White Mountain-Safety-Nome

[libby the lab]

Bridgetts team is bedded down in WM.

[Eggs]

Nordman gave an update on the whole situation. It's posted on the Insider videos and is supposed to be on ITC FB (isn't yet).
Then Christian came back on WM to say that Sean Williams is back in WM. His dogs have been coming back via snowmachine (I think). So it looks like Sean is scratching, contrary to what Nordman indicated.

[akaquaman]

Thanks for the updates, not having Insider coverage. Here's an update from Danny Seavey about 2 hours ago (~ 9pm ADST)

Information has been trickling in all day regarding the teams still on the trail, here's the best we know at the moment:
Race Marshall Mark Nordman said the weather is "as bad as it gets," referring to a big windstorm by Topkok. See Mitch Seavey description of the trail out there.
Riley W. Dyche Sebastien Dos Santos, and Black Spruce Dog Sledding Jeff and Katie Jo Deeter are safely at the Topkok Shelter Cabin, roughly halfway from White Mountain to Nome. They have a warm cabin, food, are quite safe despite the weather.
Gerhardt Thiart and Bridget Watkins were both taken back to White Mountain by rescue teams, and both required medical attention so were then flown to Nome.
Unofficially, Sean Williams has also returned to White Mountain, although he seems to be just fine. Rescue crews are bringing in all three dog teams. All the dogs are healthy and happy, they are holding up much better than the mushers.
It's not clear how many of these teams have scratched, several have accepted assistance and therefore would be out of the race, but that's the least of their concerns at the moment.
Behind that, there are the "final four" teams who arrived in White Mountain this evening, Kailyn Davis, Yuka Honda, Eric Kelly and Apayauq Reitan. Several of them took very long-cuts on the way across Golovin Bay, but seem to be in good shape, and presumably will hold up in White Mountain until the storm blows over.

What a way to end their race. I read earlier reports of 70 mph winds in the Topkok blow hole area. Sean Williams is now listed as scratched - bummer!

[akaquaman]

Here's the ITC Facebook post from about three hours ago (~8pm ADST)

A severe ground storm with very high winds caused deteriorating conditions on the Iditarod Trail going over the Topkok Hills on the way to Safety. As a result, Gerhardt Thiart (bib #39) activated his emergency beacon at approximately 10:19 a.m. this morning.
An individual from Council, Edward Stang, was in the area on snowmachine and came upon Thiart and his team without knowledge of the emergency beacon activation, and assisted Thiart, who sustained an injury to his leg, to White Mountain. Upon arrival in White Mountain, the Iditarod had Thiart transported via a Bering Air helicopter to Nome, where he is currently being evaluated.
During this similar timeframe, Bridgett Watkins (bib #36) made a call to a family member in Nome asking that she be assisted off the trail. White Mountain search and rescue was immediately notified. In the meantime, Watkin’s husband, Scotty, had left Nome by snowmachine with four other residents to assist mushers on the trail. Scotty located Watkins and her team and transported her to White Mountain, where she was evaluated at the local health clinic. Watkins was transported to Nome via Bering Air aircraft and is currently with her family.
White Mountain search and rescue, along with support from the Iditarod trail snowmachine crew who monitors the back of the race, are in the process of bringing both sled dog teams to White Mountain. The sled dogs will be immediately evaluated by Iditarod race veterinarians upon arrival.
Because of these rescue efforts, both mushers did scratch from the race.
The Iditarod would like to thank the Alaska State Troopers, Edward Stang, White Mountain search and rescue, the Iditarod trail snowmachine crew, and the local volunteers who assisted with these rescue responses.

I'm sure there will be more updates tomorrow - heading to bed....

[Eggs]

Link to Nordman's update video on ITC FB: https://www.facebook.com/TheIditarod/vi ... 376983815/

Bridgett update on her FB (public): https://www.facebook.com/koahteam/ (scroll down)

ITC did an interview with Sean Williams that is on Insider videos. Don't think it will show up on FB. It hasn't so far. May try to transcribe later today.

Insider will interview Gerhardt Thiart this morning.

[flowerpower]

https://www.alaskapublic.org/2022/03/18/two-iditarod-mushers-rescued-from-trail/?fbclid=IwAR2tDV0oJGjgKw7Twv-YjlUxqGDj--sJrXY2XIzOApS63uQpViTy6alQJQU

[Leaddog]

Surprised and disappointed for Sean. Heard through friends that he had been communicating with folks in Nome through his InReach that he was hunkered down but fine and in good spirits, and was planning on waiting out the storm then proceeding to the finish. That was last night before I went to bed.
Doesn't necessarily mean that things suddenly turned bad - just that the situation ticked from "reasonable to continue" to "not reasonable". In the hands of someone who is thoughtful and decisive, that's all it needs to be to do a 180 degree change in plans.

[mira]

It's great they are actually updating live on the cams.

Anyway, 32 dogs and four mushers inside that shelter cabin. I am a bit worry that the three remaining in the cabin also will scratch, but crossing my fingers. Sounded on Riley that they arrived together with SAR, but as they aren't really mentioned in any official note I guess they were only accompanied.

Safe trails for all mushers left on trail!

[libby the lab]

dannyseavey: (rumors) Hearing there is a rescue crew enroute to Topkok Cabin. not sure who for.

[fladogfan]

The last four are out of WM, heading to Safety. Kailyn only 4 miles from the cabin the Deeters and Borges are sheltering.