Iditarod 40: The Trail. Skwentna to Finger Lake 40 miles
From the Skwentna checkpoint the trail continues up the river for one mile and turns off on the left bank. It continues inland across Eight-Mile Swamp through spruce timber and cottonwoods to the Old Skwentna Roadhouse. The crossing is at a 45-degree angle to the river. The trail climbs up a creek drainage turning first right and then left into an open swamp, long and narrow, and through spruce forest for 2-2.5 miles to Shell Creek. Overflow and/or open water is often a problem. From Shell Creek the trail continues, crossing One Stone Lake. From there to Finger Lake are open swamps and thin stands of spruce and alder. The trail crosses to the north shore and the Finger Lake cabin. All grades are moderate or gentle with no hard climbs and no dense woods.
Finger Lake — (FL) Lat 61.59 Long 152.40 — Population 2 — In the heart of the snow country, here it is not uncommon to have 10 feet of snow on the ground. The checkpoint is at Winter Lake Lodge.
_______________
I will be covering the Iditarod everyday on my website and on the radio. Please listen in. Please like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and check in with me on Foursquare.
