The finish line chute at the end of the Iditarod sled dog race can be a busy place.
On Saturday afternoon, a racer and her team make their way up the snowy ramp to the iconic Burled Arch on Front Street in Nome. She is swarmed by a mob of family members, race officials, checkpoint volunteers, and media personnel. All but one of them wear official badges around their necks and are decked out in brightly-colored parkas adorned with colorful, embroidered patches.
Stewart Nelson stealthily slips in and out of the crowd. He shows no official markings, is clad in dark, nondescript clothing, and wears a black mushers hat that nearly conceals his identity. Nelson discreetly slips in to collect the official dog logs the musher carried throughout the race. He then examines the furry racers as he makes his way down the gangline and vanishes.
Nelson is the Iditarod's Chief Veterenarian and a notable author on sled dog care. He spoke to the Nome Nugget from a spot well behind the finish line as he waited for the next musher. The long time Iditarod veteran said he coordinates a group of 55 volunteer veterinarians and another ten or so technicians.
Forty-five of his vets provide services at checkpoints along the trail, while ten help with the dogs that mushers drop from their teams during the race. There are also vet techs at the two main dog drop hubs, which include Unalakleet. This year, with the race starting in Fairbanks, the second hub was in Galena, instead of McGrath. The vet techs also facilitate the mandatory pre-race examination that each dog must receive.
Nelson spent his first nine years with the race as a volunteer trail vet. Then 20 years ago, he was asked to assume the position of Chief Veterinarian. When not in Alaska, Nelson spends time in northern Idaho as a relief vet in various clinics. His Iditarod duties are so extensive he is unable to operate a regular practice.
Nelson explained that during the early stages of each Iditarod before racers get spread out, six or seven vets manage a checkpoint. During the later stages, this number goes down to three or four. Vets leapfrog each other as the race progresses.
"He is a remarkable individual," said first-year volunteer veterinarian Ron Hallstrom of Nelson. "It is hard to visualize someone else doing all the things he does."
Hallstrom, who runs a private practice in Virginia, was persuaded by a veterinarian friend to sign up for this year's race. He took a break on Saturday afternoon at the Iditarod Headquarters after two weeks on the trail. Hallstrom explained that typically there are four new vets added to the team annually.
The 2015 Iditarod acted as a sort of Alaska homecoming for the 66-year-old Hallstrom. He climbed Mount McKinley on his first trip to the state in 1973. Hallstrom was flown to the mountain by aviation legend Don Sheldon and summited the peak with climbing luminary Ray Genet.
Hallstrom was first assigned to a veterinary team in Ruby. After all the mushers passed through that checkpoint, he transferred to Koyuk. Hallstrom enjoyed learning about the unique culture of the people in the Norton Bay village. He appreciated the local cuisine, which included caribou stew, beluga whale, and dried fish.
Hallstrom's work with police canines in Norfolk, Virginia, makes him familiar with working dogs. "But these dogs are different than what I regularly see," says Hallstrom. "They are like ultra-marathon runners. I know dogs, but these dogs are a different ball game."
To help rookie volunteers adjust to the demands of the race, they pair with Iditarod veterans. Hallstrom explained that recruits must attend a three-day class before their first assignment. The presenters for this instruction are some of the top vets in the country. They include experts in the field of emergency medicine, toxicology, and orthopedic surgery.
The high point of Hallstrom's experience came last week. A storm down the coast caused mushers to pile up in Shaktoolik. When the winds decreased, mushers came to Koyuk in waves. He and his veterinary partners worked for nearly ten straight hours, servicing the unusually heavy volume of teams.
"Mushers are very attuned to their animals," said Hallstrom reflectively. "Every one of them has been extremely conscientious in their care."
Nelson echoed those sentiments. He said his volunteers take great care in forging relationships between the mushers. Their conversations at each checkpoint help ensure the safety and well being of the dogs. "Even though there are no rules that state every dog must have a hands-on examination at every checkpoint," said Nelson, "we were still able to perform over 12,000 hands-on exams during this race."
