Getting Iron Dog 2020 back on track
The race isn’t over yet but Iron Dog has already declared the winners: the trailbreakers.
They’re calling the “Yukon Trio” heroes for setting nearly impassable trail that held Iron Dog racers up in Ruby. From left, Archie Agnes and Arnie Marks from Tanana, and Bobby Frankson from Galena worked overnight to make the trail passable, working in waist-deep wet snow. They were three of a group of riders who helped get the race back on track.
After heavy snowfall between Poorman to Ophir and Rohn to Puntilla left the Iron Dog trail all but obliterated, it has taken a dedicated and tough crew to re-establish the route and rescue Iron Dog 2020. They spent the night wading through chest deep snow in places, re-routing around fallen trees and today, barely avoiding a dangerous wildlife encounter with an angry moose not willing to give way.
Iron Dog board president Roger Brown, who was competing in the race just a few days earlier, but scratched after his sled burned to the ground, switched hats to volunteer mode. He started clearing the trail from Poorman with SBS checkers working that checkpoint. After a long, exhausting day, he made some headway, and by evening reinforcement arrived. The Yukon Trio, as they have been nicknamed and lauded online – drove from upriver to finish the job. Archie Agnes and Arnie Marks from Tanana, and Bobby Frankson from Galena picked up where Brown left off and continued all the way to McGrath.
“So much respect for you fellas – Thank you!” said Iron Dog executive director John Woodbury as messages flew back and forth among coordinators on Friday.
Bobby Frankson takes a break in deep snow while clearing the Iron Dog trail overnight.
From the south, volunteers were helping as well. The final touch came with Kent Taylor and his nephew Matt Taylor, who set the inbound line for the Iron Dog finish where the action will be happening Saturday.
Racers are expected to cross the finish line at South Port Marina around 12:30-1 p.m. Saturday. As of 9 p.m. Friday, 13 teams were left in contention. Spectators can arrive early, check out the vendor booths, visit with sponsors and nab a free hot dog from the Northern Air Cargo barbecue.
DIRECTIONS: Take the Parks Highway to the Big Lake Turnoff; take a left at the roundabout and go onto the ice at the South Shore park entrance. The Houston High School booster club will be directing traffic as a fundraiser, and the Big Lake Trails group will be raising money for grooming.
Kent Taylor and Matt Taylor helped clear trail inbound near Big Lake, where Iron Dog 2020 will be finishing on Saturday. Expect racers to start arriving by noon.