Results of gross necropsy released

In a press release Friday morning, Iditarod shared the results of the gross necropsy performed on Charley a dog who expired on the trail from Mille Porsild's team. Persuant to Rule 42, Porsild was given the option to scratch in Elim. The dog was flown to Unalakleet where the necropsy was performed. With the results being unable to determine cause of death further testing needs to be done - we may not know the results of those tests for many weeks to come.

 "2026 IDITAROD MEDIA ADVISORY  

Date:   March 20, 2026 

From: Dan Carter, Race Marshal, Iditarod Trail Committee  

Unalakleet, Alaska –  Charley, a four-year-old female from the race team of Mille Porsild (bib #15), expired en route to the Elim checkpoint on March 17, 2026.  Charley was flown to Unalakleet where a necropsy was conducted by a board-certified veterinary pathologist.  The necropsy did not identify any obvious traumatic or medical abnormalities to explain Charley’s death. 

Further laboratory testing is being conducted in accordance with race protocol to support a thorough investigation and complete the necropsy, with every effort made to determine the cause of death.

 ###  

Media contact:   

Shannon Noonan Iditarod Trail Committee

 shannon.noonan@iditarod.com"

Teams leaving White Mountain Friday Morning

Sadie Lindquist at the Ceremonial Start of Iditarod 54.
March 7, 2026. Anchorage, Alaska.

After a very windy Thursday, the final nine teams who spent the day hunkered down in the checkpoint of White Mountain are readying their teams to leave the checkpoint and head down their final 77 miles of Iditarod 54.

The race was unofficially halted on Thursday as winds increased in the Topkok Hills and Blowhole (trail between White Mountain and the checkpoint of Safety). The section that is notorious for blowing teams off the trail and damaging sleds, hearts, and musher bodies was consideredly nearly impassable. The race gave the teams waiting to go the option to wait it out - but all teams still had the ability to leave if they felt they could handle it. The teams seemed to all have an unspoken pact that they'd leave together when the winds calmed. 

The White Mountain Nine prepared to leave as the sun was rising Friday morning, those watching on Iditarod Insider were witness to a waking dog yard of happy howls as the dogs realized that more adventure and trail awaited them and they were finally going to get going. Sadie Lindquist was first out of the checkpoint a little after nine and that energy brought about a hurry up from the rest of the mushers.

Because of their extended stay in White Mountain (of 24 or more hours) each team is allowed to leave whenever they want to. There's no stand in line and wait your turn from the order of how you got there - it's whoever is fastest to ready their team and leave they can. They can judge weather reports, talk to the veteran mushers turned volunteers in the checkpoint, etc to make the decision when to go. 

Sean Underwood of Iditarod Insider reported that the winds were dying down but still strong Friday morning, however reports had the winds being at their lowest strength come early afternoon - about when teams leaving now would be hitting the feared Blowhole. It's all strategic now on how to safely get to Nome. 

Teams have 77 miles from White Mountain to Nome. Winds can slow teams down significantly but these teams are now WELL rested, so it may not be quite the same marching speeds we watched some of the top 20 show. In nine or ten hours we should know who our red lantern is on way or the other. Nome is going to be busy tonight. Look for the first teams to come into the finish around 6pm AKDST Friday.

Adam Lindenmuth scratches from Iditarod 54

 

Adam Lindenmuth and team at the Ceremonial Start of Iditarod 54.
March 7, 2026. Anchorage, Alaska.

After doing their best to get to White Mountain for most of the day Thursday, Adam Lindenmuth tapped the SOS button Thursday afternoon asking for assistance into the checkpoint. Iditarod released an official statement on the musher's scratch after he and his team of twelve dogs were safely escorted to the White Mountain checkpointt where he was greeted by many volunteers as they helped to get him and his dogs rested. Both musher and dogs were reportedly in good health.

Lindenmuth was running a solid race and nearly 900 miles in the windstorm hit as he made his way to the former checkpoint of Golovin. The musher rested and then began their journey across Golovin Bay, all seemed to go well, but as winds apparently grew in intensity the GPS tracker showed the team having to stop many times on the sea ice and they crept along for much of the day.

"Rookie Iditarod musher Adam Lindenmuth (bib #2) of Willow, Alaska," the press release said, "scratched from Iditarod 54 today after activating his help button at 4:49 p.m., just miles outside of the White Mountain checkpoint. Race officials on snowmachine helped guide Lindenmuth and his team to the White Mountain checkpoint where he officially scratched at 6:50 p.m. today in the best interest of his team.  Lindenmuth had 12 in harness when he arrived at the checkpoint, all in good health.

