Tim Hewitt’s hopes of trekking some 1,300 miles through the Alaskan wilderness were smashed last week by deep snow that slowed his progress, making every step in his snowshoes difficult and deep snow that obliterated any traces of a trail.

Hewitt, a Latrobe attorney, said on Feb. 24 from his law office that he stopped his self-designed journey because it was so slow-going and he fell four days behind his schedule. He had traveled about 340 miles from when he left Fairbanks on Feb. 1, until he stopped in the village of Ruby.

Hewitt said he had hoped to plow ahead of the snowmobile riders then follow the trail they would break through parts of the wilderness as they passed him in the Iron Dog race, which started Feb. 16. But, because of his progress was hampered by cold, with temps typically 40 degrees below zero, sections of the snowmobile-packed trail ahead of him likely would be covered over by the snow, by the time he reached that part of his route.

Although he was walking atop 12 feet of snow in some places, he usually sunk close to two feet in the snow every step he took in his race-style snowshoes, Hewitt said. With many of his steps, he did not even lift his feet s out of the snow.

When he started on his journey from Fairbanks to Nome, Hewitt said the temperature were about 30 degrees below zero. At some points in his journey, it would plunge to 65 degrees below zero.

“I never felt I was in jeopardy of losing my life,” Hewitt said.

In retrospect, Hewitt said he should have taken the larger back-country snowshoes, which would have prevented him from sinking as deep in the snow as the smaller racing-style snowshoes.

Hewitt said he made the mistake of starting out in early February, rather than waiting for March or April when the temperatures are warmer and there is more light in the land of the Arctic Circle.

“It was kind of a flawed plan,” Hewitt said.

Hewitt, 65, has earned the nickname Iron Dog Hewitt because of his ability to preserve and endure hardships of the Iditarod Trail Invitational. He even beat sled dog teams on the famed Iditarod Trail race one year, finishing in a record 19 days. He has covered the estimated 1,100 miles nine times on foot.

As for next year, Hewitt said he has not decided if he will go back to Alaska for another shot at the Iditarod.

His wife, Loreen, also a veteran of the IditarodTrail Invitational, is going to Alaska to compete in the race, which begins March 1.

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