have I felt the need for an "improved" Iditarod Trail.
I have held my ground all these years against the "gentle folk" who would have me change our race to make it more visible, more suited to the average "adventure tourist" and more profitable but I have lost every time I tried to prevent more urbanization of the trail by the powers that be ie: more markings, shelter cabins etc.
In the trail user meetings organized by the BLM and attended by Alaska Ultra Sport, Iditarod, Iron Dog and the Serum Run I am known as an anti-progressive when it comes to sanitizing the Trail and when decisions about improvements are announced they just look at me, smile and say, "I know this won't make you happy Bill but---."
When you compare the measly few thousand dollars our race brings to Alaska to the bone Donlin can toss the state I guess the writing is on the wall.
Hello Iditarod Highway. I am really not looking forward to going to McGrath on a pipeline pad.
Hope you're getting out and having some fun.
Bill M.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Freeing rain from Anchorage to Barrow
Once again one of these warm weather patterns has hit Alaska. All the way from Anchorage to Barrow, there are reports of freezing rain. Roads and sidewalks are a solid sheet of ice. Schools were canceled in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley. We have seen this before in previous years. I remember 2003. I found the best means of transportation is a bicycle and really good studded tires such as the Nokian studded tire.
This is an article in the ADN today.
Some of our friends in Anchorage and Palmer are finding ways of coping with this fluke of nature.
We hope this crazy weather pattern doesn't last much longer and we return to real winter and great trails.
Kathi
This is an article in the ADN today.
Some of our friends in Anchorage and Palmer are finding ways of coping with this fluke of nature.
We hope this crazy weather pattern doesn't last much longer and we return to real winter and great trails.
Kathi
Monday, October 25, 2010
New winter bike race called Sheep Mountain 150
This December the inaugural winter bike race Sheep Mountain 150 will get underway.
Sponsored by Arctic Cycles the race follows the dog mushing trails of the Sheep Mountain 150 race.
There will also be a shorter 100 mile race.
This will be another qualifying event to enter the Iditarod Trail Invitational race.
The race roster of the Invitational has been full since May, but there are still spots left in these other races to qualify for the 2012 event.
Susitna 100
Arrowhead 135
White Mountains 100 FULL wait list!
Kathi Merchant
Sponsored by Arctic Cycles the race follows the dog mushing trails of the Sheep Mountain 150 race.
There will also be a shorter 100 mile race.
This will be another qualifying event to enter the Iditarod Trail Invitational race.
The race roster of the Invitational has been full since May, but there are still spots left in these other races to qualify for the 2012 event.
Susitna 100
Arrowhead 135
White Mountains 100 FULL wait list!
Kathi Merchant
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Winter Bike Training School on the Iditarod Trail
Join us for our winter bike training school on the Iditarod Trail. 6 spots left.
Dates: January 29- February 2.
Learn how to ride a snowbike and travel on the Iditarod Trail human powered multi day.
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