Storm on the Denali Highway
I wasn't shortly arrived as we already left for the first trip.
My team was ready to go around 15:00 h - Andrew and Dave were already on the trail and Sebastian started after me.
I expected to know most of my dogs from my last visit, but only Tang remembered me.
So my team wasas followed:
Tang - Spike
Abby - Angel
Rain - Free
Kiana - Kali
Stevie - Attla
Chester - Leroy
The Denali Highway is easy going and so the ride was smooth and I could have a look on the dogs and the beautiful landscape. On half way Sebastian passed me and then I drove again alone with my dogs through this beautiful countryside.
Around 19:00 h we arrived after a calm 70 km-long-run at McLarenLodge, I feeded the dogs and then Susi and Allen served us a nice christmas dinner. After the good meal we had a good, long sleep.
The next morning we stand up at 9:00 h, feeded the dogs and then had our breakfast. The weather-preview expected some winds for the afternoon. Just on plan we left at 11:00 h - first Andrew, then me, Dave and Sebastian. Already after some miles Dave and Sebastian passed me.
On half way the wind forced a little bit - in far I had a nice view from snow blow up in the sunshine (at this moment I didn't know what that should mean).
Some miles later I already had a heavy sidewind and had to work hard to keep the sled on the road. At Mile 22, Tangle River Inn, it blew me from the road - as I got the Sled out of the ditch - I had the impression that somebody was calling me, I looked back but I couldn´t see anybody and as my dogs already pulled the lines I keept going (later we found out that it was Dave who tried to call my against the wind).
At Mile 13 the wind was so heavy (60 - 70 km/h) that I only could stay on the road on sliding on the road with a tipped sled, but I knew that I couldn't hold that for long and so I deciced to camp, that means I pulled the dogs in the ditch under the wind - it wasn't so easy to convince the dogs that we'll take a stop - put blankets on some of the dogs and lay behind my sled. The wind blow about 50-60 km/h while I was waiting that the situation would get better.
After 2,5 hours suddenly Sebastian appeared on a snowmachine - we took the dogs back on the road, fixed the skidoo behind the sled (so Sab could keep me on the road and had control about the speed). The wind was so strong that two times even the snowmachine nearly got blown from the road.
But we did it until Mile 8, where the wind stopped blowing so heavy and I could travel alone to the kennel, while Sab also drove to the kennel to get fuel for the snowmachine and look for Dave. The last stretch passed without any problems and musher and dogs arrived healthy in the kennel.
Sab drove a bigger snowmachine and also a handler looked for Dave, found him at Tangle River Inn and got him back with the help of the skidoo.
Andreas
