DAY #6 IDITAROD THURSDAY MARCH 12, 2026 MCGRATH - CRIPPLE

DAY #6 IDITAROD THURSDAY MARCH 12, 2026 MCGRATH - CRIPPLE

Mushers send extra sleds to MCGRATH to use if needed.

It is still very cold but not snowing today. JEFF DEETER had a thermometer on his sled. It was -30

At that temperature the dogs take on their own hue, yet this is dog weather. They much prefer the cold.One of JEFF'S dogs below.

I didn't get a picture of JESSIE'S prize--1st into MCGRATH. Here are his gloves--hat wasn't pictured.

An interview with MATT HALL: He said he realized he shouldn't have been so conservative with his team. They have the power and stamina so now he may increase their speed. They WANT TO RUN!! MATT lived in EAGLE, ALASKA in a very remote area--only a few people in his community. When the power lines started to come close to his area his family moved further into the wilderness!!! They lived without power. Yikes!! Imagine and they preferred that. He is in the top 10 so far.

There was an interview with KATE (never got her last name) a volunteer VET from Australia. She is in love with Alaska. She said the dogs are sweet and so well behaved and the people are so welcoming. Her feet were freezing and one of the volunteers took off her boots and gave KATE her socks. Another Alaskan gave her a pair of "bunny boots". They are the BIG white boots you see on the volunteers and the mushers. The are big, heavy and VERY WARM. With KATE'S accent she called the mushers--mooooshers!!

The weather and distances at todays checkpoints: MCGRATH: -2 tonight -23 cloudy.                               TAKOTNA: 0 and -19 tonight calm, OPHIR: 0 and -18 tonight. CRIPPLE: no report of the weather--too remote or just not hooked up yet, but cold and snowy.  From MCGRATH - TAKOTNA 18 miles. From TAKOTNA -OPHIR it is 23 miles. From OPHIR - CRIPPLE it is 73 miles. 

As of 11PM EST 23 are resting in CRIPPLE: PAIGE DROBNY, JESSIE HOLMES, MILLE PORSILD, RYAN REDINGTON, TRAVIS BEALS, MICHELLE PHILLIPS, RILEY DYCHE the top mushers. There are 7 in OPHIR resting and 2 in MCGRATH plus at the 3 expeditioners.

Tomorrow everyone will be rested and ready to run. 

                                                     TILL TOMORROW