Togo, not Balto, is the real hero of the Nome serum run

[DarkLion]

Once the shipment of serum arrived in Nenana, a musher named Wild Bill Shannon, grabbed the package, wrapped it in furs and he and his team of Malamutes made their way down the Tanana River. The temperature was 50 degrees below zero.

Meanwhile, Nome's best musher, Leonhard Seppala would travel eastward behind a string of his 20 Siberian Huskies, with Togo in the lead, to meet Wild Bill Shannon and the serum. Balto and a few other dogs were left behind at an outpost called Bluff to provide Seppala with fresh pullers on his return trip. Then Togo led the remaining dogs onto the treacherous ice of Norton Sound, driving for Unalakleet.

After Seppala had covered 150 miles, 43 of which were jagged ice, he met Wild Bill Shannon and the serum. Seppala picked it up then spun around. By this time, a blizzard had struck and was pushing water onto the Norton Sound ice, causing it to break up into floes. The fastest way to Nome was back the way he had come -- over Norton Sound.

Sometimes Seppala could barely see Togo picking a path through the white mists, but he had to trust the dog's judgment. In places, the route they had previously used had vanished. They glided within mere feet of frigid waves. Seppala gambled his life, the lives of his team and the fate of Nome, that Togo would lead them to safety. They made 43 miles after picking up the serum, rested and then, once more, moved on.

By the time they reached Bluff and the relief dogs, Seppala and Togo had covered an amazing two hundred and sixty miles. The second-longest stretch in the relay effort was the final 55 miles from Bluff to Nome by Kaasen and the borrowed Balto. Even this was not easy going.

There was an eighty-mile an hour blizzard with only Balto's keen nose lowered to the ground to keep the scent of the trail and keep the precious cargo on track.

The serum was delivered to Dr. Curtis Welsh's doorstep at 5:30 a.m. - just 5 days traveling time and only seven days after it had left Nenana. The race for life had been won. The town of Nome would survive.

Togo Sled Dog Overlooked by History

Balto gets all the credit because he was the one who pulled into town, but Togo traveled three times farther. If Togo is not the real hero dog, he at least deserves as much praise. I guess he had the last laugh though, because as Balto was neutered as a puppy, Togo was the one who many of today's huskies are descended from.

 

[Pop23]

Either way its a hell of a story!

 

[DarkLion]

Indeed it is. Seppala risked it all going across the frozen sea, cutting off an entire day from the journey. It turned out to be a good call, but had the ice broken up with them on it, all would have been lost. In fact, the ice DID break up a few hours after they had crossed.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

When I was a child my family lived in the village of Kaltag for a while. A man named Edgar Kallands lived there and he was one of the original serum run mushers. : ) He was the postmaster and had a small general store and also showed movies every Sunday night (16mm movies). He would clear away space at the store and set up benches (with no backs) and fire up the 16mm projector. We lived there three years and NEVER missed a movie!

Yeah, Balto did get all the attention, didn't he. He was a good, good dog, but they were ALL good dogs.