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Sunday, February 27th: Tanya posted this on the Winterdance Facebook page:
Saturday, February 26th: At 1:00 p.m., Tanya posted the following on the Winterdance Facebook page: " Thursday, February 24th: Hank's wife, Tanya, posted the following pictures and comment on the Winterdance Facebook page: "Mike the incredible trail coordinator for the Yukon Quest - Alaska side just forwarded me 2 pictures he took of Hank and the team reaching the summit of Eagle. As he said "this is the gradual slope of the very top after the team climbed the steepest section." Eagle is close to 4000' in elevation. Still looks like one heck of a climb and I can't help wondering if the "nothing" at the back of the picture is snow or the drop off..." Wednesday, February 23rd: 35,941 minutes down! OUR CLASS HAS COMPLETED THE YUKON QUEST READING CHALLENGE! The results of our "Yukon Quest Reading Challenge" are in. The 22 students in our class, plus four others who joined us from the other Grade 6 class, read for a combined total of 35,941 minutes during the 2011 Yukon Quest! Students were so inspired by the idea of trying to complete 1,000 minutes of reading before Hank could complete the 1,000 mile Yukon Quest trail that they asked if they could compete in a similar challenge during the Iditarod! Let the (reading) games continue...
Saturday, February 19th; 982 miles, and all nine checkpoints down! HANK AND THE THE TEAM HAVE COMPLETED THE 2011 YUKON QUEST!!! They arrived at the finish line in Fairbanks, Alaska at 10:06 p.m. AKST (2:06 a.m. Ontario time) Hank's rookie team was one of only thirteen teams to complete this year's race. Twelve other teams started the race, but were unable to finish. Hank won the "Red Lantern" perseverance award for being the last musher to cross the finish line. He arrived in Fairbanks 15 minutes too late to attend the "Finish and Awards Banquet," so Race Officials presented Hank with his award as he crossed under the banner at the final checkpoint.
Here's how the 28th Yukon Quest broke down "by the numbers": 7 out of 12 rookies who started the race finished; 6 out of 13 veterans who started the race completed it. 4 out of 6 women who started the race finished; 9 out of 19 men who started the race completed it. 10 of the finishers were American and 3 were Canadian. The first musher to complete the race (Dallas Seavey) ran the trail in 10 days, 11 hours and 53 minutes. Hank completed the trail in 13 days, 10 hours and 54 minutes . Friday, February 18th: Hank left the Two Rivers Checkpoint at 8:53 a.m. AKST (12:53 p.m. Ontario time). Hank's next stop is the finish line in Fairbanks, 72 miles from the Two Rivers Checkpoint! At 7:00 a.m. AKST (11:00 a.m. Ontario time), Hank's support team wrote: " At 8:30 a.m. AKST (12:30 a.m. Ontario time), Hank's support team wrote: "20 min until departure time, sled is packed light, dogs have eaten & Hank's having breakfast, 3" of fluffy snow on the trail from last night and warm. 70 some miles to go and we will have a Quest finisher on our hands ladies & gentlemen!!!!!" At 6:00 p.m. AKST (10:00 p.m. Ontario time), Hank's support team wrote: "About 30 miles from 2 rivers is a road crossing that Ward and I waited at to help him cross. I couldn't believe the team! They are smoking and having fun... the trails are tight wooded trails like home, plus with the snow & warm weather Hank let them run without coats or booties. They stopped until I got into the road, and the way the dogs were screaming to run it was like the starting line all over again. Complete strangers were stopping on the highway hollering out Hank's name and urging him and the team on :)"
"[The tight schedule] was because 2 storms were to go through Eagle & Rosebud summits last night. They didn't want Hank stuck up there or on the far side. The wind hit Rosebud as he was 2/3 of the way across the top. He said it was like a physical force from nowhere just slammed him. I was glad to see his headlamp come down the hill last night." Friday, February 18th: 910 miles, and eight checkpoints down! Hank arrived at the Two Rivers Checkpoint at 12:52 a.m. AKST (4:52 a.m. Ontario time). All mushers must layover at Two Rivers for eight hours, before completing the race.
