Snowmachiners line up for the 48th Alcan 200. (Emily Files)
The Alcan 200 Snow Machine Road Rally has been postponed until February due to severe weather conditions. The annual race was scheduled for Saturday, January 18th.
During the race, participants ride their snow machines up the Haines Highway from the Canadian border to Dezadeash Lake and back.
At Tuesday’s Haines Borough Assembly meeting, Jerry Lapp, an organizer for the Alcan 200, said conditions are too dangerous for a race on Saturday.
“The wind and bare pavement just doesn’t mix,” Lapp said. “We didn’t want to put participants in a hazardous situation. We found out we could postpone until a later date, so that’s what is going to happen.”
The National Weather Service and Environment Canada have issued an extreme cold warning for the Haines Highway between Haines Junction and the Canadian border. Over the next four days they expect sub-zero temperatures and a wind chill around 40 below. This makes for hazardous frostbite conditions.
According to Chilkat Snowburners president Kathi Lapp, the race has been rescheduled for February 8th.
