Happy New Year!
Jan/16/09
Happy New Year!
I am sitting in the camper in Elk River, ID trying to remember what has been going on since my last writing, and it’s making my head ache…
Our sledding season has been fraught with frustrations. Not enough snow, too much snow, too much wind, falling trees, unplowed roads, Biblical rainfall, floods of both mud and water, and of course, avalanches.
Over the Christmas Holidays, 12 inches of snow blanketed Indianola and brought life in the greater Seattle area to a stand still. I did my first snow hook up out of the yard with 4 dog teams and ran a two mile out and back down a deadend street. I was sadly reminded of how easy running dogs can be when living on a trail network.
Scheduled for the New Year’s holiday, we had to postpone our shakedown run due to any combination of the above. Margaret, Von and I did meet at Stampede Pass over the weekend for training runs and to go over some of Von’s new gear.
January 2nd, I had a great night run! It was our first significant snow run of the season. Clear starry sky, quarter moon illuminating the trail leaving the head lamp for occasional line checks, cold hard pack trail, it was a much needed reminder of why we go through all the ups and downs. It’s all about moments of perfection. One good run and you’re reset for months of chores, lousy weather, muddy floors, muddy dogs and a million other inconviences that make up the majority of this lifestyle.
So with a recharged spirit we moved our shakedown run to the MLK Holiday weekend at Elk River. I’ve been here since Sunday 1/11/09 and Margaret and Von are due in tomorrow. Monday’s run was in enough drizzle to warrant donning my poncho to stay dry. Monday night the sky cleared, and temps dropped forming a slick fast trail that has lasted throughout the week.
One of the trails out here makes a 34 mile loop with an elevation gain of over 4500 feet. I had run it years ago while training for Race to the Sky and thought it would be a good one for our shakedown with Von. Tuesday, I hooked up the dogs and went out for a preview and to make sure it was open. About 13 miles out I started seeing enormous wolf tracks. I placed my glove alongside one and took
a picture, the paw print was the width of my palm. I had never seen anything like it. I had heard there were wolves in the area, but was shocked to see a print this size. With my senses on red alert, all I could do was hope Mr. Wolf was soundly sleeping in his warm den as we trespassed through his territory
Hours later at about 32 miles, the dogs made a sudden leap to hyper speed. About ¼ mile into the sprint, with my headlamp dim from weak batteries, I was able to make out the lumbering form of a moose. Trying to hold back the dogs, the more I braked, the crazier they got and we continued to gain on Mr. Moose. He eventually realized he was being overrun and turned around and stopped. This was the start of a 45 minute stand off. After about 20 minutes of no movement and trying to keep the dogs quiet, I moved forward and had my first, and a profound lesson about moose encounters. It is now ingrained into my being to never, under any circumstances, hit a moose in the forehead with a snowball. Fortunately his charge was a bluff, stopping within two bounds. About 10 minutes later, the second charge didn’t require a snowball, and was another bluff but covered twice the distance as the first. Once my adrenalin had run its course and my knees unbuckled I decided it was time to turn around and give Mr. Moose some space. We ran back about ½ mile, turned around and set the hooks and waited. A short time later I moved the dogs ahead and caught the shine of Mr. M’s eyes in my headlamp. He had moved down trail. I hooked down and waited. This is how we were able to return to the truck, about 100 to 150 yards at a time, until we reached a spit in the trail where he took the low road and we the high.
Since then, I have given a lot of thought to both the wolf and moose and ping pong’ed all the “what ifs” in my mind. I had a flare gun, a tool used for moose encounters in Alaska, but had left it back at the truck. Even if I had the flare gun, what would I do with it? If a snowball prompted a charge, what would a flare do? Seems like it would make an angry moose a very angry moose and there would be no bluffing on the next charge. I have a gun, again back at the truck, but doubt it is big enough to stop a four legged freight train.
I talked to locals following the incident and asked their strategy when a day’s snowmachining becomes a moose standoff. Turn around, go around or wait was the consensus.
The wolf is another story. I don’t want to kill anything, I save spiders from the bath tub. I respect wildlife and realize I am a visitor in their neighborhood. One of the locals whom I have gotten to know over the years while training at Elk River assured me the dogs are at risk to the wolves. Especially if we camp out and the dogs are on pickets. The wolves are territorial and protect their turf. Barking draws the wolves and there have been a few cases where hunters have lost dogs to wolves. I give credence to this person’s opinion. He has lived in the area a long time, is an avid outdoorsman and does not boast or exaggerate. One of the essentials in my sled for the remainder of our training at Elk River will be a means to protect the dogs. I doubt it will be necessary to use, but What If??
