While a couple of the guys went off the next day for a three-hour run up north, my husband and I opted to stick around Fickus' place, walking and reading. The following morning it was time to harness up and head back to Bettles, with a overnight stop at Arctic tents 20 miles down the trail. The most dramatic part of the day's ride involved running into the eight-day dog sledding group coming the other way. Trails are really only big enough for one team, so passing was pretty interesting, involving tangles of yapping dogs and guides yelling frenzied instructions. But we made it to the tents unscathed.
Arctic tents can be quite cozy, if one keeps the wood stove inside going.
This does mean waking up periodically to put in more wood, but it's amazing how motivated one gets when freezing is the alternative. Unfortunately, though the temperature had plummeted, there were still important reasons to leave the comfort of the tent. Farenheit is not something I'd want to have to deal with on a regular basis. The last day was a breeze. Not one of us took a tumble.