Arctic Winter Games Blog

I should be able to reach Whitehorse in plenty of time to get a training run in today. According to the directions I should reach the trail system few miles before I get to Whitehorse. There is one thing that is bothering me though, there doesn't seem to be much snow on the ground here. Maybe it will be better in Whitehorse.

Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada
Friday March 13, 1992

It is not better the snow condition is much worse. I just left the trail system. I had to run just two dogs at a time because there was not enough snow to set a snow hook. I couldn't believe it. The races are going to take place Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of next week and there was no one there working on the trails. Guess I'll find out what is going on when I get to town and sign in. First going to stop and check out the place where the dogs are going to stay.

The bad news keeps coming. I just discovered they want me to leave the dogs in the truck at a kennel near the trail system. I am going to be staying in a school about five miles away with no transportation to get to the dogs to feed and drop them. This isn't going to happen. On my way to the Arctic Winter Games Headquarters to find out what is going on.

Arctic Winter Games Headquarters
Friday March 13, 1992

Well I just discovered why there was no one out there at the trail system. Because of the lack of snow, they moved the dog mushing venue into town. The races are now going to be run on the Mount McIntyre ski trails. This doesn't sound good at all. Then again this is Friday the 13th. I am on my way over to check out the Mount McIntyre trails and talk to the race officials about housing the dogs.

Just met with the race people. They happen to be some of the nicest people I have ever met. By the time I left, I felt so sorry for them. They said it was ok to keep the dogs at the school as long as they didn't bark at night. I talked to two of the parents from Northwest Territories and they had already decided they were not going to keep the dogs out of town. So that worked out ok. We were all worried about the lack of snow and the attitude of the ski people. They were not pleased at all that the dog mushers were using their trail system. They also would not allow the dog mushing officials to do some course modifications. Kelly gets here tomorrow night. The opening ceremonies are set for Sunday night. On Sunday afternoon, the race officials are going to take the mushers and parents over the trails on snow machines. Can't wait for that.

Checking the trails today
Sunday March 15, 1992

Kelly and the other athletes arrived late last night. The dogs are doing well in the truck by the school we are using as a home for the week. I explained the problem with the trails to Kelly and the other Alaskan mushers. We are on our way over to check them out right after breakfast.

What a nightmare the trails are. There are a number of serious concerns. First there is a huge hill right after the start. It seems to climb forever with trees close to the trail on one side and cliffs on the other side. At one point there is a 180 degree turn, and then a large hill to go back down to the finish. The trees really close to the trail that scare me. Someone is bound to get hurt, if those trees are not cut down. My understanding is the ski club won't allow the trees to be cut. The snow is only about an inch or two deep, so setting a snow hook is out of the question. The race officials assured us they would have people on the trail if any of the mushers needed help and couldn't set their hook.

The races are going to be a little different than they were in Yellowknife. The first two days, the Juvenile mushers are going four and a half miles with four dogs. The Junior mushers will go six miles the first two days with six dogs. Then on the third day the Juvenile mushers will add a dog to make five and use the six mile trail that the Junior mushers used the first two days. On the third day the Junior musher will also add another dog to make it seven for them and they will go seven and one half miles.

The six mile trail was the worst of the two trails that we saw. If Kelly makes it through the first two days we are going to have to think about that six mile trail. Our dogs have never been on trails like this. Chigiak has some trails that are steep but they are wide and problem trees are cut and removed to make sure the trail system is safe are the dogs and mushers.

Which dogs do we use?
Monday March 16, 1992

I brought six dogs with me to Whitehorse. Now we had to decide which ones we would use considering the trails. Bogie one of our best dogs would have to miss these races. He liked the colder weather and never did to well on hills. Blackie was a good leader but really didn't like to run in lead with more than two dogs behind her. So she is going to keep Bogie company during the races. That means the team will be Reggie, Shakey, with Hershey and Chinook in lead.

Day One of racing is finally here
Tuesday March 17, 1992

Day one of the 1992 games was very much like day three of the 1990 games. Kelly had all kinds of problems with the trail and came in last place. Paul won the gold and Karen won the gold in the junior division. One of the Canadian mushers broke his sled hitting a tree. The same tree that bothered me. Tomorrow the mushers race as a team. The total time for both mushers will determine the places. I am sure Paul has to be concerned about his chances to keep getting the gold medal again with Kelly as his partner. I am still concerned about the trail and its affects on the kids and the dogs. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

Day Two
Wednesday March 18, 1992

Somehow today's copy of the Anchorage Daily News ended up in Whitehorse. Reading the article about Kelly and her problems from yesterday, didn't make it any easier for me today.




