Pete and the Team into Koyuk at 10:56.

ONE MINUTE Behind SVEN!! His run time was the fastest again over the trail from Shaktoolik to Koyuk besting both Baker and Smyth.

Nice Run from Unalakleet to Koyuk. Expect a rest period here before starting west towards Elim and White Mountain.

Looking at last year and this year, Pete and the Team are making longer runs and longer rest periods, but it is paying off with great trail times.

Updating Stats as we speak.

Five mushers are within close striking distance to the top 10. Presently they are lined up within short distances of each other. Sven Haltmann is leading the pack followed by Pete, Aliy Zirkle, Mike Williams Jr., and Ken Anderson. 2 miles apart at 8 miles per hour is a 15 minute separation. Anything can happen (And will!!)

This morning has Pete and the Team on the Ice bound for Koyuk.

They are the faster team and have moved up in positions over the night to 12th place. They passed both Aliy Zirkle and Lance Mackey. GPS shows the Team 31 miles out of Koyuk.

They were in and out of Shaktoolik the morning at 05:01 with no drop dogs. Having a good team of dogs is really going to pay off on this last stretch to the north. This stretch over the ice has got to be one of the worst at this time of the day. If he was seeing things on the Shageluk trail, who knows who he’ll meet on this desolate Bering Sea ice.

If the temperature is right, he’ll see mirages of Koyuk as it appears out of the ice. Temperature inversions can make you think things are closer than they appear. Stick to the trail markers and they’ll get you there.

Go Man Go!

On the Baker Front- John is maintaining the 8 mile lead with Ramey Smyth not giving much ground. They have an 8 hour mandatory layover in White Mountain and then it’s a shootout to Nome and Smyth has the faster sprint team.

From Alaska Dispatch Joe Runyan Description of Trail-

This crossing to Koyuk is, however, a challenge even without bad weather. The trip can be beautiful beneath expansive skies, but numbing in the monotony of the sea ice, and the white. The temptation to doze as the sled rocks like a cradle over windblown hard pack on a generally straight-arrow trail is a constant struggle.

At night, the musher must keep his headlight scanning the trail to be absolutely sure the lead dogs do not wander onto an errant snowmachine track. The trail is well marked but occasionally a blast of wind can take out a section of the carrot-topped, reflectorized Iditarod markers; or the ice can shift to break the thread of the trail. Then the musher must move cautiously from marker to marker, using his or her headlight to scan for a reflection in the dark. The dog driver best look back, too, just to make sure he hasn’t wandered.

About 30 miles shy of Koyuk, the lights of that village finally become visible, but they are like stars. The dogs trot for hours still and the village on a hill overlooking Norton Bay never seems to get much closer. “When will we get there?” is the thought that goes through a musher’s mind as he fights to stay alert in the dark and the white.

GPS is only updating every 15 minutes or so right now. That’s 4 times an hours which is excruciating if you are trying to keep track!! Pete is still in UNK. John Baker should be in Koyuk by now. Lance Mackey is out of UNK.

Spring has sprung forward, so it’s almost bedtime for the webmaster.

Be here til Pete hits the trail.

Iditarod just fixed the time. They put down the wrong time for Mike Jr.

Mike still has a respectable time from Kaltag and the third fastest across that section of the trail. Good Job Mike!!

Just got word from Andy that they are having a bit of issue with their camera, but Photos ARE on the way. I’ll be here!

John Baker is halfway across the ice to Koyuk. His lead is gaining. Definitely the Team to beat.  Kotzebue must be in a fever pitch! John has put in the hard work over the many years. In the old days, I started the K300 website and John was one of the first mushers I put on the site. It will be alot of fun for him if he can put this last 200 miles to bed.

Pete got into Unalakleet at 17:30, so here in the not to distant future I expect him back on the trail. Good Luck Pete!

Word from Unalakleet is that the Team looked GREAT. Andy Angstman and Lee Ryan went out to meet him and Pete and the dogs were in great spirits. When the got to the checkpoint, the dogs looked ready to go right then. They are taking a rest period before heading out on the trail.

The guys are sending photos soon as they can and I’ll be posting them for you!

Martin Buser got into Unalakleet 30 minutes after Pete. He took 3 hours longer on the run. I am sure he is disappointed, but knowing Martin, he’ll be smiling and enjoying just being with the dogs. And you couldn’t have had a better day to be out there!