MARCH 7th, FINGER LAKE, RAINY PASS

 MARCH 7th, 2022 

I have been late with this blog as the info and photo's have been very slow in coming.

Seemed that everyone had a pleasant trip up to FINGER LAKE--everyone made it and Martin Buser said it was slow due to the snow conditions (not a lot of it!!) and the warm weather. He said he had to stop many times just to cool the dogs down. As I said, they like the COLD weather. 

I do follow on a web cam and it looked like quite a bit of snow at FINGER LAKE but with clear blue skies and still warmer than usual. Below MARTIN BUSER at FINGER LAKE. Thats not a truck to the left of MARTIN that's a snowmobile.

DALLAS SEAVEY, below,  was first into RAINY PASS and the top 10 with him:

PAIGE DROBNY, BRENT SASS, JESSIE HOLMES, MICHELLE PHILLIPS,RYAN REDINGTON,MILLE PORSILD, MITCH SEAVEY, RICHIE DIEHL, DAN KADUCE.  In that order.   20 more mushers at RAINY PASS and the rest ALL at FINGER LAKE. 

Here at RAINY PASS there is a cabin for the mushers that looks new!! Some rest here or get out of the weather, if there is any. Today at RAINY PASS it looks, on the cam, like less snow than the last checkpoint but it could be that every so often a wisk of wind blows it around. Still warmer than usual here. Below the cabin I mentioned.

Few FYI's: the mushers use booties on the dogs so the snow does not accumulate between their toes. It helps to keep their feet dry and clean. 

Volunteers can only give guidance to the mushers--no hands on. Ex. They can't get water for them ,used  for the dogs food, the musher has to do that himself. Thats why the musher is so busy when they pull up to a checkpoint and rest, feed the dogs etc --stay for awhile. 

After RAINY PASS the trail gets more difficult and the weather may change drastically. From RAINY PASS to ROHN its only 35 miles but can be treacherous!! That usually depends on the weather.If it is cold with packed snow it can be a nice scenic trip BUT if there is little snow and warmer it can be glare ice and open water. If it's windy blowing the snow away from the trail, there can be ruts and stumps visible. Just before Dalzell Gorge the trail gets narrow and then you come upon a sign that reads "WATCH YOUR ASS" (can be for good reason) then there is a steep 200 foot hill down into the DALZELL GORGE!!!

We will have to see tomorrow how the trip to ROHN pans out. Let's hope for a smooth ride. In the past, DALLAS SEAVEY, has had a GO PRO on and filmed his trip down thru the Gorge. If he doesn't do it this year, I will try to find his last one. 

Tune in tomorrow. It will be quite interesting.