Trent Herbst's Blog

Information about Trent Herbst Elementary School Teacher, Musher, and Iditarod Competitor

Trent reaches Nome!!!

Trent and his team crossed the finish line at 4:53 AM Alaska time, 6:53 AM MDT this morning, March 10th.    Trent placed 49th in the Great Race out of 71 mushers and teams who started.  Trent's overall time was 12 days, 13 hours, 53 minutes.  

In the gallery are a picture of Trent leaving Rainey Pass ealier in this years race, the famed burled arches at the Finish line in Nome, an aerial shot of the finish chute, and a few shots of the Nome webcam of Trent's finish this morning.   At one minute intervals, we weren't fortunate to catch much other than Trent's dogs in the chute on one picture then activity after he had crossed the line.  Last shot is sunrise on the Bering Sea.

I'm sure we'll get some comments from Trent directly in the next day or so.    Really exciting past two weeks! 

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Reply from the Albert family in Ruby... this is wonderful!

(You can see this reply on the blog as a comment to March 17 Race update.   Remember that Trent was delivering a pair of snowshoes made by his class to Geroge Albert in Ruby)

Finally, able to log on. We are the Albert Family of Ruby. We had a quick meet with Trent Sunday after he woke up and needed to make up for time. Looked good, unlike a few other mushers who had bit of frostbite, black eyes, broken sleds. Amazing to think of his night runs standing up behind his sled. Kids:you made wonderful snowshoes and George is pleased and humbled by your gift. It will inspire our own children (age 11 and 12) to not take their dad's rare talent for granted. We will hang it in our home.  George's grandfather, Frank also made double pointed Athabascan snowshoes-for use on set trails. The round tip ones work best in deep snow. In two weeks, many here and in other villages will hold a Spring Carnival with snowshoe races, dogsled sprint races, ice picking contests. Be aware-I told Trent this and I bet his mind is working overtime in planning snowshoes races for you.

I hope you cherish your journey in making them as well as your trip to AK and outings on the snowshoes. Gee, mention something to Trent in 2008 race about decline in a native craft and he just goes gang-busters to solve it, challenge his charges, inspire others. Next he'll have you native tanning a hide so you can have native style snowshoe bindings!

An important item to share. We gave Trent the task of carrying a special packet of get well wishes along with 'Flat Santa' from the 3rd to 5th grade students along with about 50 Iditarod mushers who signed the card. The Ruby checkpoint judge made sure all mushers were asked to sign a card to be taken down the race trail to a Shaktoolik four year old boy, Jacob Takak. He has muscular dystrophy and now has been diagnosed and treated for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He returned from treatment in Seattle to be among his family and Eskimo village neighbors and made a wish for a February Christmas, which he had. Big hearted Trent has many things on his mind right now, foremost among them the care of his dogs. He took this packet of empowered good thoughts and was to deliver it to little Jacob's hometown, much in the spirit of the original Serum Run to Nome. We thank him for putting this on his race to do list! A four year old and his family must have an amazed smile on their face about now, ask him about it. Prayer for the little guy, the tv story touched many in Ruby. Students here are anticipating the web cam meeting with you all in Ketchum.

Eileen and family.

Race Update March 19, 8:10 AM MDT, 6:10 Alaska

Trent checked in to Elim (mile 798 of 908 between Willow start and Nome finish, 111 miles to go) at 9:06 PM last evening in 49th place.  He was back out of Elim this morning at 4:30 AM and is on the trail.   Today he'll journey the 43 miles to White Mountain where there is a mandatory 8 hour rest for all teams.  White Mountain is the last stop before the final run in to Nome. 
 
Trent should be in White Mountain by 10 AM Alaska time and could be on his way to Nome 8 hours of rest later at 6 PM.   He could be in Nome as early as 2 AM Saturday depending on whether he takes additional rest in White Mountain.   Weather in Nome is sunny and +20F/0F today and snow showers on Saturday.   Traveling has been fast for previous teams in to Nome this week and should be for Trent as well.   Godspeed on the final leg Trent!

In the gallery are the trail map, pictures of Elim in the Summer and Winter, and a few dogs resting at Elim checkpoint. 

Checkpoint descriptions below for next legs of travel.

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Race Update March 18, 8:10 AM MDT, 6:10 Alaska

Trent checked in to Koyuk (mile 755 of 908 between Willow start and Nome finish, 153 miles to go) at 7:55 AM today in 49th place.  He was earlier posted at 50th, and appears to have moved up two places from this time yesterday.
 
