ID: Out of Shaktoolik and Portage Trail

It's 2.30pm Monday afternoon

RETURNED DOG UPDATE

Champ was the team mate that Aliy left in Unalakleet with a sore wrist. He will be making his way back to Anchorage in the next few days and in the meantime will enjoy the care and attention of all the volunteers in the checkpoint.

We are so very proud of Champ for what he has achieved this season and what he has contributed to the team for 700 miles. He really stepped up like a Champ!

We appreciate your patience as we are still waiting to find out who it was Allen left behind in Huslia. With teams outside the top 10-20 we get to see very little by way of photos or video so it is impossible for us to figure out who is missing from the line. We likely won't know who it was until he or she arrives back in Anchorage. We will let you know as soon as we get that information.

RED TEAM UPDATE

Aliy and her 12 team mates left Shaktoolik towards Koyuk. She and Ray Reddington Jnr have been running near each other for a while and that looks to continue in this leg. An insider video of the team arriving into the checkpoint shows Dutch and Commando in lead, Sparkie and Mismo running together in swing, Junior and Iron, Driver and Izzy, Amber and Felix with Rodney and Schmoe in wheel. We saw Aliy was frosted so obviously the temperatures have dropped a little now they are on the coast.

The trail from Shaktoolik to next checkpoint of Koyuk takes the teams travel over the sea ice. This is where Aliy famously (infamously?) camped during the race last year. If you've never seen the video of that it is one of the classics! Check it out here from March 13, 2016.

BLACK TEAM UPDATE

Allen and 15 mates are travelling along the portage trail between Kaltag and Unalakleet. There are two cabins along that piece of trail that are often frequented by mushers: Tripod Flats, about 35 miles from Kaltag and Old Woman Cabin, 15 miles later. We are guessing he will stop the team at Old Woman but we're never really sure what Allen is doing until he has done it so we will wait and see.