It continues to snow throughout the Quesnel – Wells – Barkerville area, with accumulated levels on the trails ranging from a foot to several feet in depth.
Slowly, the three looped trails that will be used during the 2012 Mail Run are being broken, marked and packed.
This is a huge job and workers are encouraged to come forward to help with the task. Volunteers with snowmobiles are invited to contact Warren Palfrey for information about what needs to be done.
Two weekends ago, a group of six trail workers camped overnight at the Ahbau Lake forestry campsite – and it snowed. A great time was had by all, but for a while there was concern that it might not be possible to get the vehicles out over the height of land in the heavy new snow.
Last year, about 15 miles in on the Ahbau Lake Trail, four teenagers who were breaking the trail using two large snowmobiles got stranded. The machines had broken down and there was nothing to do but for these fellows to hunker down and wait for help.
I am sharing these stories to illustrate the importance of being prepared for all conditions when travelling in the bush in the winter.
With this in mind, for the past several years, on the Saturday afternoon of the Mail Run, organizers have featured an event called the Musher’s Sports.
Like much of the Mail Run, the format for this event has evolved. For years, it has been a fun event that didn’t discourage the competitors from taking shortcuts and bribing judges.
In 2012 however the Musher’s Sports is going to focus on developing those basic skills that will ensure that folks like those mentioned above will not have to worry about their survival in extreme winter conditions. In fact, the four teens who were stranded knew exactly what to do, and when help did arrive (after several hours), they were safe and happy around a big fire, confident that they could have made it through the night without mishap.
The Musher’s Sports involve teams of five people splitting firewood, building a fire that is capable of both cooking and providing warmth using only a few matches, boiling water from snow, making a hot drink using spruce needles or other locally available ingredients and making a “twist” (bannock on a stick).
This will be both a timed and judged event, firewood will be supplied, teams can use an axe and knife but no fire starter or paper, they will have a billy can to boil water and the ingredients for the bannock.
Two very experienced judges will be both monitoring the work of the teams, but also offering suggestions and help. And to round out the experience for the would-be dog mushers/trappers, the Musher’s Sports will also involve setting a trap and calling a moose.
Saturday of the Mail Run is a big day at Troll Resort.
Both the Mail Run and the Stage Race start and finish at the resort and in addition to the Musher’s Sports, other events will include a fun One Dog Weight Pull as well as the opportunity for the general public to meet the Mail Run and Stage Race participants and to learn about their experiences and their dogs.
In the evening, the annual banquet and auction takes place.Everyone is encouraged to attend
these events.
Information about the schedule of events and the availability of banquet tickets is on the Mail Run website, www.dogsledmailrun.ca.
Jeffrey Dinsdale is a member of the Gold Rush Trail Sled Dog Association.