Dogsled.com: Mushing news, Iditarod, Yukon Quest, sled dog events

The 2007 Serum Run participants are getting a harsh start to their adventures across Alaska's wild back country. The temperatures have barely risen above minus 20 in the heat of the day and dive quickly to minus 45 or 50 as the sun sets on the trail. Snowmachiners have difficulty starting their machines, oil and moving parts became sluggish and brittle at these temperatures. Dogs and humans fight to stay dehydrated. It's a struggle to function at these temperatures.

Today the mushers & machiners woke to minus 36. Inspite of that, they know they need to push on, they will bundle up, bootie up and feed their teams well before they head to the Bone Yard Cabin which is approx. 42 miles from Tanana. The cabin is located up a steep bank off the Yukon River. This is an old trapper cabin that has limited floor space, so some if not most of the participants will be tent camping and using the cabin to occasionally warm up. There is no cafeteria here, no markets, strictly camp cooking and snow melting for water.

This is first full day of travel on the Yukon River for the expedition.They have gone 197 miles into their 778 mile journey from Nenana to Nome following the original 1925 Serum Run to save lives. Click on map at left for detail view of area.

Check the Serum Run web site for more information

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