The Iditarod Trail Committee recognizes Lindemuth’s remarkable resilience and grit, carrying him nearly 900 miles across the 975-mile trail. His unwavering commitment to putting his dog team first—even so close to the finish—embodies the true spirit of the Iditarod, and we look forward to welcoming him back to the trail in the future."

There has been no movement from White Mountain all day as the race has strongly suggested to the teams currently there to wait the storm out. While they haven't completely halted the race, the back of the pack have seemingly agreed to wait until Friday morning when reports indicate the winds will be back down to their normal strength and not the hulk like strength showcased Thursday.

There are currently nine teams still hoping to make it to Nome.

Potential unofficial (maybe official?) stall for Iditarod 54

If you were watching the live feed in White Mountain this morning on Iditarod Insider you may already know that the back of the pack is at a bit of a stand still. This isn't an official stall by Iditarod Officials, at least not to anyone's knowledge, but more of an agreed upon stall by the teams currently in White Mountain.

The Iditarod veteran musher turned commentator spoke briefly on the livefeed in White Mountain that the weather report was looking brutal out of White Mountain with winds continuing to hammer the Topkok Hills and "blowhole" with temperatures dropping to dangerous lows. Underwood reminded viewers that the trail from White Mountain to Safety is anything but a picnic on a good day where winds often blow teams sideways and have taken out a good many teams in the past (look up Jeff King's 2014 Iditarod in this section). Underwood commended the teams for deciding to wait it out, commenting that the added rest would benefit both dogs and humans with extra meals and down time to replenish the energy should they need to do battle with the wind.

As of 11am there is only one team out on the trail mushing and that is current red lantern Adam Lindenmuth who is on his way into White Mountain for his mandatory 8 hours. With the rest of the teams sticking around the checkpoint Adam may not be Mr. Lonely on his final 77 miles. It's gonna be a big ol' party when teams run to Nome.

Underwood reported that the storm may last through Friday morning, and he expects at least most of the teams to wait to go until about 5 or 6am Friday morning. Again, this is not an official stall of the race, so teams are free to leave any time after their individual 8 hour rest - though at this time none have left that can.

Currently in White Mountain are the teams for (in order of arrival): Kevin Hansen, Keaton Loebrich, Jason Mackey, Brenda Mackey, Sydnie Bahl, Sadie Lindquist, Joseph Sabin, Richie Beattie, and Sam Paperman. Hansen through Sabin are actually past their mandatory 8 and the last glance at the White Mountain camera, no team is moving. The only movement we have are the trees and mile markers waving in the wind and the occasional musher checking on and feeding their team. It's starting to look like some teams are going to be taking a second 24hour break on the Iditarod.

Lindemuth is about half way across Golovin Bay, from there it's a quickly climb up to White Mountain where the dogs can bed down out of the wind and begin their mandatory 8 (and possible change) before trucking their way to Nome and the end of Iditarod 54.

ETA: Wildthingz Mushing (Richie Beattie's Kennel) reported in their facebook post a short time ago that the race IS holding the teams in White Mountain until tomorrow morning.

Jesse Terry wins Rookie of the Year

Jesse Terry at the Ceremonial Start of Iditarod 54.
Anchorage, Alaska. March 7, 2026.

Nome welcomed a fourteenth team at 3:06am AKDST Thursday. The first of Iditarod 54's rookie class sped down the street and under the burled arch, their musher all smiles. Jesse Terry and his team looked unfazed by the wind and cold that the race threw at them over the last ten days, the musher's trademark smile didn't waver even when asked how he liked the wind in the Topkok Hills.

Terry spent much of the race running as the third highest placed rookie. While rookies Kevin Hansen and Sam Martin duked it out for the first half of the race, Jesse managed a steady pace. Most fans and analysts were counting him out. By the time the teams finished their run on the Yukon, Sam Martin was the favorite to take the prize for Rookie of the Year. 

Then the coast. Jesse hit the coast and it was like he'd been here before. Like many of the top teams, Terry and his team openned up the throttle. Terry had "built a monster" and he was unleashing it. While Martin had a sizeable lead heading into Shaktoolik, Jesse's team passed Hansen and closed the gap to just two hours behind Martin by the Norton Sound. Martin held off Terry through the run to Koyuk, but it was run to Elim where Terry really let the dogs cut loose.

Terry caught Martin and then just outside Elim he passed Martin, and from there it was nothing but open trail for the rookie. The team sped up. They crossed Golovin Bay and ran up to White Mountain and his final mandatory 8. 

