Seavey Leads Resting Mushers In Iditarod Mandatory Layovers Help Montanan; Second Dog Death Reported By Officials

Mitch Seavey found himself at the front of the pack Wednesday in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. With the top teams resting just 38 miles behind him, however, Seavey knew he wouldn’t be on top for long.

“I’m not actually No. 1. I just got here first,” Seavey said after following the trail through the rolling Kuskokwim mountains to the ghost town of Ophir. He arrived at Ophir at 8:35 a.m., leaping past former Iditarod champions Doug Swingley, Jeff King and Martin Buser, who were taking their mandatory 24-hour layovers in Takotna.

Swingley is from Lincoln, Mont.

Meanwhile, the race had its second dog death, a canine named B.J. in the team of musher Wayne Curtis. Race officials said there were no outward signs of the cause of death. Curtis, who was running 44th, brought the dog to the Nikolai checkpoint at 10:43 a.m. Wednesday. If trail vets find no sign of mistreatment or heat stress, Curtis would be allowed to continue in the race.

In Ophir, a bleary-eyed Seavey sat drinking coffee at the snug checkpoint cabin nestled amid the spruce and birch trees in this gold mining country.

“Those guys that are way into their 24 hours are way ahead of me,” Seavey said.

Peryll Kyzer of Willow reached Ophir 20 minutes after Seavey. Ramey Smyth of Big Lake arrived at 10:48 a.m.

Out in front, but unable to relax, Seavey discussed strategy with Kyzer. They were 470 miles into the 1,100-mile race to Nome. Should they push on ahead and try to put more distance between themselves and the powerful teams just behind them? Or should they take their 24-hour layover in Ophir?

The two dazed, sleep-deprived mushers sat at a table as a fire crackled in the stove and contemplated their options. If they kept going, they would have the benefit of traveling just behind the trailbreakers.

“It could give us a good trail and them a crummy trail,” Seavey said.

“Let’s flip a coin,” Kyzer said.

“Do you think Ramey’s going to go? He does crazy things. He might,” Seavey said, talking more to himself than to Kyzer.

The race was not going as well as Seavey hoped. He was forced to make repairs to a broken sled at Rainy Pass and he got lost on the trail into Ophir.

“I got goofed up because I was half asleep. I talked myself into turning around and went about two extra miles,” said Seavey, who won the Copper Basin 300 Sled Dog Race in January.

Kyzer decided her dogs needed more rest. She would stay in Ophir.

Seavey eventually curled up on a bunk and decided he would stay, “unless I get some crazy idea while I’m sleeping.”

While the Ophir group rested, King, Swingley and Buser were back in Takotna counting the hours until they could head out again.

Times are adjusted during the 24-hour layover to account for the racers’ different starting times.