February 16, 2009
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Yukon Quest – Day 3
Six teams are through the Pelly Crossing Checkpoint, and only one of them, leader William Kleedehn‘s, still has its full complement of 14 dogs. He blew through Pelly Crossing this morning, leaving after twelve minutes, at 7:29. Half an hour after him Hugh Neff dropped one dog, leaving after fourteen minutes with 13 dogs… I think. Data entry for the current standings on the YQ website is iffy. I have found obvious errors in times into and out of checkpoints, such as the same time listed for in and out. It should take at least a minute for checkpoint formalities
Hans Gatt stopped in Pelly Crossing for eight minutes and dropped a dog, leaving with 13 at 8:23. Brent Sass and 13 dogs blew in at 8:38, out at 8:39. Jon Little rested at Pelly Crossing for six hours last night and dropped one dog, leaving at 9:38 with thirteen. Warren Palfrey had left two dogs at the McCabe Creek dog drop earlier this morning, then spent 49 minutes in Pelly Crossing, leaving with 12 dogs at 11:20.
Sebastian Schnuelle, Martin Buser, Michelle Phillips, and Mike Ellis have been resting in Pelly Crossing for several hours this morning. Ellis dropped a dog at McCabe Creek, bringing his team down to eleven dogs.
In eleventh and twelfth positions, Josh Cadzow and David Dalton are on the trail between McCabe Creek and Pelly Crossing. Kyla Boivin, Dan Kaduce, Luc Twedell, Newton Marshall and Wayne Hall are still at McCabe Creek.
No teams have scratched or been withdrawn, and the rest of the pack is on the trail between Carmacks and McCabe Creek, with Becca Moore bringing up the rear at 29th position. Jason Mackey is at 27th.
Reporter Dan Bross of NPR station KUAC in Fairbanks is complaining of the “media circus” (probably due primarily to Newton Marshall of Jamaica) and severely decreased access this year to mushers. Images below are links to his reports from the trail.
Whitehorse
Whitehorse 2
The Start
Braeburn and Carmacks checkpoints
