The Race: Rainy Pass Summary and Analysis

As Gary leaves the second checkpoint a fellow musher says he is waiting until dark so that he will not be able to see Happy Canyon when he runs through it. No one in the pre-race briefing mentions anything about Happy Canyon. The canyon comes soon after Finger Lake and is a near vertical cliff. Gary is occupied with his sled bag when he looks up to see Cookie disappearing over the face of the earth. As the sled tips up to follow the team, Gary can clearly see the extent of Happy Canyon. He mutters a curse and holds on for dear life as the team careens five hundred feet down the cliff face. Somehow the team, sled and Gary manage to land in perfect order on the frozen river below. Two other mushers...