“I couldn’t move forward without any a sharp pain in my side, I knew it was a broken rib. I was worried about the spot I was in. Where other mushers could crash, and I didn’t want to lose the team,” said musher Mary Gilbertson after re-calling her crash two years ago. “I really don’t remember what happened. The sled was wedged between a tree and the ditch, but it kept the dogs from taking off.” “There was no way I could free the sled up without hurting the team,” said Gilbertson.
When mushers prepare to race in the U.P. 200, or the other two racing events, they do not only prepare their sled dogs to race, but they also need to prepare themselves to be safe on the trail. A musher needs to prepare themselves for being in the bitter cold for a long period of time traveling on trails, alone. Although mushers do all they can to stay safe on the trail reports of frostbite, broken bones, and one death have occurred over the years.
To take as many safety precautions as possible the Upper Peninsula Sled Dog Association is required to provide a safety and emergency plan to the Department of Natural Resources. The plan also provides the time and locations of the mandatory musher meetings. The mushers are provided a detailed map of the trail and the meeting will be the last time the mushers will have to ask any questions about the trail or map before the race. This is also where the mushers will be advised of any changes on the trail that have been made before the race starts.
After Gilbertson got into the crash with her team, other mushers stopped to try to assist her, but she said there was no way that they could anchor their dogs in a safe position to help. The passing mushers then notified volunteer helpers at the next crossroad that Gilbertson was on the trail and needed some help.
“Two volunteer’s came in for me,” said Gilbertson. After she and the two volunteers got her sled free, Gilbertson continued on with the race. When she came out on the main road there was an EMS waiting along the shoulder. Gilbertson said that when she came out she wasn’t sure if it was called for her or just a coincidence. Either way, Gilbertson said medical help was not far away. Being a nurse herself Gilbertson knew she had a broken rib but decided to continue on.
“I went over a couple hills and couldn’t move like normal,” said Gilbertson. “That’s when I decided to scratch form the race.”
In 1994 William Orazetti was crossing Little Bay de Noc, after he and his sled dog team lost the trail markers and went off the trail out onto the Bay. Stan Wittler was the Trail Boss during the race that year. “There were markers about every 500 feet on the bay,” said Wittler. “Mushers were supposed to anchor down if they lost a marker and wait until they could see another team. Then they would know they were safe and they could continue. He was way off course.”
Orazetti and his team of sled dogs continued out into the bay where there are some strong currents said Wittler, and that’s where the ice gets thin. Orazetti along with his sled dog team broke through the ice and Orazetti drowned that day trying to save his dogs. That has been the one death during the race.
Another safety issue a musher has to deal with during the U.P. 200 is the elements which can make seeing the trail difficult. Darlene Walch, musher, recalls one particular Midnight Run race she competed in.
“It was very cold and very windy, the snow was drifting across the trail and it was really hard to see the trail and the markers,” said Walch. “It was sort of a blizzard, when we left Gwinn it was about twenty below zero. That was cold.”
Along with the required gear to take with on the trail for the race, Walch brings extra food and hydration. This she said helps to keep her warm. Walch, who said that she did not get officially get checked out by a doctor, has had the early stages of frostbite on her checks. This was caused from her skin being exposed to the frigid air, from competing in the race.
“Things I take are chemical hand warmers too prevent frostbite if possible,” said Walch. “It’s nice, a lot of our jackets have inside pockets and you can put them in there.” Walch said that if you can to keep your body core warm that will help to keep your limbs warm as well.
Cathy Sleeter, Trail Boss for U.P. 200, said to make the trails as safe as possible they make sure that there is a set trail before the race. A set trail would be clear of brush , marked, and also have markers warning mushers when a road is coming up. This will help mushers to be aware of possible traffic, and to prevent any accidents. There is also a lead snowmobile that goes ahead about an hour or two of the mushers to make sure the trail will be safe during the race. Along with the lead snowmobile there is a sweeper team that follows the last musher of the race. The sweeper team is there is to find a lost musher or to help a musher in need.
“Everybody out there looks after each other,” said Sleeter. “We are constantly looking out to make it a safe trail.”
Communication is important to being safe during the race. Although mushers are prohibited from carrying cell phones and two way radios, mushers communicate to volunteers with those devices at cross roads and checkpoints to let officials know if any help is needed.
