All 17 teams have now reached the Hangar Lake Checkpoint and are taking their mandatory 4-hour layover. As noted earlier, the first 10 teams arrived at the halfway point within 22 minutes of each other, with Fr. Alexander Larson in the lead. Visit the leaderboard for full standings.
For now, the checkpoint is quiet as dogs and mushers catch a few hours of rest. Volunteers are huddled in warm vehicles and tents, enjoying a break of their own.
But soon, teams will start prepping for the next leg. The first teams will start leave the checkpoint at 10:26 PM, at which point they'll travel the same route in reverse, finishing on the river near the small boat harbor in Bethel.
It's a beautiful night at Hangar Lake. A little chilly at -16, but with hardly a breeze it's downright pleasant.
Here's Jim George arriving at the checkpoint with Bib #1 pinned to his sled in honor of Joe Demantle, Jr.
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