Thursday, February 17th: 868 miles down! Hank arrived at the "Mile 101" Dog Drop at 12:49 p.m. AKST (4:49 p.m. Ontario time). At 1:00 p.m. AKST (5:00 p.m. Ontario time) the authors of the Official Yukon Quest Facebook page wrote: "Hank DeBruin has 'unofficially' (no official time yet) arrived in Mile 101. Congratulations from the crew. His huskies are a bit frosted up but look beautiful and not even tired. He said it was blowing like crazy on top but the team never tried to turn around. Videos will be available soon."
At 2:20 p.m. AKST (6:20 p.m. Ontario time), the authors of the Official Yukon Quest Facebook page wrote: "Hank is warming in the cabin at 101- he sure was ready for the bacon, eggs, french toast, coffee and other goodies Kelly Kamper had ready for him - one more warm drink and he is off to bed for a quick nap- then he plans to get back on the trail to Two Rivers." At 3:00 p.m. AKST (7:00 p.m. Ontario time), the authors of the Official Yukon Quest Facebook page wrote: "Hank DeBruin has set a wake up call for 3:15 pm. He will probably leave around 4:30 pm. The last line of trail breakers will follow him later on to pull markers. They do have sat-phones in case help is needed. (doubtful, Hank's team looks good.)" Hank left "Mile 101" for the Two Rivers checkpoint at 4:30 p.m. AKST (8:30 p.m. Ontario time). Two Rivers is 42 miles from "Mile 101." The main obstacle along this portion of the trail, is Rosebud Summit, which involves a series of climbs and descents. Thursday, February 17th: 831 miles, and seven checkpoints down! Hank arrived at the Central Checkpoint at 1:25 a.m. AKST (5:25 a.m. Ontario time).
At 7:00 a.m. AKST (11:00 a.m. Ontario time), Hank's support team wrote: "Hank is out of Central at 6 am this morning with 9 dogs. He decided to leave Strider with us, he has had diarrhea since yesterday morning & just isn't feeling well, but Hank will miss him, he is such a strong member of the team! Hans came last night to see the back of the pack & tell them to be out of Central by 6 am as a storm is brewing in the pass & no one wants to be stuck in it. Run safe guys..."
Hank's challenge for today is the steep ascent up and over Eagle Summit, to the "Mile 101 Dog Drop." "Mile 101" is 33 miles from Central.
Wednesday, February 16th: Hank left the Circle City Checkpoint at 8:16 a.m. AKST (12:15 p.m. Ontario time), bound for Central Checkpoint 74 miles away. This morning a 12th musher withdrew from the 25-team field. Hank is still running ten dogs and is currently the race's "red lantern" (final musher on the trail). At 11:15 a.m. AKST (3:15 p.m. Ontario time) Hank's support team wrote: Today Hank will be mushing along Birch Creek, where "overflow" has caused problems for several mushers. Hopefully, Hank's team will not have to wade through snow-covered slush and water, or have any issues with thin ice on the river.
Wednesday, February 16th: 757 miles, and six checkpoints down! Hank arrived at the Circle City checkpoint at on Tuesday at 10:47 p.m. AKST (Wednesday at 2:47 a.m. Ontario time). At 3:00 a.m. AKST (7:00 a.m. Ontario time), the authors of the Official Yukon Quest Facebook page posted the following: "The last of the mushers has made it in to Circle. Hank DeBruin and his Siberians arrived in Circle @ 22:47, looking energetic. Hank's headlight, which has been giving him trouble since Dawson, resolved itself on this last run by catching on fire in his parka pocket!!"
