March 4, 2008
We packed early the next morning, and some of us packed up some of our excess baggage and mailed it back home. Be prepared to spend more for postage home than for the items sent! Then a quick breakfast, luggage on the bus, and off to K-2 Aviation for our flight to Finger Lake checkpoint. Once again we had a sunny morning and the plan was to fly out to the checkpoint about 10 am and fly back to Anchorage by 4:30 pm. The flight out was in a 4 passenger Otter prop plane with skis for take off and landing. The weather and visibility were great and we flew over wilderness areas with occasional tiny cabins from the homesteading era, craggy mountains in the distance, as we flew further into the interior. We landed in deep snow on Finger Lake. The last 10 minutes of the flight we saw a number of dog teams from the air, some mushing, others stopped along the Iditarod Trail. At the checkpoint, about 15 dog teams were in and resting. We visited with some, asked about trail impressions and how the dogs were doing so far, and got plenty of pictures. Elena and I had a long talk with Joe Garnie (pic below) who said he had gotten enough dog food, finally, but was tired himself and worried about sprained muscles and tiredness in dogs who were not used to 30 degree temperatures and punchy sno
w.
We packed early the next morning, and some of us packed up some of our excess baggage and mailed it back home. Be prepared to spend more for postage home than for the items sent! Then a quick breakfast, luggage on the bus, and off to K-2 Aviation for our flight to Finger Lake checkpoint. Once again we had a sunny morning and the plan was to fly out to the checkpoint about 10 am and fly back to Anchorage by 4:30 pm. The flight out was in a 4 passenger Otter prop plane with skis for take off and landing. The weather and visibility were great and we flew over wilderness areas with occasional tiny cabins from the homesteading era, craggy mountains in the distance, as we flew further into the interior. We landed in deep snow on Finger Lake. The last 10 minutes of the flight we saw a number of dog teams from the air, some mushing, others stopped along the Iditarod Trail. At the checkpoint, about 15 dog teams were in and resting. We visited with some, asked about trail impressions and how the dogs were doing so far, and got plenty of pictures. Elena and I had a long talk with Joe Garnie (pic below) who said he had gotten enough dog food, finally, but was tired himself and worried about sprained muscles and tiredness in dogs who were not used to 30 degree temperatures and punchy sno
w. 
We tore ourselves away from the mushers long enough to go up to the Winter Lake Lodge for a gourmet lunch, included with our tour. It was a gourgeous and delicious grilled silver salmon on lentils, flavored to perfection with a nice glass of wine. What a heavenly setting, the cedar log lodge nestled among trees on a rise near the frozen lake,. The winter’s snow was piled to the eve troughs of the lodge, and completely covered some of the cabins. I have a picture of a tunnel to the Johnny house, and the view from sitting on the 'throne' below.
At about 2pm, the snow began to fall and the cloud ceiling dropped remarkably. By 3 pm it was announced that the planes could not safely return to get us. One of the planes on the lake tilted and got stuck in the snow trying to take off after one of it’s skis dropped into a deep snow hole. It took a bunch of men and snowmobiles to get it turned around and on the ice runway, and it was the last plane to take off.
I was having the time of my life finding one more awesome spot after another along the Iditarod Trail , within walking distance, to take pictures of the teams coming in or leaving, and trying to get the timing just right. It was fun, too, just finding a big snow drift to sit in, leaning back on my backpack and taking in the grandeur of nature and the teams shushing by out away from the checkpoint.
I was having the time of my life finding one more awesome spot after another along the Iditarod Trail , within walking distance, to take pictures of the teams coming in or leaving, and trying to get the timing just right. It was fun, too, just finding a big snow drift to sit in, leaning back on my backpack and taking in the grandeur of nature and the teams shushing by out away from the checkpoint.
