Iron Mountain Racing tackles the ALCAN 5000

"This event will be a 9 day “Time, Speed, Distance” (TSD) rally starting in Kirkland, WA, and finishing in Anchorage, AK 4400 miles later. Many of those miles on dirt or gravel roads. This is a punishing event on both man and equipment, and will require us to prepare for many challenges. This event will take competitors into some of the most remote country in North America."

OK, some people will read that and shudder. Others will be hooked and want to know a whole lot more. What we're talking about is the ALCAN 5000, a biannual race that kicked off yesterday from Kirkland, WA. Destination: Anchorage, AK, with a number of sidetrips along the way. See the map for the general route.

John Isenberg is the manager of Iron Mountain Racing, which has put up three entrants in this event. He put Iron Mountain Racing together to compete in the Best in the Desert competition and the team has competed in numerous other events since then, taking top honors on occasion. This is their first time in the ALCAN.

The team members include John, riding a KTM 990S Adventure; Dan Watt on a 1990 BMW GS Paris Dakar; and Oliver Andrews and Kacee Callahan in a Subaru Impreza. The ALCAN 5000 is open to any street-legal vehicle and each competes individually. If a team has three entrants they can also compete as a team, with the individual placements averaged to determine the team score.

John points out that this is not a speed event. It is, he says, a combination of endurance and time keeping. "It's really about perfection, to arrive at any given mile exactly on time." The event is run in stages and the closer to the exact time you reach a checkpoint, the fewer points you get. Lowest points wins.

Each day is a series of at least three stages. At night everyone gathers to eat and sleep at the previously arranged lodging. Each morning the racers start out at one-minute intervals, with careful track of start times. The distance covered each day is around 500 miles.

Presumably due to the bad economy, this year's ALCAN has only 24 entrants, 8 in cars or trucks, and 16 on motorcycles. Usually there are closer to 50 entrants. The event is sponsored by Rainier Auto Sports Club.

We'll be following John and the Iron Mountain Racing team through this competition, which will conclude on Tuesday, Aug. 24, in Anchorage. Stay tuned.

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