This cache is dedicated to
Jack, one of the Alaskan Huskies we have had the privilege of
knowing. Jack really enjoyed running on these trails
during his lifetime and excelled as a competitor. He
was part of our 4-dog sprint mushing team that finished fifth
at the 2001 World Championships and won the ADMA 2001-2002
Challenge Series points championship. Jack was also an
excellent skijoring lead dog that really enjoyed mass start
relays and running up and down hills on Nordic ski
trails. Some people found his piercing wolf like gaze
to be too intense, but he was really a softy at
heart.
"Creamer's Refuge:
Jack" is hidden with permission in the 1800 acre Creamer's
Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge which is under the
jurisdiction of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game -
Division of Wildlife Conservation. This map of the mushing trails
maintained by the Alaska Dog
Mushers' Association will help you access the cache
location.
The cache is placed on the portion
of the mushing trails referred to as "the extension" and sees
competitive mushing only one day a year on the third day of the
Open North American Championships (ONAC). The ONAC is
traditionally held on the third weekend of March and features three
days of teams of twelve to more than twenty dogs racing a distance
of 20 miles on the first two days and 27 miles on the third
day. The team with the lowest cumulative time after three
days of racing wins the championship.
We consider this portion of the
trail to be the most scenic of the entire trail system because it
passes through black spruce forests, white birch groves, and open
wetlands several different times. The trail twists and turns
more than the "19-mile" loop, so it is a lot of fun to mush or
skijor dogs at speeds of 15 to 20 mph. The various crossovers
depicted on the map allow for access from several different
locations and allows us to vary the route each day to keep our dogs
attentive to our directional commands and interested in what is
around each new corner.
Please be aware that the Creamer's
Field trails and the mushing trails are multi-use trails used by
skiers, skijorers, mushers, runners, snowshoers,
hikers, mountain bikers, and people on snowmobiles. Be aware
of your surroundings and travel in the designated direction when
possible. If you are on foot or skis and you are approached
by a dog team, step off to the side of the trail and stand quietly
to let the team go by. Dogs are welcome on the Refuge,
but they must be leashed in compliance with the Fairbanks North
Star Borough regulations. DO NOT let your dog(s) run loose
during any season because they can be a hazard to dog teams in the
winter, migratory birds in the summer and moose during all
seasons.
Access to this area is best during
October through mid-April when the ground is frozen and or snow
covered. If you venture onto these trails in the summer, we
recommend wearing footwear for wet terrain and taking a fair amount
of bug repellant. Regardless of the time of year you go,
watch for wildlife ranging from owls, fox, and moose year round
many species of migratory waterfowl during the warmer
months.
For more information about the
refuge and activities that occur at the Refuge, visit the
Friends of Creamer's Field website.