The whole set of Finger Lakes pics can be see at http://picasaweb.google.com/JeanieB50/FingerLakesIditarod2008
When we got to Finger Lakes, the leaders had already passed and were headed toward Rainy Pass. The trick was to stay out of the musher’s way, yet get close enough to listen, learn, and ask questions when appropriate (and to decide what was appropriate). After we learned we would be spending the night, a group of us went down to the checkpoint and stayed until after dark, watching the last musher's headlamp glistening across the lake on the way around the lake to the checkpoint. One of the last mushers in, around snowy dusk, was Sam Deltour, the rookie from Belgium running Mitch Seavey's puppy team (by the way, he's doing quite well according to IONEARTH). I struck up a conversation with him;and he was eager to share his excitement and upbeat experience on the trail so far. He said he had a media crew that was supposed to be following to film him, but they were delayed because of the storm, so he asked me if I would like to get his camera out of his sled and film him doing his chores. I felt dumb trying to figure out how to use his camera, but got some needed help from Sam. I learned a lot following him through his un-bootying, getting his cooker going, hauling water, heating HIS food in the water before THE DOGS' FOOD, checking and massaging feet legs, answering Vets' questions about a few dogs, and feeding. I filmed for about 15 minutes, I think. What a fun way to learn!
Our group and 5 other stranded race followers are being put up in one large room of the WinterLake Lodge - about 20' x 15'. We have a wood stove in the corner, but no bath or running water. We have to walk quite a way to the outhouse through some snow tunnel/paths. Carl and Kristin, our wonderful hosts, report this is the first time ever a group has been stranded here, and they have owned it since 1973. Just my luck, huh? Kristin is a gourmet cook, trained at the CordonBleu in Paris and they have cabins here and a dog team, snow machines, and a helicopter available to guest who pay LOTS of money to stay here. I heard that guest pay up to $1000 per night to stay here, all inclusive, including flight out. So, we are basically staying here free, but we have to stay out of the way of the paying guests, and of course, few of the accomodtions they can enjoy. However, even though food is limited, and more supplies can't get in if we can't get out, Kristin is doing a superb job of feeding us.
We thought we would get out on Tuesday, but Tuesday morning was more socked in thatn Monday. Most of us are pleasant and enjoying the adventure, but, of course, there are always a few who are noisy grouches, complaining about everything. And, they are the ones sleeping on sofas, while the rest of us sleep on the floor. Monday night was a bit toasty and testy. The wood stove was too hot, and the snoring symphony was challenging to even the easy sleepers. I did not sleep much, and don't think anybody did. One lady, wanting to 'buy herself out of her misery' was on her cell phone before daybreak demanding loudly "a helicopter immediately because we are trapped in a blizzard". Geez, Louise! It takes all kinds. Hers was the only cell phone that worked up there, but I think there was the start of a campaign to see that it stopped working! That was pretty hard to sleep through.
During the night, we heard the last of the mushers leave the checkpoint, dogs eager and barking as they were being prepared to go. I smiled to hear the dogs howl into the night and cherish this opportunity to spend one more night here, sleep or no sleep. The morning was a winter wonderland, and several of us hiked down to a gorge behind the lodge on the Iditarod Trail. Andrea and Colin from New Zealand, and Tom, Cindy, and Harriet from Georgia, were as eager as I to enjoy this incredible opportunity, and we really made the best of it. We then visited with the checkers, volunteers, and Vets, and heard great stories of their adventures throughout the day. One musher, rookie Tom Roig, from Ohio, scratched here, so we have been visiting with him, too. He is sick, was sick even before the start, and very disappointed. He had to scratch on his other Iditarod try, too, and hates so to scratch again.
Now that all the mushers are through, there is cleanup to do, and I helped with gathering and bagging the garbage and used straw. I met Lisa Fredick's husband, David Little (Lisa wrote "Running with Champions" about her own Iditarod run and training with Jeff King - super book). I had lots of conversations with him about race strategy, difference in musher and dog personalities, and life in Alaska. He is a volunteer and does the doggie urine testing, and he loves to tell dog and Jeff King stories. I talked to him for about an hour before realizing who he was - several clues - 1)"has a home in Kodiak and cabin near Denali; 2) has dog named Houston; 3)his wife was out mushing when he tried to call her; and 4)Jeff King is my neighbor". I finally said, "Wait a minute, are you Lisa Fredrick's husband? and he seemed shocked that I would know that. Her book is one of my favorite musher books. He is very proud of her and quite supportive, though does not see himself as a musher. He was a wealth of interesting stories, and I loved it!