Meanwhile, in Fairbanks... On Tuesday at 11:05 p.m. AKST (Wednesday at 3:05 a.m. Ontario time), the first team completed this year's 1,000 mile Yukon Quest. Twenty-three year old Dallas Seavey won both the race and the Rookie of the Year Award. Seavey, who competed the race in 10 days, 11 hours and 53 minutes, is the youngest ever to win the Yukon Quest. 2009 Quest champion Sebastian Schnuelle crossed the finish line second. He finished thirty-three minutes behind Seavey. In third place was Ken Anderson, who completed the race two hours and two minutes after Schnuelle. In addition to third prize, Anderson wins four ounces of Klondike placer gold for being the first musher into Dawson City who completed the race. In fourth place was Brent Sass, who finished four hours and thirty-eight minutes after Anderson. Schnuelle and Sass each share the distinction of having rescued four-time Yukon Quest champion Hans Gatt from life-threatening situations during this year`s race. Sass pulled a hypothermic Gatt and his team off American Summit during a blizzard and Schnuelle pulled Gatt's team and sled out of Birch Creek, after they fell through thin ice. Gatt, whose fingers sustained second degree frostbite in the creek incident, subsequently scratched at the Central checkpoint, 831 miles into the 1,000 mile race. Kelley Griffin came arrived at the finish line exactly eight hours after Brent Sass. She came in fifth and was the first woman to complete this year's race. Tuesday, February 15th: 699 miles down! Hank's team arrived at "Slaven's Roadhouse Dog Drop" at 3:41 a.m. AKST (7:41 a.m. Ontario time). Following a nine hour rest, at 12:30 p.m. AKST (4:30 p.m. Ontario time), Hank left for the Circle City checkpoint. Circle is 58 miles away from Slaven`s. Eleven of 25 mushers have now dropped out of the race. Hank is still running ten dogs and is currently the race's "red lantern" (last) musher.
Gem is the dog Hank dropped at Eagle. She had a sore shoulder, but will be fine. Gem has been transported to Circle, where she was reunited with Hank's support team, awaiting his arrival at the Central checkpoint.
Monday, February 14th: Hank dropped one dog and left the Eagle checkpoint at 3:40 a.m. AKST (7:40 a.m. Ontario time). Hank's and four other teams at the back of the pack are en route to the Circle City checkpoint, 159 miles away. Between Eagle and Circle City, there is one unofficial hospitality stop at Trout Creek, 43 miles from Eagle, and "Slaven's Roadhouse Dog Drop," 101 miles from Eagle and 58 miles from Circle City. At 9:30 a.m. AKST (1:30 p.m. Ontario time), Hank's support team, on the road en route from Dawson City to Circle City, via Whitehorse and Fairbanks, wrote: "
Sunday, February 13th: 598 miles, and five checkpoints down! Hank's team arrived in Eagle, Alaska at 4:40 p.m. AKST (8:40 p.m. Ontario time). Mushers are required to layover for 4 hours in Eagle. The old school house in Eagle hosts the official Yukon Quest checkpoint. Eagle is the only official checkpoint on the race that is not accessible by road. At 6:22 p.m. AKST (10:22 p.m. Ontario time), the authors of the Official Yukon Quest Facebook Page posted this message: "Hank DeBruin's tracker was off-line for a long time. He was fine but the Tracker - not so good. When they brought it inside at the Eagle Checkpoint, the reset button would not bounce back; it was frozen. The group Hank was travelling with stayed last night at Wayne Hall's tent camp at the Forty Mile River Bridge; temperatures last night fell to -50 degrees F. Thanks Wayne, that tent camp is a life-saver!" (-50 degrees F = -46 degrees C) At 9:00 p.m. AKST (1:00 a.m. Monday, Ontario time), the authors of the Official Yukon Quest Facebook Page wrote:
Sunday, February 13th: 554 miles down! At approximately midnight AKST (4 a.m. Ontario time) Hank's group set up camp by the bridge where the Taylor Highway (closed in winter) crosses over the Forty Mile River. In the morning, they will leave the river to travel up and over American Summit, and then down into the town of Eagle, Alaska. The section of trail from the bridge to Eagle is approximately 45 miles in length.
Saturday, February 12th: Hank left "Forty Mile" at 4:40 p.m. PST (7:40 p.m. Ontario time) headed for the Eagle checkpoint, 99 miles away. He and four other "back of the pack" mushers are continuing to travel as a group.
