Hale brothers make Iron Dog history
Israel Hale celebrates being on the Iron Dog trail with his brother Joseph. The two were the first Recreational Class team to reach Nome, making Hale the first-ever amputee to complete an Iron Dog course. (Photo courtesy Israel Hale)
(UPDATED 5:11 p.m. 2-17-2020)
Team 77, the Recreational Class team of brothers Israel and Joseph Hale, made history today, as they crossed the finish line in Nome at 10:12 a.m. Monday, Feb. 17. They were the first recreational class team to complete the 1,000-plus mile course from Fairbanks, through the new Kotzebue loop, and onto Nome.
Israel Hale is the first double-leg amputee ever to compete in the Iron Dog race. Since its inception in 1984, no amputee has ever competed in the Iron Dog — much less a double amputee without prosthetics.
“We are very thankful and proud to be here,” said Israel, 33, an hour after arriving in Nome. “We were in a whiteout all the way here; you couldn’t see the ski in front of your sled.”
Hale said a few things stand out in this year’s race, the highlight of which is the warm reception from the villages.
“Going up to the Kotzebue loop was so incredible,” he said. “The greetings we got and the anticipation we got was amazing. They’d be streamed out all along the village for a mile along the river, lined up cheering us on. We were getting pictures with all the kids and they made us signs that said ‘Go Team 77.’ They treated us like celebrities. The feeling you get from that is like nothing else. I’ve never felt anything like it.”
As a practice run for the Pro Race, the Hales’ game plan included pushing their limits. Israel lost his legs after an accident in 2012 when another vehicle plowed into him while he was repairing a trailer alongside a road in Anchorage. But he didn’t want the loss of his limbs to hinder his aspirations. He and his brother, Joseph, went into the recreational class race with the intent to test their skills and race the whole way. Their ultimate goal is a Pro Class start in 2021.
Israel said his largest concern was staying warm because without his lower legs, he can’t stand on his sled and move around like able-bodied riders. However, that ended up not being a problem – despite some of the coldest temperatures recorded for an Iron Dog race.
“As a matter of fact, we never had any trouble getting cold at all, and a few times, I was too hot,” Hale said. “Our Klim gear worked really well, and Fineline Interiors and Doug Dixon made me a skirt for the machine that covered my legs from the wind and completely did the trick.”
Instead, weather was the No. 1 challenge, Israel said.
Joseph and Israel Hale celebrate their arrival in Nome. Photo courtesy Israel Hale
“We could’ve been (to Nome) by Sunday night at 6 p.m. no problem if the trail had been like it’s been in past,” he said. “People are saying this is the worst they’ve ever seen it. From Kaltag to here, we have been in 15 to 60 mph winds the whole time; there has not been one time we’ve been out of the wind.”
Hale said the fastest they were able to travel after leaving Kotzebue was for about 40 miles on the river. Since then, “we’ve just been pounding over drifts since we left Old Woman Cabin out of Kaltag, going through four- and five-foot drifts. It was tough. I feel like somebody tied a rope around me and dragged me behind a horse.”
Overall, though, Israel said he and his brother were lucky. They both took spills on their sleds – he after his left ski tip dipped in one particularly nubby section of trail and he was thrown from his machine, and Joseph when an exposed crack in his cowling allowed ice to build up in the machine and lock up the steering.
“We were right out of Elim, and he was driving down the road and he turned and his steering locked up because it had iced up,” Israel explained of his brother’s crash. “The snowmachine went right off the road and rolled him like three times.”
A generous amount of duct tape and zip ties later, the battered sled and bruised Joseph, were ready to go.
Rough trail, double-digit minus temperatures, wind and snow drifts plagued the course this year, but Israel Hale said he loved every minute of it. Hale is the first amputee to ever complete the Iron Dog course. Photo courtesy Israel Hale.
The brothers, who grew up in the wilderness and pride themselves on their ability to handle harsh conditions, crossed the finish line in Nome, triumphant if not a little tired. Israel said he couldn’t ask for a better partner – he and Joseph, without the aid of GPS, paved the way for the rest of the recreational and pro class racers behind them. They followed faint scrapes in the wind-battered trail that told of previous grooming when markers were long gone. They relied on instinct to stay on course and followed common sense and slowed down when navigating the blinding trail around obstacles.
“We had an amazing run,” Israel said. “We stayed consistent and steady; we went slow and we played it smart. We had the protection of the hand of the Lord. And Joseph? He’s a great partner, he’s positive and very supportive of me in life in general, I really couldn’t ask for a better partner.”