Quest chaotic on treacherous second day
CENTRAL—Even by Alaska standards, the weather during the first two days of the 2006 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race has been terrible.
Snow and rain socked in the already formidable Eagle Summit late Sunday afternoon, casting a dark shadow upon the second day of the 1,000-mile race to Whitehorse, Yukon. Racers who had made it into this second checkpoint in the race after crossing the summit called conditions, “horrible” and, “really, really scary.”
“There’s a real hard wind blowing,” said race manager Wendel Carey, during an evening news conference conducted by Quest officials at the Steese Roadhouse.
“Boulders are showing on the south side of Eagle Summit. The wind and rain are really blowing, and it’s not making it pleasant for mushers.”
Unseasonably warm, near-record temperatures to start the race combined with low snowfall this winter created weather conditions unique even to the Quest, called by many “the world’s toughest sled dog race.” But the Quest has built its reputation on extreme cold and wintry landscapes.
Sunday’s conditions were more spring-like.
“I have never seen such low-snow conditions in a race,” Carey said.
The mushers who arrived into the checkpoint at Central early Sunday night expressed a wide variety of emotions after the treacherous descent from near the 3,685-foot peak of Eagle Summit.
William Kleedehn—the gritty veteran Yukon musher in his 10th Quest—who arrived in fifth place, expressed his emotions in simple terms.
“I’m just happy to be alive,” he said.
Three-time Quest champion Hans Gatt led the field into Central, about 165 miles into the race, at 5:30 p.m. He didn’t waste much time, checking in with officials and then departing at 5:41 p.m. to camp somewhere on the 75-mile trail to Circle.
While Gatt packed bags full of straw for bedding to carry on his sled, he described the trip over the summit.
“Horrible,” Gatt said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if someone gets killed up there tonight.”
Sebastian Schnuelle, a Whitehorse musher in his fourth Quest, was second into Central at 5:50 p.m.
“It sucked,” Schnuelle said. “It was horrible. It was really, really scary.”
Defending champion Lance Mackey was right behind Schnuelle, arriving at 5:55 p.m.
“What a ride,” Mackey said. “That’s the adrenaline we look for.”
Mackey frantically tried to organize a feeding for his dogs as he described his descent, which comes about 10 miles into the 35-mile run from the 101 Mile Steese Highway dog drop.
“It was crazy,” Mackey said. “That was as out of control as I’ve ever been. It’s what we look for.”
Veteran Skagway musher Hugh Neff came into Central fourth at 6:01 p.m. and dropped a dog.
“That was Nova,” Neff said as he loaded his sled. “She was one of my leaders, but I’ve got 10 leaders this year.”
Neff appeared unfazed by Eagle Summit.
“There was a lot of powder,” Neff said. “It wasn’t too bad. I’ve seen worse. It was pretty hairy toward the end. It was basically like going through cement.”
With the ordeal behind them, the lead mushers turned their attention back to the race. Neff and Mackey left about a half-hour behind Gatt at 6:12 and 6:17.
“I’ll see what Hans is doing,” Neff said, “and then I’ll camp.”