Saturday, February 12th: 499 miles down! Hank's team arrived at the "Forty Mile Hospitality Stop" at 9:45 a.m. PST (12:45 p.m. Ontario time). The other four teams he was travelling with made it to Forty Mile a few minutes ahead of him. Just before Hank arrived at Forty Mile, his support team in Dawson City posted this comment: "Seeing five headlamps disappear down the Yukon River into the night and hearing the howl of huskies echoing off the hills pulled everyone watching back in time 100 years. Mushers and huskies versus the untamed Yukon."
Friday, February 11th: Hank left Dawson City at 11:40 p.m. PST (2:40 p.m. Ontario time) in the company of four other teams. They plan to travel the 150-mile wind swept trail to Eagle together, in the interest of safety and so they can take turns breaking trail. They have only one "hospitality stop" along the trail, "Forty Mile," which is located approximately 48 miles from Dawson. Earlier in the day, two mushers returned to Dawson City, after several hours on the trail, saying that the weather and trail conditions were horrendous. They both "scratched" (quit the race), as a result of their brief experience west of Dawson. Other drama occurred halfway between Dawson and Eagle, when four-time Yukon Quest champion Hans Gatt became stranded in whiteout conditions on American Summit, and was rescued by fellow musher Brent Sass. Brent gave his lead dog, Silver, credit for safely leading both teams to the Eagle checkpoint.
At 7:30 p.m. PST (10:30 p.m. Ontario time), Hank's wife Tanya wrote: "
Thursday, February 10th: 451 miles, and four checkpoints down! Hank arrived in Dawson City at 11:31 a.m. PST (2:30 p.m. Ontario time)! All mushers must layover in Dawson City for 36 hours, before continuing the race. The authors of the Yukon Quest Official Facebook page had the following to say about Hank's arrival at the Dawson City checkpoint: "Hank Debruin arrived at 11:31 a.m. with 11 dogs. Hank runs the popular Siberian team. They looked like they had a good run. Hank joked with the check-in volunteer and the dogs wagged their tails to the crowds." At 5:00 p.m. PST (8:00 p.m. Ontario time) Hank's wife Tanya wrote: "Just got Hank back to the hotel after looking after the dogs, feeding them, the vet check & getting them all tucked in. They all look great, just a few tender wrists. Everyone wolfed down their meal and happily curled up in the 4 bales of straw in their tent. Ward has his stove going full blast and his tent is cozy too. Hank is enjoying a long hot shower and a burger, fries & onion rings await him before sleep." "All dropped dogs are doing well. Blitz's foot is much better and he is back to playing like normal, as is Jed. Andy was the one who got sick and he too is now wolfing down his food and feeling like himself."
Wednesday, February 9th: 352 miles down! Hank arrived at the remote "Scroggie Creek Dog Drop" at 9:16 a.m. PST (12:16 p.m. Ontario time). His next checkpoint is Dawson City, at Mile 451! At 9:00 p.m. PST (midnight Ontario time), Hank's support team, awaiting his arrival in Dawson City, wrote: "Back from the checkpoint office. Hank left Scroggie with 11 dogs which means they were all in great shape. If he had any concerns at all he would have dropped them rather than risk carrying them for 100 miles in the sled to Dawson. Snowing & warming up here; a balmy -20C tonight :) "
Tuesday, February 8th: 282 miles down! Hank arrived at the "Stepping Stone Hospitality Stop," near Fort Selkirk at 11:50 a.m. PST (2:50 p.m. Ontario time). At 2 p.m. PST on Wednesday (5 p.m. Ontario time), Hank's support team wrote: "I could imagine Hank's mouth watering as he was reading those signs. He was debating about stopping in Stepping Stone as it was a bit soon, but clearly the signs enticed him :) "
Tuesday, February 8th: 250 miles, and three checkpoints down! Hank arrived in Pelly Crossing on Monday at 10:59 p.m. PST (Tuesday at 2:59 a.m. Ontario time). At 8 a.m. PST (11:00 a.m. Ontario time), Hank's support team wrote: "Hank in and out of Pelly. Andy is now with Ward & I; he wasn't feeling good when the team came in. They are now headed to Dawson, a 200 mile run, so the sled was packed to overflowing with straw roped on the top so the dogs have a nice bed out there. Ward & I are headed to Dawson to get things ready and meet him in 2 days. Run safe guys!!!"