Be safe,
Don
I am sitting in the camper in Elk River, ID trying to remember what has been going on since my last writing, and it’s making my head ache…
Our sledding season has been fraught with frustrations. Not enough snow, too much snow, too much wind, falling trees, unplowed roads, Biblical rainfall, floods of both mud and water, and of course, avalanches.
Over the Christmas Holidays, 12 inches of snow blanketed Indianola and brought life in the greater Seattle area to a stand still. I did my first snow hook up out of the yard with 4 dog teams and ran a two mile out and back down a deadend street. I was sadly reminded of how easy running dogs can be when living on a trail network.
Scheduled for the New Year’s holiday, we had to postpone our shakedown run due to any combination of the above. Margaret, Von and I did meet at Stampede Pass over the weekend for training runs and to go over some of Von’s new gear.
January 2nd, I had a great night run! It was our first significant snow run of the season. Clear starry sky, quarter moon illuminating the trail leaving the head lamp for occasional line checks, cold hard pack trail, it was a much needed reminder of why we go through all the ups and downs. It’s all about moments of perfection. One good run and you’re reset for months of chores, lousy weather, muddy floors, muddy dogs and a million other inconviences that make up the majority of this lifestyle.
So with a recharged spirit we moved our shakedown run to the MLK Holiday weekend at Elk River. I’ve been here since Sunday 1/11/09 and Margaret and Von are due in tomorrow. Monday’s run was in enough drizzle to warrant donning my poncho to stay dry. Monday night the sky cleared, and temps dropped forming a slick fast trail that has lasted throughout the week.
One of the trails out here makes a 34 mile loop with an elevation gain of over 4500 feet. I had run it years ago while training for Race to the Sky and thought it would be a good one for our shakedown with Von. Tuesday, I hooked up the dogs and went out for a preview and to make sure it was open. About 13 miles out I started seeing enormous wolf tracks. I placed my glove alongside one and took
a picture, the paw print was the width of my palm. I had never seen anything like it. I had heard there were wolves in the area, but was shocked to see a print this size. With my senses on red alert, all I could do was hope Mr. Wolf was soundly sleeping in his warm den as we trespassed through his territory
Hours later at about 32 miles, the dogs made a sudden leap to hyper speed. About ¼ mile into the sprint, with my headlamp dim from weak batteries, I was able to make out the lumbering form of a moose. Trying to hold back the dogs, the more I braked, the crazier they got and we continued to gain on Mr. Moose. He eventually realized he was being overrun and turned around and stopped. This was the start of a 45 minute stand off. After about 20 minutes of no movement and trying to keep the dogs quiet, I moved forward and had my first, and a profound lesson about moose encounters. It is now ingrained into my being to never, under any circumstances, hit a moose in the forehead with a snowball. Fortunately his charge was a bluff, stopping within two bounds. About 10 minutes later, the second charge didn’t require a snowball, and was another bluff but covered twice the distance as the first. Once my adrenalin had run its course and my knees unbuckled I decided it was time to turn around and give Mr. Moose some space. We ran back about ½ mile, turned around and set the hooks and waited. A short time later I moved the dogs ahead and caught the shine of Mr. M’s eyes in my headlamp. He had moved down trail. I hooked down and waited. This is how we were able to return to the truck, about 100 to 150 yards at a time, until we reached a spit in the trail where he took the low road and we the high.
Since then, I have given a lot of thought to both the wolf and moose and ping pong’ed all the “what ifs” in my mind. I had a flare gun, a tool used for moose encounters in Alaska, but had left it back at the truck. Even if I had the flare gun, what would I do with it? If a snowball prompted a charge, what would a flare do? Seems like it would make an angry moose a very angry moose and there would be no bluffing on the next charge. I have a gun, again back at the truck, but doubt it is big enough to stop a four legged freight train.
I talked to locals following the incident and asked their strategy when a day’s snowmachining becomes a moose standoff. Turn around, go around or wait was the consensus.
The wolf is another story. I don’t want to kill anything, I save spiders from the bath tub. I respect wildlife and realize I am a visitor in their neighborhood. One of the locals whom I have gotten to know over the years while training at Elk River assured me the dogs are at risk to the wolves. Especially if we camp out and the dogs are on pickets. The wolves are territorial and protect their turf. Barking draws the wolves and there have been a few cases where hunters have lost dogs to wolves. I give credence to this person’s opinion. He has lived in the area a long time, is an avid outdoorsman and does not boast or exaggerate. One of the essentials in my sled for the remainder of our training at Elk River will be a means to protect the dogs. I doubt it will be necessary to use, but What If??
Be safe,
Don