Trent is now back on dry land and off the Bering Sea.   Reaching Koyuk is considered an important milestone as the most difficult parts of the race are behind the mushers and travel is generally over land to Nome.  Trail map and aerial picture of Koyuk in the gallery as well as Sebastian Schhuelle's team coming off the Bering Sea in to Koyuk.   Also found a picture online from this years race of Trent leaving the Rainey Pass checkpoint days ago.

Trent has been covering a bit under 100 miles per 24 hour period with rest/run cycles.  Weather forecasts for Koyak to Nome for next two days are fair to sunny, highs near +20F with winds gusting to 20-30 mph.  Trent should be in Nome Saturday afternoon if all goes well. 

I thought we might enjoy the simple beauty of the Koyuk town mission statement... 

"We are a community who rely on the wisdom of our elders to teach out people our traditional and subsistence lifestyle while living and respecting the land, animals, and sea; we believe in quality education and employment opportunities thjrough economic development for all generations while keeping healthy familes and homes"

Checkpoint descriptions below for next legs of travel.

http://www.iditarod.com/checkpoints/checkpoint48.html

  (From Iditarod site) Koyuk Population 258 -- Once this checkpoint is reached, the mushers can breath a sigh of relief as almost all of the rest of the trail is at least over land. The checkpoint is the City Recreation Center.

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Race Update March 17, 8:30 AM MDT, 6:30 Alaska

Trent checked in to Unalakleet (mile 673 of 908 between Willow start and Nome finish, 235 miles to go) at 3:29 AM today ,he is now in 51st place. (an earlier post here said 50th but race statistics were updated to show that Scott White had actually checked in to Unalakeet 9 minutes before Trent and White is in 50th spot).

 The run from Kaltag to Unalakaleet took 16 hours, 21 minutes (including rest time) over the 75 miles.  Trail map and picture of town of Unalakleet from the air as well as musher Martin Buser approaching the checkpoint to give a feel of the terrain.   Today Trent will move along the coast to Shaktoolik and then head accross the famed open sea leg accross the Norton Sound to Koyuk.  Picture of a team crossing the Norton Sound is last in the gallery,   This is the infamous leg of the 1925 serum run to Nome made by Leonard Seppala.  

Checkpoint descriptions below.
The fastest teams crossed the line late yesterday afternoon.   Lance Mackay won the race for the 4th consecutive time, Has Gatt was 2nd and Jeff king was 3rd.  A total of 12 mushers have finished as of this posting with 44 still travelling. 
 
(From Iditarod site) Unalakleet Population 882 -- Situated on the coast of Norton Sound, just north of the Unalakleet River, this village is the largest community on the Iditarod Trail between Wasilla and Nome. Two well stocked stores, as well as two restaurants can be found here along with limited lodging by advance booking. The trail is now entering the gateway to the Bering Sea and from here on the mushers can expect sudden storms and an ample supply of wind. The checkpoint is in front of the AC store.

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Great article in Anchorage Dispatch on Ruby, AK; mentiones Trent's 4th graders' gift of snowshoes

George_albert_from_anchorage_d

 

Remember from a previous post that Trent's 4th grade class had made snowshoes and that he brought a pair on the sled to present to George Albert.   George is a native Athabascan Indian in Ruby who is a renowned fabricator of snowshoes in the native tradition.   This is described in the article about halfway down, it is a great article on remote Alaskan villages in general.

Thanks to one of the blog subscribers for sending this along to our attention!

Race Update March 16, 6:00 AM MDT, 4:00 Alaska

Trent continued down the Yukon, and checked in to Kaltag (598 of 908 between Willow start and Nome finish, 310 miles to go) at 2:00 AM today ,he has moved up one spot to 50th place.

 The run from Nualto to Kaltag took 4 hours, 38 minutes over the 35 miles for an average speed of 9.06 mph.  Trail map and picture of town of Kaltag on the Yukon are in the gallery.   Also a picture taken at Kaltag of Trent at 2009 race, and a picture of Cym Smyth entering Kaltag checkpoint last year.   Weather was supposedly epic, brutal last year,  Must more hospitable this year.  