Monday, February 7th: At 9:45 a.m. PST (12:45 p.m. Ontario time), Hank's support team wrote: "He's on his way to Pelly, later than planned but all is good except the temp this a.m. is getting awful close to -40 which slows everything down from booting to packing trying to keeping hands warm. He also took time to repack his sled taking out the extra gear that he doesn't need with 2 less dogs. 4 teams are still here to go out behind him." "One vet commented how beautiful the team looked leaving as they dropped down onto the Yukon River with the sky glowing pink, tails all up & howling to go, even Lily. Much of his running today will be on the Yukon River and the ice is very rough in spots, what they call jumble ice. Watch for him to stop for 2-4 hours about 35 miles into the run just before McCabe Dog Drop and be in Pelly around 10 p.m."
Monday, February 7th: 177 miles, and two checkpoints down! Hank arrived in Carmacks at 12:31 a.m. PST (3:31 a.m. Ontario time).
At 5:00 a.m. PST (8:00 a.m. Ontario time), Hank's support team wrote: "Hank rolled in around 12:30 am, clear cold night but hardly any northern lights. Locals say last nights display was the best in years. Hank looked after the team, had a delicious home cooked meal & headed for 1.5 hour sleep in the gym. He has a wakeup call set for 5am & plans to be on the trail for 6 a.m. Jed has joined his brother Blitz on the truck with sore legs. Everyone else is fine and happy."
Sunday, February 6th: At 10:40 a.m. PST (1:40 p.m. Ontario time) Hank's support team wrote: "Hank is off to Carmacks. Unfortunately Blitz is not. There is debate about what is wrong with his foot, but he definitely has a problem. Hank thinks he sprained it on a rough section on the river, the vets think it may be still from the moose [encounter on Christmas eve], but either way he isn't happy we had to carry him to the truck..."
Sunday, February 6th: 100 miles, and one checkpoint down! Hank arrived in Braeburn at 3:13 a.m. PST (6:13 a.m. Ontario time). All mushers must layover for 4 hours in Braeburn. Time is also added in Braeburn, to compensate for the staggered race start. At 3:45 a.m. PST (6:45 a.m. Ontario time), Hank's support team wrote: "Hank and team pulled into Braeburn about 30 minutes ago underneath a ribbon of northern lights arched over the sky like a rainbow. He and all dogs are fine, much colder than it was supposed to be, sitting around -30 or colder... When he stopped to sign in dogs were screaming like they were going out not coming in!"
Saturday, February 5: Hank and the Winterdance Team are OFF! They blasted over the start line at 11:54 a.m. PST (2:54 p.m. Ontario time)
Saturday, February 5: The Yukon Quest 1,000-mile International Sled Dog Race begins!! Listen to the start LIVE on The Rush radio station in Whitehorse: http://ckrw.com/ at 2 p.m. EST. Hank DeBruin and the Winterdance Race Team will be 19th out of the gate.
Friday, February 4: Today our class watched the documentary Yukon Quest: Spirit of the North, which follows several mushers on the 2002 Yukon Quest.
Tuesday, February 1: The Winterdance Race Team completes a marathon five-day drive from Haliburton, Ontario to Whitehorse, Yukon. They will spend the next three days training in the Annie Lake area, south of Whitehorse. Saturday, January 22: The team's food and gear bags arrive in Whitehorse, ready to be distributed to checkpoints along the Yukon Quest Trail! Sunday, January 16 - Wednesday, January 19: The Winterdance Race Team is in Michigan, running the Seney 300 Sled Dog Race in preparation for the Yukon Quest. The team looks strong, running 50 miles in six hours and then resting for six hours, around the clock. |
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