Frank Moe wins the race!Big race day! Despite the challenges of extra snow to clear away at all of the check points and vet checks, the mushers and their teams got off to a very loud and energized start at the 6th Annual WolfTrack Classic. It was a brisk and windy 3°F in Ely as the race started.
Team crossing Hwy 21Judy Thon joined hundreds of other spectators, cheering on the mushers and their teams, in the fray you might say. She emphasized just how LOUD it is as the dogs bark, straining to take off.
Nadine Long and NABC volunteer Karen Wickham were there as well. It was the first time either of them had watched a sled dog race. Nadine was struck by the absolute eagerness as well as the musculature and power of the dogs. Karen captured this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdr9yjceZ5Y at the beginning of the race. Coincidentally enough, it was Frank Moe who ended up winning the 10-Dog Race.
Dr. Chip HansonJudy had a nice chat with Dr. Chip Hanson who is our NABC veterinarian. You might have seen a photo on our website of 
Jumping with joy!Chip and Big Ted. He loves the bears and is anxious to meet the newest member of the NABC family, little Holly this spring! He also wanted to say hello to all the "bearheads" out there who love and support the bears. Dr. Hanson was the Race Vet, checking all the dogs to make sure they are fit and able to race.
Sled dogs love their job and they let you know it. As the race is set to start, the air is filled with excitement, dogs in position, yelping, barking, howling, jumping and heaving forward, eager to run. Once the command is given and the brake is released, the dogs are all business. They take off with a silent whoosh, ready to do what they live for, pulling that sled.
Team takes off!Each dog is carefully chosen for the position it pulls in. You have the Lead Dogs who set the pace and keep the other dogs in line. They are alert and intelligent and follow the commands from the musher, "haw" (turn left), "gee" (turn right), "hike" (go go go) and "whoa" (stop usually with a little help from the brake). Next come the Swing Dogs that help steer, or swing the team around curves. Team Dogs are the muscle, the power. They pull the sled and keep things moving. Last are the Wheel Dogs, closest to the sled. They help guide the sled around tight corners.
Frank Moe - takes 1st placeJim Stroner helped get the GPS Spot units attached to the top of the bags this year which allowed for a much better signal than we had last year. In this photo you can see the white case (actually a sock) attached to the blue bag on the front of the sled. Last year the GPS units were placed inside the sled bag where they slid around with the jostling of the dog sled causing trouble with the signal. Good thinking, Jim!
Our GPS Spot units were a huge hit with the followers of the race, helping them follow the teams all the way from Ely, through Eagle's Nest, our research area and into Cook for the finish. Checking in every 10 minutes or so, it was fairly easy to keep track of who was where.
GPS Tracking
Once they were set to go, Jim snowshoed out to the prime photo spot he scouted out earlier this weekend, dug in and waited for the mushers and dogs to speed by so he could do HIS job and snap beautiful photographs. Unfortunately Jim was unable to get to a place where he could download the photos for the update tonight.
Fortunately we knew of another photographer out there who, like Jim, snowshoed in to get photos of the race. We asked him if he had any photos of Frank Moe, the winner of the 10-Dog Race (Congratulations Frank!) and he had some of Frank and his team! Thank you Paul Pluskwik for braving the cold and for sharing your beautiful photos with us.
Male cub takes a tumble!It was an exciting day for all!
That could also be said for one little cub who navigated out of the familiarity of his mother's underside. He climbed up and over the back to her shoulder where when she rose up he took a big tumble down to the bedding, on his back, spread eagle, and clearly a male. Juliet quickly nosed him back to the warmth of her stomach and his two siblings.
The researchers are prepped and ready for the legal proceedings to begin. The hearing starts tomorrow (Monday) and is open to the public. It runs 9 to 5 on February 24-28 and then resumes March 3-5 after the weekend. It is in the Skjestad Room on the second floor of the Office of Administrative Hearings at 600 North Robert Street in St Paul, MN.
Thank you for all you do.
—WRI Staff
All photos taken today unless otherwise noted.