The 2022 Iron Dog Expedition Class began their ride to Nome on Thursday, leaving Wasilla in a rainstorm and driving through Rainy Pass – where it was anything but rainy. 

 “All the way through Big Lake it’s really wet and obviously no fun, but once we got on the trails, it improved,” said Roger Brown, Iron Dog’s board president and part of nine-member ambassador Team 77 that is riding together and spending additional time in each checkpoint. Brown is one of three Iron Dog Pro Class veterans on the ambassador team, which includes two-time Iron Dog champion Tyler Huntington, and Iron Dog Hall of Famer Bob Gilman, who won the race in 1990, 1991 and 1996.  

 “Skwentna to Rainy Pass is normally the hard part,” Brown continued. “But this time, it was the easy part because there was a lot of snow. I’ve never seen it better.”

 Shortly into the ride, Team 55, consisting of pro class veteran Stan James, and rookies Craig Davis and Joshua Roach, ran into trouble when Roach’s track got ripped off. The team scratched, and headed back to Deshka Landing, ending their trip early. 

 “It’s too bad about Stan’s team,” said Cindy Herman, owner of Skwentna Lodge. “He’s an ambassador for Iron Dog all by himself.”

 Herman said this year’s field of riders – 39 in all – is the largest she remembers ever coming through.

 “It made it a lot of fun,” she said. “It was a wet snowy day. They stayed long enough to fuel up, take a few pictures, have a snack, and BS – that kind of stuff. They don’t stay long; the last team went out at 3:54 p.m.”

 Meanwhile logistics continue to be a challenge. The erratic winter weather grounded flights to McGrath on Thursday, where board members Doug Dixon and Mike Vasser had hoped to arrive ahead of the riders. 

 “All of our stuff is palleted and sitting in a garage,” said Dixon Friday morning, as he and Vasser waited at the Anchorage International Airport for their flight. “We have stuff that is going to the checkpoints, including 400- to 500 feet of pennant (flagging). We are 16 hours behind now, but we will get it done.”

 Expedition Class riders will be arriving in McGrath sometime this afternoon, where they will regroup and rest. The relaxed pace of the Expedition Class still includes challenging riding conditions, but without the stress of the clock. 

 “All day long yesterday, Bob (Gilman) and Tyler (Huntington) and me were like, ‘Man, this is better than Pro Class!’ “ Brown joked. “Everyone has been enjoying themselves and everyone is getting along. This is a great way to see the trail.”

 As for the pro racers, who leave the race chute Saturday morning at 10 a.m., Brown had this scouting report. More snow was in the forecast for the area, including the Farewell Burn, which often is windblown and snow scarce. 

 “There is apparently a full foot of fresh snow,” he said, as he geared up from Rainy Pass with the rest of his team. Also, he said, plentiful snow on the river made for smooth riding conditions.  

  “There is a lot of snow and lot of big holes,” he said. “The first four or five pro class teams are going to have it easy, then it’s going to get rough, really rough.”

Media Contact: Bob Menne, Executive Director, Iron Dog Inc., (907) 854-0097 or (907) 563-4414,  director@irondog.org      

 Follow Iron Dog coverage at www.irondog.org and Iron Dog’s Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/IronDogSnowmobileRace