Trent will certainly rest the team.  They are off the Yukon river at this point and will prepare for final 75 miles along the ancient Kaltag portage through coastal mountaints to Unalakleet and Norton Sound, marking the beginning of travel on and around the Bering Sea. Current morning temperature in Kaltag is -21 deg F but outlook is for 20 deg F mid day with little wind.   Trent will probably wait out the "heat" and leave Kaltag late afternoon, we'll see.   This is a 10 to 15 hour journey that can take up to 20 hours if weather is uncooperative.    Good description of the route and area on the link below.
http://www.iditarod.com/checkpoints/checkpoint44.html

 (From Iditarod site) Kaltag Population 234 -- This town signals a brief respite from the driving winds as the trail from here leads overland through Kaltag Portage to the coast of Norton Sound where the winds take on new meaning. Kaltag is the home of Virginia Kalland, widow of Edgar Kalland who was one of the original mushers who helped carry life saving diphtheria serum along this trail in 1925. She also owns one of Kaltag's three stores. Note: The location for mushers check-in is at Rich Burnham's house, but the official checkpoint and gathering spot is the community hall about a block away.

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Race Update March 15, 5:00 PM MDT, 3:00 Alaska

Trent continues down the Yukon, checked in to Nualto (mile 563 of 908 between the Willow start and Nome finish, 345 miles to go) at 2:10 PM today ,he has moved up to 51st place.

The run from Galena to Nualto took 6 hours, 31 minutes over the 47 miles for an average speed of 7.98 mph.  Trail map and picture of town of Nualto on the Yukon are in the gallery.

(From Iditarod site) Nualto Population 359 -- Originally founded in 1838 at the confluence of the Nulato and Yukon Rivers, Nulato was a Russian trading post. Without a stockade, the Indians promptly burned it down. In 1841, the Russian American Company rebuilt the trading post consisting of seven log buildings, but again without a stockade. In 1851, the Koyukan Indians again burned it down and killed most of the inhabitants. In 1853, the trading post was rebuilt at the present town site, two miles upriver from the old site. The checkpoint is the community hall.

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Race Update March 15, 8:00 AM MDT, 6:00 Alaska

Trent continues up the Yukon, checked in to Galena (517 of 908 between Willow start and Nome finish) at 11:06 PM last night (Sunday) , currently in 53rd place.

The run from Ruby to Galena took just under 7 hours at a average speed of 7.5 mph. Weather in Galena is -24 deg F at 5:30 AM, predictions are for highs near +5 deg F and lows at -20 deg F with sunny skys on the lower Yukon for the next several days. Trent has another 150 miles to go on the Yukon before Unalakleet and the Bering Sea with 'balmy', calm conditions.

(From Iditarod site) Galena Population 527 -- Galena derived its name from lead sulfate ore found in the area, known chemically as galena. The town was founded in 1920 when Natives moved down river from the old town site of Louden because of the availability of firewood. A man could cut 250 cords a winter and sell it for $8.00 a cord to the stern wheelers that worked the rivers in the summer. The checkpoint is at the old community hall downtown.

Iditarod_route_map

Race Update March 14, 8:00 AM MDT, 6:00 Alaska

Trent is on the Yukon! Checked in to Ruby at mile 467, currently in 54th place.

Trent spent 10 hours at the Cripple checkpoint yesterday (Saturday) morning fulfilling his 8 minimum checkpoint stay (24 hour minimum stay was fulfilled at McGrath) and then headed out for Ruby at 2:25 yesterday afternon. He just pulled in to Ruby at 5:30AM Sunday morning. The run from Cripple to Ruby is 70 miles.

As mentioned yesterday, Trent will visit George Albert, a local Athabaskan Native American and craftsman snowshow maker in their tradition to give him a set of snowshoes that the 4th graders built to present to George.

The next 200 miles of the race will be on the frozen Yukon River to Unakaleet and the Bering Sea. Next check points are Galena at mile 517 and Nualto at 564.

The gallery has a trail map as usual, a picture of Ruby back in 1917, one more recent, and a dog team heading off on the Yukon just below the bluffs at Ruby.

(From Iditarod site) Ruby Population 187 -- The first checkpoint on the famous Yukon River, the longest river in Alaska, stretching 1,875 miles from its headwaters in the Yukon Territory of Canada to the Bering Sea. Gold was discovered her in 1907, but no town was established until until 1911 when additional gold deposits were discovered on Long Creek, causing a rush of prospectors to the area. This is the home of 1975 Iditarod Champion, Emmitt Peters. Ruby was home for many of the mushers who carried mail for the Northern Commercial Company from Tanana to Ruby. The trip took four days and paid $5.00 a day. Dog team mail ended here in 1931.

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