Notebook: Schnuelle leads out of Circle
CENTRAL—Lost in the rising tide of panic and then relief Monday at this Steese Highway checkpoint was the fact that the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race is still steaming ahead.
Only 14 teams remain in the 1,000-mile race to Whitehorse, Yukon. Five of the 22 teams that started the race were withdrawn by officials after being stranded Monday on Eagle Summit. And three others have scratched.
Like everything else Monday, the leaderboard offered a few surprises.
Whitehorse musher Sebastian Schnuelle was the first driver to reach the Circle and leave the Circle checkpoint, arriving at 1:49 p.m. Monday afternoon. After a rest of about 10 hours, he hit the Yukon River for the 159-mile run to Eagle at 10:04 p.m. with 12 dogs.
He was followed by three-time Quest champion Hans Gatt, who left at 10:36 with 14 dogs.
Several teams were preparing to leave as of 11 p.m. Monday.
Healy veteran Dave Dalton was the third musher into Circle, arriving at 2:46. Defending champion Lance Mackey was fourth into Circle, arriving at 3:03.
And right on his heels was Skagway veteran Hugh Neff, who checked in at 3:11.
They were trailed into Circle by William Kleedehn (4:07), Gerry Willomitzer (4:11), Kelley Griffin (5:48), Richie Beattie (7:16) and Michelle Phillips (9:14).
The last musher, Healy rookie Regina Wycoff, left Central 6:06 p.m. after a rest of nearly 12 hours.
Local legends
For the residents of Central, the storm that lashed Eagle Summit and threw the Yukon Quest into a frenzy was a reminder of the way the weather always is.
“Occasionally you get these warm chinooks that blow in,” said Central resident Dean Willis, a volunteer trailbreaker for the Quest. “For the last five years, we’ve been griping about the unusual weather during the Quest. I guess it’s become usual now.”
Willis was one of many volunteers from Central who break the Quest trail with snowmachines. He lived in Central off and on since 1979, he said, but now lives there full-time with his wife and family.
For the two-plus days the Quest blew through Central, seemingly the entire town came out as volunteers for the race.
“I just want to do what I can to help,” Willis said.