Checkpoint #13 - Elim

by Trent Herbst

March 21

Sorry for the late posting update.  Trent pulled in to Elim at 123AM this morning (Saturday morning) after a 6 hour 37 minute, 7.25 mph runover the 48 miles from Koyuk   Trent stayed in Elim overnight for just under 8 hours and left this morning at 820AM with 12 dogs.   Elim is at mile 856 and Trent has 123 more miles to the finish in Nome. 

The next checkpoint is White Mountain, 46 miles down the trail where all teams take a mandatory 8 hour rest before the final 77 mile push to Nome.   Trent and the team are in the final push.   Weather on the coast can be notoriously bad and fickle, but I am here in Nome today and the weather and forecast are “warm” (see below) with little wind.  With luck, it should be smooth sailing from here for the team with an anticipated finish Sunday late morning.

In the 1925 Serum Run, Leonhard Seppala and the team with lead dog Togo continued to carry the anti-toxin from Shaktoolik, through Elim all the way to Golovin (to the next cabin there, ½ way to the race checkpoint of White Mountain).     His part of the relay was 91 miles and was twice the distance any other daunting, brave team carried the serum on the 5-1/2 day, 675 mile journey from the Nenana railroad depot to Nome.  

Tim