The weather was still quite windy this morning, forcing the race officials to postpone the start once again. Although the sun was shining over Kangiqsujuaq, it wasn’t doing much to warm up the mushers and their partners to the idea of leaving. Even the dogs seemed to relinquish the idea of a departure in the wind, staying rolled up in a ball, showing no enthusiasm to get going in this weather. Trail leader, Aqujaq Qisiiq, confirmed their doubts by a quick check of the trail ahead, leading up on mountain plateaus. Up there, it was a complete white out. Had they left, the dog teams would have had to stop as soon as they got up on the plateaus, a few miles ahead only, not able to go any further. Since the wind doesn’t seem to want to calm down up on the mountain plateaus leading to the Raglan mine, Aqujaq, who is from Kangiqsujuaq and knows the area quite well, suggested an alternate itinerary, going by the Hudson Strait instead, then through river valleys leading to Deception Bay, and then to Salluit, the next community anxiously awaiting the dog team’s arrival. This way, the dog teams hope to avoid the dreaded mountain whiteout. A departure in that new direction has therefore been scheduled at the crack of dawn tomorrow. Let’s just hope Mother Nature will be on their side this time…

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More news tomorrow…