The weather reports for Wednesday Night into Thursday morning had many wondering how the rookies would fare as they left the comfort of the mandatory stop. Winds in the Topkok Hills are legendary. Races have ended in spectacular fashion (with mushers recounting their race like veteran warriors share war stories) even the most trail hardened teams have been stalled on the run from White Mountain to Safety.

But Jesse and his team carried out their mission in spectacular fashion. The musher would recount that the wind caught his sled and threw him a few times in the hills, but the GPS only showed a competent team making good time through the worst winds of the race. Fans keeping track of his final 77 miles were constantly having to redo the math to guess his finish time. 

Terry was greeted in Nome by his wife Mary England who repeatedly embraced him and repeatedly told him how proud she was of him. Terry gave all praise to his team for the job they managed. He didn't know how fast they'd run the last leg as he'd misplaced his GPS (which he said was probably a good thing because he'd have been very annoying constantly looking at it). 

Jesse was one of the favorites to win Rookie of the Year and many who know or have followed his career were not surprised by his run up the coast and final placement. Terry is well liked and respected by those who have mushed with him and raced against him and Thursday morning was all cheers, well wishes, and celebration all over social media.

Rookie of the Year comes with a special trophy and a bonus $2000 on top of the prize money 14th place recieves. He does have the fastest time (so far) from Safety to Nome for this year's race, however it's likely his placement keeps him from qualifying (small field means it isn't the top twenty who are eligible, it's a math equation now). 

Sam Martin was the next rookie in at 6:59am AKDST with less than a minute to spare before veteran (and former Rookie of the Year winner) Josi Shelley finished right behind him, making it the closest race within a race for Iditarod 54 (again, so far). Kevin Hansen is currently on his 8 hour mandatory rest and will lead the next batch of rookies into the finish, but the winds are continuing to be a factor as they always are (and they always seem to wait for the rookies and back of the pack).

It's another wild day out on the Iditarod with many finishes still to come.

Twelve teams join Holmes in Nome

After Jessie Holmes' dominating second consecutive Iditarod win Tuesday night, it has been a very busy day in Nome as teams came in for much of the day. The top ten (plus one) are a whose who of the new generation of mushing with one team talking retirement after many years in The Last Great Race. From just before 2am AKDST to after 7:30pm ten teams crossed under the burled arch to take their place in another historic Iditarod.

Most teams came in with dogs looking strong, perky, and in many cases wondering why they were stopping. The mushers looked much worse for wear with deep windburn evident on their faces and any other place that skin was exposed to the elements. The wind started the first full day of the race and barely ever let up. Temps for the first half of the race saw consistent negative temps dropping to more than -40F at night (when teams do their best running). The dogs seem to thrive in these conditions, but the mushers look exhausted no matter how much rest they managed on the trail.

Travis Beals is our second place finisher this year. The musher's previous highest placement has been fifth place in 2019. Beals has had a roller coaster of a season emotionally. At the end of 2025 his mother died, and just a few weeks later his second son was born. Both events changed some plans for racing leading up to Iditarod, and some speculated what Travis would do here on the race to Nome. The musher is one of the best students of the trail, taking every race and learning something from it. He said in his burled arch interview that he learned a lot about himself and the dogs this year and was so very proud of the accomplishment. Though in earlier race interviews Beals seemed disappointed that he couldn't come up with the winning strategy, he will no doubt look back on this one with pride.

Jeff Deeter was a surprise third place finish after having held his team further back early in the race. Deeter made a push on the run from Unalakleet to Koyuk, picking off teams one by one. Like Beals it seems the only thing stopping Deeter from an even higher placement was running out of real estate. The musher was all smiles as he made his way under the burled arch and his dogs were happily wagging their tails as they recognized KattiJo Deeter in the chute. Deeter came into Nome at 5:10am AKDST.

Paige Drobny finished fourth, a noble battle at the end of a race where she spent most of the time in second place. Just getting to the start line this year was a win for Paige as she has been battling "an aggressive form of breast cancer" since her diagnosis in August. Drobny and her Squids ran a beautiful race, but due to the extreme cold the musher had issues with equipment pretty much from the start. Her alarm clock died on her and she overslept on a key rest out on the trail running to the Yukon. Her phone battery died and she had no way to charge it on the trail because her USB cables snapped in the cold making her external chargers useless. She was tired. Probably more tired than she expected with the cold zapping every musher's energy quickly. But she perservered. She said in Unalakleet she believed her dogs capable of catching Jessie at that point, but that she didn't believe in pushing them to their limit to do so. Dogs first. Paige came in Wednesday at 5:38am AKDST after racing Deeter all the way.

