The Last Great Race
- Thread starter Wildman
- Start date
They haven't cancelled it for Covid yet? 
or the animal lovers have not killed it yet!They haven't cancelled it for Covid yet?
OP
They haven't cancelled it for Covid yet?
No but they are limiting access to ONLY race officials and workers. Normally they allow pass holders access into the staging area.
They have tried many times but they care given to the dogs is better than many people receive. There are vets at every check point and each dog is given a check over. They have disqualified mushers for the mistreatment of their dogs.
I was fortunate enough to visit Nome a couple times when I lived in AK and saw where the Iditarod ends, but the timing was never right to see the competitors.
OP
When I was stationed at Ft Richardson I got to see the beginning of the race 2 times but never got to Nome to see the finish. I did work as a handler one year helping the mushers get the dogs hooked up and stuff. It was fun to get to help out.
I bet they have an absolute blast, operating exactly as designed by their Creator.
I've never seen a switch flip in a dog like that until the first time was getting ready to take my lab out to train on some frozen ducks. I was in the basement getting my gun out of the safe, I grabbed one of my calls and gave it a quick blow. This dog (mind you she had never seen nor heard a duck in her life) came tearing down the stairs with her head on a swivel looking for whatever made that noise. She just knew she had to get whatever it was, like she was designed that way.
OP
When I was a kid and had my dog team and was racing here in WA it would take 3 people to hold my sled because I would get out in front and get my dogs so worked up they were jumping into the air 4-5 feet. Then I'd walk back to the sled and when I was given the signal to go they would sprint out of the starting line like their tails were on fire.
My first race I'd ever done I thought I could run along side of the sled. It was a GOOD thing I had a firm grip on it. About pulled me off my feet and I barely got onto the runners. They don't keep that pace up very long but it's a BLAST while they do.
If I had a dog that was misbehaving I'd leave them back tied to the truck while I took the other dogs out. They were NOT happy if they got left behind. Just like any other animal trained to work they are an athlete and live to participate.
I knew nothing about mushing until my girlfriend wanted to go for a sledride. We went to the place that normally provides the rides and they told us that they weren't able to do our scheduled rides due to the poor snow conditions. However they told us that if we didn't mind driving to their home site (about 30 miles away) that they had much better conditions and we could get our rides. We chose to do the drive and man am I glad we did! What a fantastic experience. The owners place was amazing. They had about 40 dogs and when we walked out to where they were housed and started getting sleds and stuff ready the dogs went nuts! It was very clear that they loved running the sleds. We had a great time and got to see a lot that a regular client never gets to see. They showed us all about the care and feeding of the dogs and equipment care and got a tour through the whole place. I was stunned at the care the dogs got. Our rides were fantastic, the only issue was holding the dogs back because they wanted to run at about mach 2. They made it look effortless.
OP
HBO did one of their BIASED (IMO) documentaries on Sled Dogs & the industry a few years ago and really painted most people who are in this business in a BAD light. It might have been true for some companies but most mushers I know weren't what they portrayed in their show.
Back when sled dogs were used to move freight they used larger dogs and it was a general rule that each dog was capable of pulling 200lbs each. So if you had a sled that could handle the weight with a 12 dog team you could haul approx 2,000lbs of freight.
There is a HUGE difference between a racing sled & a freighting sled.
For my wood shop project when I lived in Alaska as a kid my dad & I built a sled using old school techniques. All the joints were wrapped with strips of Caribou and all the curved parts were steamed to make them bend. It was a fun project for me and I got to use the sled 3 times before we moved down from AK.
Back when sled dogs were used to move freight they used larger dogs and it was a general rule that each dog was capable of pulling 200lbs each. So if you had a sled that could handle the weight with a 12 dog team you could haul approx 2,000lbs of freight.
There is a HUGE difference between a racing sled & a freighting sled.
For my wood shop project when I lived in Alaska as a kid my dad & I built a sled using old school techniques. All the joints were wrapped with strips of Caribou and all the curved parts were steamed to make them bend. It was a fun project for me and I got to use the sled 3 times before we moved down from AK.
Only have two pictures from when I was in Nome. A local parking lot and of course the sign
OP
I’ve got several friends that have raced in the Iditarod and Yukon Quest. I organized an Iditarod qualifying race for a number of years, meaning that our race had to meet the Iditarod’s stringent rules for mileage, format and most importantly dog care. I can attest that the care that the dogs received was top notch. Most of the veterinarians that we had were also vets for the big race.
To put things in a little perspective, more people have reached the top of Mount Everest than have reached Nome behind a dog team.
One of the biggest things I miss since retiring from mushing is hooking up a team. As soon as you’d start harnessing dogs, the barking, screaming and leaping would start. You’d hook up your leaders. Good leaders would stand and keep the gangline stretched out. Back to the truck for another dog. Hook the collar. Hook the harness. Repeat. Swing dogs. Team dogs. Wheel dogs. The dog you hook up last because she bites through the tug line of the dog ahead of her in her excitement during hookup if she’s brought up too early. The noise and excitement would build to a frenzy. The team is leaping and banging against the lines. The lines are creaking and popping. The last dogs are hooked up. The sound is now ear splitting. One last look to make sure no one is tangled. Run up and lift a dog over to the correct side of the gang line. Run back and hop on the runners. Reach down, say “Alright. Let’s go.”, pull the pin on the pelican hook quick release and... silence. The dogs, as one, instantly go silent the moment they feel no resistance and surge forward. All there is now is the soft chuff chuff chuff chuff of 56 paws and the swish of the runners over snow.
