Finish at Nome

March 23

Trent and the team pulled in to Nome at 1157 AM on Sunday March 212, after 979 miles, for a total time on the trail of 13 days, 2 hours. The team trotted in barking and looked good. The team placed 65th out of the 78 mushers who started the race.

A few pictures of Trent and the finishers; Ayn and Krister leading. Blast and Mukluk in swing. Thomas and Pig Pen, James and Scott in team. Thomas and Henry in wheel below:.

I had a chance to spend the early afternoon with Trent over a pizza and a beer and hear the stories of the trail. Trent said it was the best year ever in terms of the trail, the weather, and camping. The runs on the Tanana and Yukon River had temperatures of -30 to -50F. Trent said the weather was “perfect” and the beauty and remoteness of his camping spots between checkpoints on those rivers were “unrivaled, beyond belief”. He said he finally had a chance to see that his Marmot sleeping bag rated at -50F “kicked butt”, and talked about how the dogs slept in piles of 5 right next to him. He, Lachlan Clark, and Cindy Gallea left Shaktoolik and travelled the middle of the night through the Norton sound in 30+ mph winds and snow and lost the trail. Trent left the team with Lachlan and Cindy and walked a 1 mile arc and happily found a trail marker; found his way back to his travel partners and they all headed on the new bearings off the sound to Koyuk.

It was however the most challenging year ever for dog care. You may remember that I mentioned that 3-4 guys on the team started with “loose caboose” and by Galena the entire team was struggling with it. Trent said the problem stayed with the team the entire way, and even with all the medicine and electrolyte treatments he and the vets employed they could never resolve. The team ate well and were eager to run, but were challenged to push long and hard, so Trent and the boys (and Ayun) took plenty of rest, ate and drank plenty of water. Trent was proud that the entire team got to experience 500 miles to the halfway point of Huslia and the rhythm of competitive racing, resting, and camping together day after day. Fourteen made it to Kaltag, 12 made it to White Mountain, and 10 made it all the way to Nome.

They are now all world-class Iditarod, long-distance sled dogs. The gangly teenagers will continue grow in to their bodies, and train in to their spirit and potential. They will run multiple Iditarods in the future. They are all such sweet and driven individuals.

And finally, in the Great Serum Run of 1925 it was Gunnar Kaasen and his team with lead dog Balto that brought the anti-toxin home the final 53 miles from Bluff to Front Street in Nome, and enabled Dr. Welch to stop the epidemic.

Happy Trails!

Trent, Tim, Jake, and Greg

12 responses

Awesome! Congratulations to Trent and the team. Thanks for all the posts and inside information. I’ve really enjoyed it.

— Michael Paul

Congratulations!!!!! Ralph Whitten President Nevada Nanotech Systems, Inc 1315 Greg Street Suite 103 Sparks, NV 89431 office (775) 972 9816 cell (530) 368 2870 fax (775) 972 8078

— Ralph Whitten

This has been so much fun, rooting for the team. You are a good dog dad for watching out for the team as they ran the trail while battling the "loose caboose" issue. Tim, thank you so much for keeping us all informed. And to Trent's class- you are all so lucky to have this guy as your teacher, and he's lucky to have such a strong and supporting group of students. Best wishes to you all!

— Marycarol Deane

So proud of all of you! Let's try and figure out a way we can help for next year. Gerry and I'll be in Sun Valley on April 25 & 26 for a conference. We'd love to meet with you, if you can be around. Can add the 24th if that works better for you.

— Kitty Fleischman

We're so happy for you and the team! It's been fun keeping an eye on your progress. We look forward to it again in the coming years!

— Patty and Jason Breiland

Tim, Trent and Young Dog Team, You made it a great race all through the tough low temperatures, windy blowing snow conditions, lost trails, yet you all toughed it out. My entire family were pulling for you all the way Trent. Tim, you did a superb job of writing reports, taking and sending wonderful photos of the dogs and describing the difficult conditions of the race along with the history of the 1925 diptheria dog sled team delivering the medicine. Congratulations, We are proud of you all. Don Boecker

— Don Boecker

So happy and proud of the team effort throughout the Iditarod. Thanks Trent for coaching and taking such good care of the 16 athlete. With Trent's expertise and guidance throughout the tough weather and health issues you had a successful finish in Nome. Thanks Tim for sharing the historic and geographical aspects of the trail. This was a great learning experience for my 2nd grade class.

— Lynne Witte

Hi to all the nice comments, thanks! Trent and Tim.

— Trent Herbst

Have been reading all about your Iditarod experience and journey ....such a wonderful thing and exciting to read about! This life has so much to offer if you reach out and grab hold and hang on tight! Good for you Trent!

— Kristin Fritz Battaglia

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