Wade Marrs had a steep learning curve running dogs he admitted under the burled arch were a different speed than what he was used to. The team of dogs out of Mitch Seavey's kennel that he integrated with several of his own kennel weren't quite as speedy as he was used to but "they never quit". Many fans are saying Marrs had the "cutest" finish as he was met but his two young sons who excitedly yelled out "DADA" when they realized the musher in the chute was theirs. The oldest chasing his dad around wanting to be close, the younger going up to each dog and giving them big hugs. Marrs ran a style similar to that of Seavey where he held back through the half way point where he quickly picked off teams and jumped into the top ten, ending in fifth place. After a three year hiatus Marrs reminded everyone why he's one to watch.

"Lucky number seven strikes again!"

Tuesday night as crowds lined Front Street in Nome, Alaska, Jessie Holmes recreated a bit of history. The reining Iditarod Champion finished what he set out to do nine and a half days ago - he won back to back titles. The musher once better known for his stint on an Alaskan based Reality TV Show is now known to be a master at dog mushing.

As Jessie and team ran their way into Nome after coming off of their final mountain crossing the musher waved and cheered to the Iditarod Insider cameras "Lucky number seven strikes again!" referencing his first Iditarod when he wore Bib Number 7 and became Rookie of the Year. In 2026 he wore Bib Number 7 to become one of the few repeat Iditarod Champions.

Holmes and team lead for much of the race, something rarely seen in this era of dog mushing. They won every "first to the" award in this years race, sharing those honors with no one. Most races have seen those that win the early first awards lose position on the coast, but not Jessie. Holmes managed to keep at least two hours over his next closest competitor throughout the race and by the time he reached White Mountain he extended that lead to nearly four. 

Never showing the fastest average speed, it was all about strategy and team management. When things felt like they weren't going according to plan, Jessie pivoted. He wasn't feeling well himself at the beginning of the race so he held himself back. He 24ed earlier than expected in Takotna. He rested in Cripple and in Ruby. He didn't spend as much time as we normally see him camping outside of checkpoints. Holmes had time to talk with fans, volunteers, and other mushers. He put his team in their cuddle puddles and kept pace with his chores.

All the while faster teams threatened to catch him, but it didn't matter. He was playing a sort of cat and mouse game with them all. And now, in the end, he finished as the sun set over Nome, Alaska and the Bering Strait.  

"I've been chasing greatness since I got here," Jessie Holmes said in his Insider interview under the arch, "Susan and Lance... gonna try and make it three, one of them made it four."

After being signed off the trail and finishing his Insider interview Holmes went to his sled bag and pulled out steaks for each of his canine teammates. As Insider's Greg Heister exclaimed the dogs were getting ribeyes, Jessie responded, "I called my handler and told her champagne and steaks!"

When asked how he did it Holmes said he ran the race how they run things, and that he gave his team ample rest. "If you want to do great things, you gotta be an original," the now two time champ said.

Several times while talking to Insider and KNOM and KTUU in the chute, Jessie Holmes got choked up talking about his dogs. "Dogs first," Holmes told the media, "these guys deserve all the recognition and all the glory."

Zeus and Polar were the dogs chosen by the musher to sit for the champion photo. While Greg Heister acknowledged that Jessie would want all twelve dogs up there (but the platform isn't big enough) Holmes gave another round of pets and good dogs to each team member before unhooking the two that would sit with him under the arch.

Jessie's team were confident when they ran into the chute and under the burled arch, and after snacking were banging in harness and screaming wanting to continue on (considering it's over 100 miles shorter than what they ran last year they no doubt thought they weren't done!)

"It's unimaginable how attached I am to these dogs right now. I'm attached all year long, but after what we went through on that trail..." Holmes choked out with Greg Heister as he watched his handlers run his team down to the dog lot while Holmes stayed behind to be awarded his check. The 2026 winners check came to $80,000 to which Jessie yelled out, "DOG FOOD! DOG BOOTIES!" before thanking all of the sponsors for the prize money.

"We'll be back," he told them, "and I hope you will be, too."

Jessie Holmes came into the finish in 9 days, 7 hours, 32 minutes, and 51 seconds. The two-time Iditarod Champion says they're going for three in 2027. There are twenty-nine teams still out on the trail. 