By Tuesday afternoon, it's still snowing, and we can't even see trees on the island in the middle of the lake. one plane from Iditarod Airforce flew in in treacherous weather but could only take one Vet out because of the deepness of the snow on the landing area. So, all checkers, Vets, the musher and his dogs, 14 dropped dogs, 14 guests, and 31 followers 'abandoned ones' are still stuck here. The second night we were getting used to it, and were tired enough to sleep through anything. I did not even notice the hard floor. Modesty was gone, and we stripped down a few more layers of clothes to be comfortable, and the comaraderie and making light of our plight helped. We continued to be amazed at the creative ways beans and rice could be served, and began to search out birch branches to chew on in lew of toothbrushes. (There was not a toothbrush, comb, or change of clothes among us!). Trips to the john (6 steps down through a slippery snow tunnel) became old hat, though some of us opted to pee on the Iditarod Trail (a bit closer, and who would know?). By then, it had snowed another several feet, on top of the 20+ feet already on the ground. Step off the trail, and you are up to your armpits, at least.
Wednesday morning brought no relief, and we were getting testy about not being able to find out race progress. There was a computer in the lodge, but it was accessible by paying guests only, so the weathered in radio team from KMBQ got the updates and brought them in 2 or 3 times a day. We then carried them down to the checkpoint, because THEY even had trouble getting updates! To me, that was THE MOST frustrating thing about being weathered in. Of course, I missed my opportunity to fly out to Rainy Pass, but those folks got trapped there, too, so I am fine with MY experience. Wednesday we got news that it may be Friday before we got out. By now, many people had missed their flights home, and because of spring break, airlines were overbooked and they may have to wait until next week to get out of Alaska. The front that 'attacked' us was called a 'pineapple express', a wet system that blows up from Hawaii and carries warmer temps and lots of moisture. Usually in the interior, it's too cold to snow like this, but the temps were in the 20's and perfect recipient of all that moisture. Wednesday afternoon there was slight clearing, and the planes took of to try to get us. We were notified, got ready, were piling onto snow machines to ride out to the landing strip, when we were told the wings were icing and all but one of the planes turned back. Five people got out Wednesday, my not among them. Our tour guide made sure that the grouchy ones got out first, so Wednesday night was really pleasant and we enjoyed playing games and joking about our experience 'bonding'. It was a fun time. We thought about having a major party, but the cheapest wine there was $40 a bottle. We decided a 'sip' of good wine would do it, so we just enjoyed the departure of the whiners. About 10 pm one of the staff informed us the sky was clearing and the Northern Lights were out. We had just gotten into bed, but all jumped up and dressed and went out to view the light display. They were not very colorful that night, but the movement of the lights, and the stars in the wilderness were beautiful. I woke up at 4am for a 'nature call', went out on my own, but the lights were gone and it was somewhat cloudy again. There was one of the dropped dogs who absolutely LOVED to howl. He didn't take to hugs and scratches much, but I found he loved for me to sit with him and howl with him, and I took great joy in that, as well. Standing out in the early, early morning, I heard him howl below me, and smiled, breathed in the cool air, and then way in the distance, I heard a wolf's answering howl. I thought I was imagining things, but then I heard it again, and again. What a gift!!! I am so greatful I am able to listen and be and enjoy. WHAT A GIFT!!!
Thursday morning came, and clearing, and a message that the planes were on their way, again. Again, we all trudged out to the landing strip, along with Vet's leading the dropped dogs to be flown back to Anchorage. We got to the strip, and once again, the planes iced up and had to turn around. This was the 1st time I felt discouraged. I was grungy, my teeth had fur thicker than dog's hair, and my hair was 4 days beyond hat-hair. I can only imagine how grungy the Iditarod mushers get!
We went back to the lodge, had some cereal for breakfast, and finally, at about 10:30, we were told to grab our stuff, the planes were landing. Those pilots are amazing. I have a great respect for them, making those decisions constantly about the ability to get to a spot vs. the risk to life and limb of self and passengers. Finger Lake was a great experience, but I was happy to fly back to Anchorage!