Yeah. I definitely miss it.
To put things in a little perspective, more people have reached the top of Mount Everest than have reached Nome behind a dog team.
One of the biggest things I miss since retiring from mushing is hooking up a team. As soon as you’d start harnessing dogs, the barking, screaming and leaping would start. You’d hook up your leaders. Good leaders would stand and keep the gangline stretched out. Back to the truck for another dog. Hook the collar. Hook the harness. Repeat. Swing dogs. Team dogs. Wheel dogs. The dog you hook up last because she bites through the tug line of the dog ahead of her in her excitement during hookup if she’s brought up too early. The noise and excitement would build to a frenzy. The team is leaping and banging against the lines. The lines are creaking and popping. The last dogs are hooked up. The sound is now ear splitting. One last look to make sure no one is tangled. Run up and lift a dog over to the correct side of the gang line. Run back and hop on the runners. Reach down, say “Alright. Let’s go.”, pull the pin on the pelican hook quick release and... silence. The dogs, as one, instantly go silent the moment they feel no resistance and surge forward. All there is now is the soft chuff chuff chuff chuff of 56 paws and the swish of the runners over snow.
Yeah. I definitely miss it.
OP
@mushdogs you and me both. I never did any long races but I was only 15-17 years old when I raced. But as a kid in Alaska I'd take off for 2-3 day camping trips and I was only 12. It wasn't about going anywhere but just getting to run the dogs.
And yes I agree the excitement of the dogs when your are hooking them up got you worked up too.
Being out on a trail and running along side the sled or up front breaking trail and I'd sing to my dogs. They were the only ones who would allow me to sing.....
And yes I agree the excitement of the dogs when your are hooking them up got you worked up too.
Being out on a trail and running along side the sled or up front breaking trail and I'd sing to my dogs. They were the only ones who would allow me to sing.....
One of the things I’ve always been grateful that the Iditarod Trail Committee did, was a change to the entry requirements around 2004 or so. They recognized that there were “adventure seekers” who were willing to shell out large amounts of money to rent a team of dogs, learn a little how to run them, buy all the equipment, pay the entry fees and related costs and start for Nome. All in one season. The changes made it so if you’re going to race, you’re going to have to put in the time to gain experience in dog care and handling, learning trail savvy. All your qualifying races can’t be the same year as the Iditarod. Yes, you can still rent a team of dogs, but you’re going to make the commitment to learn to care for them over a couple years. It was a rule change to discourage dilettantes and people with more money than good sense. What we did as an Iditarod qualifying race wasn’t just ticking the box saying that a team had completed the mileage in the time allowed, it was judging the standard of care the dogs received and how the musher handled the trail. Only once did we ever have to report to the ITC not to allow entry to a musher. There’s an entire story to itself as to why that was.
OP
I thought they had done that for years? I seem to remember when I was in Alaska from 1981-84 that they at least had the requirement to run multiple pre races. The other thing I thought I remembered was that you had to be recommended by a current musher. But there is a lot I have forgotten.
Yes I can agree with you about that it makes tons of sense to have these requirements.
Yes I can agree with you about that it makes tons of sense to have these requirements.
Yes, you’re correct that there was the qualifying race requirement already. The issue was that it was possible enter the race in the fall with little to no experience, complete qualifiers in the two to three month period just before and make the starting chute still lacking experience. I don’t know what it costs nowadays, ten or so years ago a musher from the lower 48 was looking at roughly 15k just to get to the starting line for the first time. That was for the checkpoint drop bag contents and shipping of associated gear, travel costs. That didn’t count entry fees and costs of running, feeding and gear just training for it. I’m sure that number has gone up since. Alaska Airlines used to provide kennels for flying dogs out of Nome to Anchorage and when they stopped there was the added cost of providing your own. I remember a lot of mushers were left scrambling when that happened.
OP
Okay thanks. Nice to know I was remembering some of it right.
I think if you want to do this race great but as you said you need some experiance and proven track record of ability to care for your DOGS & yourself. I know I got into it a few times with some of the mushers I raced with because they wouldn't care for their dogs first when coming back to camp. I guess I was just taught different than some people.
That paid off later in life with other things too.
I think if you want to do this race great but as you said you need some experiance and proven track record of ability to care for your DOGS & yourself. I know I got into it a few times with some of the mushers I raced with because they wouldn't care for their dogs first when coming back to camp. I guess I was just taught different than some people.
That paid off later in life with other things too.
What has really amazes me is how much further and longer with fewer rest periods they run. 50-60 miles a leg was considered far, and you rested what you ran. 6 hour run? 6 hour rest. Longer legs would be broken up with a trail rest. I remember when racers started running 100+ mile legs, resting for a couple hours and running another long leg before taking a longer rest. My first thought was they were going to blow their teams out. But they didn’t. Those canine athletes were more than up to the challenge. It’s to the point that the musher is the one that can blow out before the dogs with lack of rest.
Think about how today’s Red Lantern recipients are completing the race in less time than it took for the first place finishers of the early years.
And that no one is running standard poodles anymore.
Think about how today’s Red Lantern recipients are completing the race in less time than it took for the first place finishers of the early years.
And that no one is running standard poodles anymore.
OP
Yes the times from the 70's have all been broken now. And the type and bodies of the dogs have progressed a LOT in the last 20 years. My dogs I owned as a kid in Alaska were BIG but I use to help haul loads of Caribou and stuff. I had a 28' sled that must have weighed 500lbs but it was built for freight. The one I built with my dad was 12' I think and weighed maybe 100lbs but was made for speed.