Grayson Bruton scratches from Iditarod 54

Grayson Bruton at the start of Iditarod 54.
March 7, 2026. Anchorage, Alaska.

Iditarod released a statement Tuesday night that Iditarod Veteran Grayson Bruton's race has ended in the checkpoint of Unalakleet. Bruton had ten dogs on his team when the decision was made.

"Veteran Iditarod musher Grayson Bruton (bib #37) of Tok, Alaska," wrote Iditarod, "scratched at the Unalakleet checkpoint at 6:16 p.m. today, in the best interest of his team.  Bruton had 10 dogs in harness when he arrived at the checkpoint. The Iditarod Trail Committee commends Bruton for his determination, dedication, and exemplary sportsmanship throughout this year’s race, and looks forward to welcoming him back to the Trail in the future."

Grayson ran the race out of the gate in the back of the pack, running mostly with Jody Potts-Joseph through the middle of the race. There is no information coming from Bruton's kennel to give more detail on the reason behind the scratch, but it is always a very difficult decision for any musher - even when the answer is clear.

Bruton's scratch is the third one on the day, and fourth in the entire race. The Red Lantern position now belongs to Iditarod Rookie Adam Lindemuth who is currently on his way to Shaktoolik.

Mille Porsild scratches from Iditarod 54

Mille Porsild at the Ceremonial Start
of Iditarod 54. March 7, 2026.
Anchorage, Alaska

Iditarod released a brief statement Tuesday afternoon of Iditarod Veteran and fan favorite Mille Porsild scratching in Elim earlier in the day. The release was short with no additional information.

"Veteran Musher Mille Porsild (bib #15) of Denmark, scratched Tuesday, March 17 at 11:43 a.m.  at the Elim checkpoint pursuant to Rule 42," the statement reads. "Porsild had 13 dogs in harness when she scratched."

Rule 42 is the expired dog rule. The race takes all dog deaths seriously and, as part of rule 42, will perform testing and necropsy to try to determine the cause of death. Rule 42 gives the musher the option to scratch or be withdrawn from the race when a dog expires.

Porsild was running in sixth position when she scratched.

Iditarod 54 has its second official scratch

Jody Potts-Joseph and team at the Ceremonial Start
of Iditarod 54. March 7, 2026. Anchorage, Alaska.

Iditarod released a statement Tuesday that a second team has scratched from Iditarod 54. Rookie Jody Potts-Joseph and her team of ten dogs have ended their race ahead of reaching Nome. The musher had many fans concerned as she sat for many hours at the Tripod Cabin area allowing Grayson Bruton, the red lantern, to catch her and pass her. 

While Jody's team back at home posted on her social media early Tuesday morning that musher and team were well and that Jody was just giving them a little more rest, fans still found themselves wondering what was really happening.

"Rookie Iditarod musher Jody Potts-Joseph (bib #32) of Eagle Village, Alaska, scratched from the 2026 Iditarod at 11:19 a.m. today at the Tripod Flats Cabin, located between Kaltag and Unalakleet, in the best interest of her team," Iditarod wrote.

"Potts-Joseph communicated her decision to ITC Race Officials via two-way communication, and ITC personnel are assisting her with the safe transport of her 10-dog team to Unalakleet via snow machine.

The Iditarod Trail Committee recognizes Potts-Joseph’s determination, dedication, and sportsmanship throughout this year’s race and looks forward to seeing her back on the Trail in the future."

After the press release was posted, Jody's social media team posted an update from the musher giving a little more insight into her decision. Potts-Joseph's team was showing signs of kennel cough and she was concerned for their well being. A musher's number one goal is to keep the trust with their canine team-mates, and so with the love and care any musher would give Jody did the wise thing and ended her race.

"To the dogs that traveled the course with her, we send our utmost thanks and praise," her team wrote on Facebook. "To Stoller, Blaze, Anna, Stormy, Coconut, and Freya, who are all waiting for their team back in Talkeetna. To Coki, Sunny, Ninjuu, Natrah, Lebowski, Kobuk, Loki, Revna, Bodil, and Ginger, who remained with her til the end of the run—we lift you up for safe travels back home."

On Iditarod's official release on Facebook about Potts-Joseph's scratch, 6-time Champion Dallas Seavey sent out a message of support. "So bummed to see this," Seavey wrote. "I was having a blast watching her and the team on the trail. Recover well, and hope to see you on the trail again soon!"

With Jody officially out of the race, Iditarod Veteran Grayson Bruton is now Iditarod's current Red Lantern. Jody's scratch is the second official scratch of this year's Iditarod.