With the grunge finally washed off of me,
JeanieB
,
When we got to Finger Lakes, the leaders had already passed and were headed toward Rainy Pass. The trick was to stay out of the musher’s way, yet get close enough to listen, learn, and ask questions when appropriate (and to decide what was appropriate). After we learned we would be spending the night, a group of us went down to the checkpoint and stayed until after dark, watching the last musher's headlamp glistening across the lake on the way around the lake to the checkpoint. One of the last mushers in, around snowy dusk, was Sam Deltour, the rookie from Belgium running Mitch Seavey's puppy team (by the way, he's doing quite well according to IONEARTH). I struck up a conversation with him;and he was eager to share his excitement and upbeat experience on the trail so far. He said he had a media crew that was supposed to be following to film him, but they were delayed because of the storm, so he asked me if I would like to get his camera out of his sled and film him doing his chores. I felt dumb trying to figure out how to use his camera, but got some needed help from Sam. I learned a lot following him through his un-bootying, getting his cooker going, hauling water, heating HIS food in the water before THE DOGS' FOOD, checking and massaging feet legs, answering Vets' questions about a few dogs, and feeding. I filmed for about 15 minutes, I think. What a fun way to learn!
Our group and 5 other stranded race followers are being put up in one large room of the WinterLake Lodge - about 20' x 15'. We have a wood stove in the corner, but no bath or running water. We have to walk quite a way to the outhouse through some snow tunnel/paths. Carl and Kristin, our wonderful hosts, report this is the first time ever a group has been stranded here, and they have owned it since 1973. Just my luck, huh? Kristin is a gourmet cook, trained at the CordonBleu in Paris and they have cabins here and a dog team, snow machines, and a helicopter available to guest who pay LOTS of money to stay here. I heard that guest pay up to $1000 per night to stay here, all inclusive, including flight out. So, we are basically staying here free, but we have to stay out of the way of the paying guests, and of course, few of the accomodtions they can enjoy. However, even though food is limited, and more supplies can't get in if we can't get out, Kristin is doing a superb job of feeding us.
We thought we would get out on Tuesday, but Tuesday morning was more socked in thatn Monday. Most of us are pleasant and enjoying the adventure, but, of course, there are always a few who are noisy grouches, complaining about everything. And, they are the ones sleeping on sofas, while the rest of us sleep on the floor. Monday night was a bit toasty and testy. The wood stove was too hot, and the snoring symphony was challenging to even the easy sleepers. I did not sleep much, and don't think anybody did. One lady, wanting to 'buy herself out of her misery' was on her cell phone before daybreak demanding loudly "a helicopter immediately because we are trapped in a blizzard". Geez, Louise! It takes all kinds. Hers was the only cell phone that worked up there, but I think there was the start of a campaign to see that it stopped working! That was pretty hard to sleep through.
During the night, we heard the last of the mushers leave the checkpoint, dogs eager and barking as they were being prepared to go. I smiled to hear the dogs howl into the night and cherish this opportunity to spend one more night here, sleep or no sleep. The morning was a winter wonderland, and several of us hiked down to a gorge behind the lodge on the Iditarod Trail. Andrea and Colin from New Zealand, and Tom, Cindy, and Harriet from Georgia, were as eager as I to enjoy this incredible opportunity, and we really made the best of it. We then visited with the checkers, volunteers, and Vets, and heard great stories of their adventures throughout the day. One musher, rookie Tom Roig, from Ohio, scratched here, so we have been visiting with him, too. He is sick, was sick even before the start, and very disappointed. He had to scratch on his other Iditarod try, too, and hates so to scratch again.
Now that all the mushers are through, there is cleanup to do, and I helped with gathering and bagging the garbage and used straw. I met Lisa Fredick's husband, David Little (Lisa wrote "Running with Champions" about her own Iditarod run and training with Jeff King - super book). I had lots of conversations with him about race strategy, difference in musher and dog personalities, and life in Alaska. He is a volunteer and does the doggie urine testing, and he loves to tell dog and Jeff King stories. I talked to him for about an hour before realizing who he was - several clues - 1)"has a home in Kodiak and cabin near Denali; 2) has dog named Houston; 3)his wife was out mushing when he tried to call her; and 4)Jeff King is my neighbor". I finally said, "Wait a minute, are you Lisa Fredrick's husband? and he seemed shocked that I would know that. Her book is one of my favorite musher books. He is very proud of her and quite supportive, though does not see himself as a musher. He was a wealth of interesting stories, and I loved it!
