Arriving in Kaltag

Mitch now has some company in Kaltag (mile 633)...Wade Marrs pulled into the checkpoint, taking a half hour longer to do the run than Mitch did it.  Dallas just got to the checkpoint as well taking a mere 2 minutes longer than Wade to make the run from Nulato. These are the main front runners.  Not to say the rest of the chase pack cant challange them....there still is a lot of miles yet to go and anything can happen.   

The rest of the moving teams look like this:

Petit at 621
Joar at 614
Redington at 586 (resting)
Jason Mackey at 585
Jessie Royer at 583
Johannessen at 576
John Baker at mile 566
Aliy at 563 (just leaving Koyukuk)

The trail from Huslia to Koyukuk was reportedly like an eggshell.....a very thin crust on top, but if you broke through it was bottomless sugar snow.  That is tough going for a dog team.  Jessie Royer explained that when she passed resting Teams the trail would get ever so slightly better, so I'm sure they many teams out there right now are struggling a bit, unless the trail set up some overnight.  The teams appear to be moving a little faster in this area now, so its likely the trail is a bit better.  From Koyukuk to Kaltag the trail is traveled by the locals and is packed down....so once the Teams get back on the Yukon its much easier going.

As much as I hate to say it....but look for Mitch and Dallas to "put the hammer down", as Mitch phrased it in an interview.  This is when they take out the dogs they have been resting along the way and allow them to actually race.  I'm not sure what the trail to Unalakleet is like...other than its an ancient portage route used by Athabaskan's to the east to trade and travel with the Inupuit peoples along the Bering Sea Coast.  Its about 90 miles long and has a couple of shelter cabins along the route.  From what I have read, there is not much snowmobile traffic between the 2 villages of Kaltag and Unalakleet through the winter, so this section of trail may have just a thin crust much like the trail from Huslia.  If that is the case it will deteriorate with every passing of a Team when the temperatures rise through the day with a high of 25 degrees forecasted with lots of sun...not overcast like it has been.  As they approach Unalakleet the temps are not as hot, but still over optimum mushing temps.