ID: AliyCam 2016 “Downhill from Rainy Pass Summit” - Part One

I have carried a hand held video camera on the race for years now. Honestly, I don't always think "Gez, this is gorgeous… I need to take a video!" But, I really did try to capture some amazing portions of the Iditarod Trail this year.
There are 13 videos in the ID: AliyCam 2016 Series.


After the trail sneaks over the top of Rainy Pass, it plunges downhill. As the trail comes off the summit and down into the creek, it is a roller coaster ride. I try to steer my sled -- sometimes successfully and sometimes not -- around pinball corners, over ice bridges and past rock faces all with the gorgeous Alaska Range on the horizon. Thick willow bushes often define the edges of the trail. That shows how much volunteer trail work has been put into the Iditarod over the years.

One of the reasons that I love our dogs not being secured by a leash to their collars (a “neck line” in mushing terminology) is evident in this video. Each dog can maneuver where ever they need to in order to avoid holes in the trail or run far out to the side, switching sides of the main tow line. As you can imagine, each dog has his or her own opinion of where they want to place their feet for the fastest, safest route. Now it might seem that all of the dogs aren’t “pulling their hearts out” all the time. You are correct. And I ask you: “During your 8, 10 or 12 hour work day how many of you are putting our 100% effort?”

Yea... that’s what I thought.