By Tuesday afternoon, it's still snowing, and we can't even see trees on the island in the middle of the lake. one plane from Iditarod Airforce flew in in treacherous weather but could only take one Vet out because of the deepness of the snow on the landing area. So, all checkers, Vets, the musher and his dogs, 14 dropped dogs, 14 guests, and 31 followers 'abandoned ones' are still stuck here. The second night we were getting used to it, and were tired enough to sleep through anything. I did not even notice the hard floor. Modesty was gone, and we stripped down a few more layers of clothes to be comfortable, and the comaraderie and making light of our plight helped. We continued to be amazed at the creative ways beans and rice could be served, and began to search out birch branches to chew on in lew of toothbrushes. (There was not a toothbrush, comb, or change of clothes among us!). Trips to the john (6 steps down through a slippery snow tunnel) became old hat, though some of us opted to pee on the Iditarod Trail (a bit closer, and who would know?). By then, it had snowed another several feet, on top of the 20+ feet already on the ground. Step off the trail, and you are up to your armpits, at least.
Wednesday morning brought no relief, and we were getting testy about not being able to find out race progress. There was a computer in the lodge, but it was accessible by paying guests only, so the weathered in radio team from KMBQ got the updates and brought them in 2 or 3 times a day. We then carried them down to the checkpoint, because THEY even had trouble getting updates! To me, that was THE MOST frustrating thing about being weathered in. Of course, I missed my opportunity to fly out to Rainy Pass, but those folks got trapped there, too, so I am fine with MY experience. Wednesday we got news that it may be Friday before we got out. By now, many people had missed their flights home, and because of spring break, airlines were overbooked and they may have to wait until next week to get out of Alaska. The front that 'attacked' us was called a 'pineapple express', a wet system that blows up from Hawaii and carries warmer temps and lots of moisture. Usually in the interior, it's too cold to snow like this, but the temps were in the 20's and perfect recipient of all that moisture. Wednesday afternoon there was slight clearing, and the planes took of to try to get us. We were notified, got ready, were piling onto snow machines to ride out to the landing strip, when we were told the wings were icing and all but one of the planes turned back. Five people got out Wednesday, my not among them. Our tour guide made sure that the grouchy ones got out first, so Wednesday night was really pleasant and we enjoyed playing games and joking about our experience 'bonding'. It was a fun time. We thought about having a major party, but the cheapest wine there was $40 a bottle. We decided a 'sip' of good wine would do it, so we just enjoyed the departure of the whiners. About 10 pm one of the staff informed us the sky was clearing and the Northern Lights were out. We had just gotten into bed, but all jumped up and dressed and went out to view the light display. They were not very colorful that night, but the movement of the lights, and the stars in the wilderness were beautiful. I woke up at 4am for a 'nature call', went out on my own, but the lights were gone and it was somewhat cloudy again. There was one of the dropped dogs who absolutely LOVED to howl. He didn't take to hugs and scratches much, but I found he loved for me to sit with him and howl with him, and I took great joy in that, as well. Standing out in the early, early morning, I heard him howl below me, and smiled, breathed in the cool air, and then way in the distance, I heard a wolf's answering howl. I thought I was imagining things, but then I heard it again, and again. What a gift!!! I am so greatful I am able to listen and be and enjoy. WHAT A GIFT!!!
Thursday morning came, and clearing, and a message that the planes were on their way, again. Again, we all trudged out to the landing strip, along with Vet's leading the dropped dogs to be flown back to Anchorage. We got to the strip, and once again, the planes iced up and had to turn around. This was the 1st time I felt discouraged. I was grungy, my teeth had fur thicker than dog's hair, and my hair was 4 days beyond hat-hair. I can only imagine how grungy the Iditarod mushers get!
We went back to the lodge, had some cereal for breakfast, and finally, at about 10:30, we were told to grab our stuff, the planes were landing. Those pilots are amazing. I have a great respect for them, making those decisions constantly about the ability to get to a spot vs. the risk to life and limb of self and passengers. Finger Lake was a great experience, but I was happy to fly back to Anchorage!
With the grunge finally washed off of me,
JeanieB
,
3 comments:
Thanks so much Jeanie, that is great blogging! Sounds like an adventure, Iditarod style!
I can't imagine that much snow, I live in MN and it has never been that deep here!
Perhaps you can remember a few of those Jeff King stories etc. that you heard? Would love to hear them sometime....!~Di
Wow! What an adventure!! Sounds like "Survivor - Alaska Edition". ;-) Thanks for sharing that. :-)
JeanieB, WOW, love to read your adventures, you should write a book about your Ak trip! Thanks for sharing your GIFT with us. Any sound recordings of you two howling :o) aaooooOOOhooOOOling
fladogfan
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