Paul had the fastest time yesterday so he is going first and Kelly is going out last. The teams go out in two minute intervals, so there will no one behind her today if she gets in trouble. If she has a clean run she will probably catch the team in front of her. Paul beat the musher in front of Kelly by two minutes. His and Kelly's team should be close to each other if all goes right.

Paul had another clean run but the boy behind him hit the tree again and crossed the finish line with pine branches sticking in his coat. The branches didn't pierce his skin luckily. I liked the races in Yellowknife much better not only could you see them most of the race, there were no hills and trees on the lake.

It was good to hear Kelly yelling for trail as she approached the finish line. About a minute before she finished I heard her yelling trail, meaning she wanted the musher in front of her to let her go by. Apparently the musher didn't think she had to stop that close to the end of the race. The rules on passing change slightly from place to place. It was good to hear her voice. She had a clean run and this time she ended up with a gold medal.



Now what to do about tomorrow? It will be a long night thinking about what we should do. We have already decided will won't add another dog. That extra section of line needed for a fifth dog will make the run even more dangerous.

One of the Canadian girls in the older division hit a tree and sprained her wrist and was taken to the hospital. She probably will have to scratch tomorrow.

Day Three
Thursday March 19, 1992

It was a long night. Kelly and I had a talked about the pros and con of both racing and scratching at breakfast. After a lengthy discussion, we decided it would be best for the dogs and Kelly if she scratched from the race. That six mile trail was just too difficult, and her safety and the dogs safety had to come first. For the first time all week I felt good.

Feeling good was short lived. When we arrived at the trail, the Race Marshall was really upset because someone cut down trees during the night. When I told him that Kelly was scratching and not racing, he got really upset with me. He started talking about the people coming to watch the races wanted to see all of the mushers and a few other things that made no sense to me. He and his crew worked hard to put on the race and wanted it to come off ok. It wasn't there fault there wasn't enough snow etc, etc. I couldn't believe what he was saying.

Then I was even more surprised to find out the girl who went to the hospital was going to race with just three dogs in the seven dog race. The races rules clearly state that a musher has to have at least five dogs to race in the seven dog race. The race officials let her race with just three dogs. The rule is there to protect the dogs, just like in the Iditarod and all other races have a minimum number of dogs for the distance of the race and the weight of the sled. I decided right then that Kelly wouldn't race in the Arctic Winter Games anymore. I didn't even want to be there any more.

I just got all of my stuff out of the school and checked into a motel. I told the Alaskan Arctic Winter Games officials that she and I were leaving tomorrow.

Heading back to Anchorage
Friday March 20, 1992

We left first thing this morning for home. We were going to miss the closing ceremonies, but somehow the glitter of the Games no longer interests me. Kelly won a gold medal and helped Paul win three more gold medals and both she and the dogs are safe. It will be good to be home again and get the dogs rested for the final race of the season in Paxson, Alaska. Paul and Kelly will meet again in two weeks in the Paxson race.

The Ed White Rule
Monday March 23, 1992

The race officials must really have been upset with me. I just discovered today that last Friday after the AWG races they had a meeting  of the mushing officials from all of the participating groups and added a race rule for the Arctic Winter Games that states a musher can not scratch from a race unless approval is given by the Race Marshall. They added a race rule because of me. I should feel honored, but I am not. Because I know it will never be enforced, nor should it be.

The Paxson Tail-Ender Race
Sunday April 4, 1992

Well it finally happened Kelly beat Paul after numerous attempts. She came in second place in the five dog class using just four dogs. Paul came in third behind Kelly and Emily Houk. Kelly also raced in the three dog class and came in second place in that race.

He is a video of the five dog race.



And this is from the three dog race.

The 1992 sled dog race season is over and ended on a good note.

Pictures from Whitehorse
Friday October 2, 1992

To our surprise, when the 1992 Arctic Winter Games Host Society published their souvenir booklet about the games there were two pictures of Kelly and her team.  Here is the booklet.



There were pictures inside taken of each of the sports that competed in the Games. There were only two pictures of the Dog Mushing event and both of them were of Kelly and her team. Here is a great picture of the team headed up headed up one of the many hills. This picture was taken on the first day of the race.

The other picture was taken on day two of the race, just as the team started.



Both leaders Chinook, with the white markings, and Hershey, the lighter brown dog, appear to have all four of their feet off the ground.

History of the Arctic Winter Games
Monday June 14, 1993


Today we received a copy of the History of the Arctic Winter Games. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the games, the Board published a book about the games. Of all of the pictures they had to choose from for the cover of the book, they picture the one from Yellowknife of Kelly holding Shakey with Chinook looking on.



And then inside there was only one picture of the dog mushing event and again it was Kelly from Yellowknife.



Hope you have enjoyed looking at the pictures and the videos of Kelly's two years competing in the Arctic Winter Games.