DAY #4 TUESDAY MARCH 10th, 2026 IDITAROD ROHN-TAKOTNA

 DAY #4 TUESDAY MARH 10th, 2026 IDITAROD ROHN-TAKOTNA

Sometimes photos come up a day late, reason for the pic of the cabin at FINGER LAKE. Looked interesting so here is a picture: Not the Hilton but sufficient.

The word is the trip from FINGER LAKE - RAINY PASS was brutal due to the winds and sugar snow. The BURN, TUNNELS and GORGE were not difficult as there was enough snow. Usually it is the other way round. Although a few mushers had problems in that area of the GORGE. One such:

MILLE PORSILD, pictured above, from Denmark. She is my son Henrys' favorite. She crashed off the side of a glacier and landed between two trees. Took her 45 minutes to right the team. Her sleeping bag got wet and the zippers on her tote froze so at -50 (she thought it was) she had a tough night. Her dry mittens were in her tote but she couldn't get to them. A musher passing by gave her a pair and she was SAVED!!!BUT....she does this as it is such beautiful land and she loves her dogs. She is now 263 miles into the race and resting at NIKOLAI.

Last night Jessie Holmes (the leader) camped by NIKOLAI. He said it was damp, windy and cold but he never had visions of luxury and as long as the dogs were comfortable, fed and warm he was ok. He was the first out of NIKOLAI and will take his mandatory 24 hr. rest in TAKOTNA.

The 24 hour mandatory rest can now be taken from MCGRATH to OPHIR. Many will go to TAKOTNA as they have a great set up there and are known for their great food!!!Hank and I volunteered there for 4 days. I was cooking and making pies. It was great as so many of the mushers stopped here. 

Rohn Buser (his Dad MARTIN a champ and a friend of mine) was in NIKOLAI. It was -4 and very windy. He said he was having a good run although he lost a brake part in the BURN. He was pleased he had 16 dogs still in tow. 

Not sure you can see the winds in this picture. This is around NIKOLAI and MCGRATH. 

This is the VET in MCGRATH waiting for the dogs to come in. He is holding on to the post so he won't blow over!!!!

As of 11PM EST these are the standings: JESSIE HOLMES,RILEY DYCHE, PAIGE DROBNY, BAILEY VITELLO, MILLE PORSILD, RYAN REDINGTON, MICHELLE PHILLIPS, MATT HALL, TRAVIS BEALS, WADE MARRS--top 10. They are all out of NIKOLAI. The rest of the pack are in ROHN including the Expedition mushers. l

From MCGRATH to TAKOTNA is 19 miles and where the race gets much more serious.

Sadly JAYE FOUCHER scratched at RAINY PASS. She hit a tree and got hung up  and never imagined the wind could be so fierce. She thought that would happen by the Bering Sea trail.Her dogs were fine--she was not. She suffers from PTSD after a traumatic accident while training. A truck hit her and her team, killing one of the dogs. Tragic the path something like that leaves.

                                                TILL TOMORROW