Team 7 launches toward Kotzebue, while others fall prey to the trail

Team 7, Nick Olstad and Tyler Aklestad arrived first in Unalakleet on Saturday and with the fasted cumulative time. They depart Unalakleet en route to Kotzebue at around 9:30 a.m. today. Willa Towarak Eckenweiler photo

As dawn breaks on Day 3 of Iron Dog 2023, two more teams have fallen prey to the year’s deep snow and challenging conditions. Leah Bauer and Jacob Dahle were hoping this would be their comeback year after last year’s race was cut short when Bauer’s sled caught fire and burned to ashes. Team 13 scratched out of Galena after Dahle’s sled had mechanical issues.

“If you want to use motorhead terminology, ‘the engine laid down,’ ” said Galena checkpoint lead Dennis Falldorf. “When that happens, it’s over.”

Team 4, Steven Williamson and Jim Baldwin of Noorvik, also scratched out shortly after leaving Galena, Falldorf said.

“They came off a layover around midnight, and I think within about a half hour I got word that they crashed out there and one of them broke a collarbone,” Falldorf said. “They’re safe and they are in a good spot, but that was the end for them too.”

Team 13’s Leah Bauer and Jacob Dahle coming into Rohn on Saturday. The team scratched out of Galena after Dahle’s sled had engine failure. Dan Thibault photo

After the latest casualties, that leaves just 18 teams left in the World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race, and there is still a lot of ground to cover. Current leaders Team 7 Nick Olstad and Tyler Aklestad are on their 16-hour layover in Unalakleet and planned to depart at roughly 9:30 a.m. Behind them by less than a half hour are Teams 14 Casey Boylan and Bryan Leslie, and Team 39 Cody Barber and Brett Lapham. All teams who can make it that far will stop in Kotzebue tonight, where fans and spectators will be in celebration mode. There are kids races, a carnival, helmet giveaway and racer meet-and-greet for fans.

Farther back in the field, some of Iron Dog’s biggest names are working hard to regain time. Team 10’s Mike Morgan and Chris Olds encountered mechanical problems Saturday afternoon and limped into Ruby. After making crucial repairs, Team 10 hit the trail before dawn this morning. But just a few miles out, their GPS halted.

“They left Ruby but about 17 miles in they went to zero and have been out there ever since,” Falldorf said. “We know those guys and want to see them get going, but it’s not looking good. We sent someone out to check.”   

As Falldorf spoke, Team 11 Tad Covault and David Wagner was in the middle of repairing an A-Arm and hoped to be out of Galena soon. 

Everybody is working hard,” Falldorf said. “Of course Team 7 looks like they’re out on a Sunday stroll and then everyobody else is beat up. It’s tough this year.”