ITI 2024 Day 24, Part I: Poop Tree Cabin (896) to Topkok (905)...with Pictures

Spoiler alert: Ryan FINISHED!! It's like he knew March Madness started today or something...

Before getting to the last leg of his adventure, I wanted to rewind for just a second to share with you what the last of the shelter cabins looked like.  You can tell he was either a) giddy horse to the barn, or b) finally warm enough to crawl out of the -60 degree bag and snap some pictures because RyWan certainly provided these last 67 miles.

First, we have the new Poop Tree Cabin.  This looks like quite a nice cabin, with a solid structure, what looks to be a crock pot (for all those 4-8hr. meals you've planned for the trail), a new cot (fancy!) and the cadillac of shelter stoves. Perfect for making a nice cup of Ruby coffee and getting out of the 4-6in. of wet, heavy snow. 8/10

Look! Poop trees!!

He even snagged a picture of the original Suprize Creek/Surprise Creek A-frame shelter cabin!

Upon departing, you can see a) the depth of new snow, and b) Asbjoern the Flash's ski tracks from the day before.

8.5ish miles down the trail is the Topkok Musher's Cabin.  This shelter has saved many a life (some crazy story about 100mph winds that provided needed shelter to a gaggle of people for multiple days), and so when it was damaged by a storm the local mushers club sponsored the rebuild and maintain the cabin.  

Ryan noted it was low on wood (maybe only a problem two weeks out of the year when the dog sled and ITI comes through?), but high on character....with the best drying rack and worst stove (I guess that combination evens out?) Here's a tour of the cabin:

At this final stop, Ryan reorganized, sipped the last of his Ruby coffee (can't quit that black liquid gold!), mowed down on some oatmeal and pb, and took a few "good luck" or "good for ya" nippers (probably one in the same at this point!) 

 Looks like maybe some positive affirmations left for racers soon to be through the cabin (I count 8 left   to spend some QT in Topkok). At the end of the day 7/10 (extra point for being so.close.to.the.finish)

After Topkok there is one more shelter cabin (Tommy Johnson's) and then the ghost town of Safety, which exists of exactly one drinking establishment during the dog sled race.  So, for almost all of the racer this means Safety is a spot to get out of the wind to make water and shuffle around some stuff before making the final 20 mile push to Nome.