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Robert Redington of Knik heads out on the trail at the start of the Northern Lights 300 Jan. 23 at Martin Buser’s Happy Trails Kennel in Big Lake. Weather stopped mushers for two hours at the Yentna Station Checkpoint late Friday, but teams were back on the trail early Saturday morning. Follow along online at bit.ly/1xRq1Qq.
HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman
5 min read
IDITAROD TRAIL — After about a two-hour delay at Yentna Checkpoint, the 31 teams on the trail competing in the Northern Lights 300 were allowed to continue down the trail to the Talvista Lodge.
Teams began departing at noon, Friday, from Martin Buser’s Happy Trails Kennel in Big Lake under mostly clear skies.
But less than 12 hours later, teams were holed up at Yentna Station Checkpoint — the midpoint on an out-and-back run to Finger Lake along the Iditarod Trail — waiting to hear if organizers would continue the race or call it off due to safety considerations.
Race Marshall Bud Smyth evaluated trail conditions, which included deep fresh snow and high winds along the trail north of Talvista overnight Jan. 23, and gave the OK for teams to head back on the trail at 12:50 a.m., Jan. 24.
Race officials said teams’ wait time in Yentna will count toward their required 15 hours rest. Mandatory six-hour stops are required at Finger Lake and Yentna Station on the return run.
The 300-mile race is a qualifying race for the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest. Mushers must complete three qualifying races to enter the Iditarod or Quest.
About half of the competitors in this year’s Northern Lights 300 are Valley teams: Bib 1 Noah Pereira; 3 Vern Halter; 4 Kristin Bacon; 7 Cindy Abbott; 9 Gwenn Bogart; 10 Mark Selland; 11 Mary Helwig; 12 Tim Pappas; 13 Robert Redington; 15 Al Eichens; 18 Alan Stevens; 20 Tom Schonberger; 21 Maliko Ubl; 24 Ellen Halverson; 26 Lev Shvarts; and 31 Becca Moore.
Rounding out the field are Bib 2 Timofei Gynuntegin; 5 Damon Tedford; 6 Larry Daugherty; 14 Patrick Beall; 16 Seth Barnes; 17 Thomas Jamgochian; 19 Kim Franklin; 22 Charley Bejna; 23 Jodi Bailey; 25 Darrin Lee; 27 Kristy Berington; 28 Anna Berington; 29 Dave Delcourt; and 30 Christine Roalofs.
The race is expected to finish on Sunday at Buser’s kennel in Big Lake.
Snow conditions threatened to cancel the race early this month. Lack of snow forced the cancellation of the Knik 100 and the move of the Knik 200 race to 1 p.m., Jan. 31 at the Deshka Landing airstrip in Willow.
Follow teams’ progress in the Northern Lights 300 online at northernlights300.org.
Contact Heather A. Resz at 352-2268 or heather.resz@frontiersman.com.
Big Lake musher Kristin Bacon’s dogs bark and jump excitedly in their harnesses before the start of the Northern Lights 300.
HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman
Tim Pappas’ team takes a slight detour Friday at the start of the race.
HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman
Tom Schonberger and team hit the trail at the start of the 2015 Northern Lights 300 Friday in Big Lake.
HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman
Noah Pereira’s team barks and tugs on the line excitedly before the start of the 2015 Northern Lights 300 Friday. Pereira is one of Dallas Seavey’s handlers and competed in the race using one of his kennel’s dog teams.
HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman
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