A short story about one of many characters met along the 1000 mile Iditarod Trail while filming for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race
By Ryan Rumpca
August 2024
Lance.
We met Lance Woods in the Alaska Range at the top of a steep climb. He had just gotten done hand-hauling all of his gear up the long hill. Even though he had a snowmobile, Lance was traveling a bit different than we were. See Lance was on his way to Nome on a 1973 Skidoo Elan. Not only that, but his gear was all from before 1973, which included items ranging from a pair of 1936 Swedish Arctic boots, to a 1948 British Arctic tent.
I was pumped when I found out that this adventurous soul was even from Minnesota, and got a kick out of the time-burned outlines of old Minnesota registrations etched into the Elan.
The last time we saw him on the trail was at the top of Rainy Pass. We had just stopped and got footage of a herd of caribou on a nearby mountain when Lance crested the hill, his tiny snowmobile whining from the strain. We chatted it up for a while as we overlooked the snow filled valley and the mountain peaks surrounding us. When we started to get cold from sitting still we decided to keep moving. As Lance pulled on the starter cord the Elan ripped to life. With a smile he looked up and said “Aha! I love it when it starts”, and off he went into the snow and wind. Godspeed Lance.
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Ryan is a freelance photographer, videographer and FAA part 107 commercial drone pilot based out of Duluth, Minnesota, United States. Ryan enjoys the extremes of mother nature and is constantly seeking out new experiences that will push the boundaries of his own comfort zone just a little bit more. An avid hiker, camper, and traveler, Ryan enjoys his time experiencing the elements. Catch him up the North Shore or exploring remote places on the other side of the globe.
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