Yukon Quest '07

The reliable wheel-dog, Melville.

It has been a sobering couple of days on the Yukon.

Brent and Richie left Eagle with the aurora overhead at 22:30 Saturday, and they ran slow and cold into Trout Creek Cabin, where they rested Sunday morning. The temperature took one final dive to -53°F, and we spotted Brent on the Yukon just after sunset. We landed ahead of him, and he stopped and talked to us. It was one of the most frigid pastel moments I’ve ever seen. All the dogs were healthy, but tired from 700 miles of trail. Brent said that they were moving about five mph. We wished him luck, then flew 10 miles downriver to Slaven’s Roadhouse, a National Park Service cabin. When Brent arrived a couple hours later, he was shaken-up. Melville, the wheel-dog, had collapsed without warning and died on the trail.

Moments before Melville’s collapse, Brent experienced the high point in his mushing career. After 10 hrs of running at 5.5 mph, the team accelerated to 13 mph and held that pace. Brent later recollected that he had been telling the team to “Do it for Silver.” He speculated that their hearing Silver’s name excited the dogs and caused the acceleration. After 20 minutes at high speed, they slowed and sustained 9 mph for another 30 minutes, and then Melville collapsed.

Brent rested himself and the dogs 12 hours at Slaven’s, but it was a cold rest for the dogs. He had to drop The Dude to frostbite, but the vet said that the other eight dogs were in good shape. She added that it was evident from the dogs’ demeanor that Brent treated them well.

The cumulative weariness and extreme temperatures have taken their toll on other teams as well. Several mushers in this part of the pack are considering scratching, and their attitude seems to have shifted from one of competitive racing to one of dog care and finishing. Mushers could be seen coaxing teams out of Slaven’s this morning, ready to be done with fifty below and the now-monotonous Yukon.

The preliminary necropsy results revealed that a piece of fleece blanket had lodged at the entry to Melville’s intestine. None of the blankets on the trip have been chewed, so the fabric was likely ingested prior to the start. Melville’s collapse was apparently unrelated to the conditions or aerobics.

Brent left Slaven’s this morning, determined to make it to the Circle checkpoint, but perhaps not further. He was concerned about ruining his remaining eight dogs by pushing them beyond Circle, particularly with two large climbs still ahead. He arrived at 19:03 and decided to continue the race.

Brent and the team leaving Eagle under aurora.

A frigid dusk.

Benedikt Beisch leaving Eagle.

Mike Jayne and Richie Beattie at Slaven’s.

Brent on the Yukon.

Russ Bybee on the Yukon.

In Memoriam, Melville.

posted by Greg  # 8:28 AM