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.

Four rookies on their way to Nome, one stuck in Golovin

Friday looks to be the last day on the trail for Iditarod 2024 - unless one team can somehow reboot and charge up to White Mountain soon. Three rookies are making their way into the final checkpoint of Safety, one just left white mountain, and the final team has been in the former checkpoint of Golovin for over 24 hours.

Lauro Edlund leads the final flight into Safety with Sevy Cathry and Jeff Reid close behind. The three have traveled most of the trail together and no doubt will continue to do so all the way to the arch. As they leave the checkpoint it will be just a little more coastal run before climbing their final mountain of Cape Nome. Then a run along a road, one final river crossing, a run along the beach and then up onto Front Street where the burled arch and a belt buckle awaits.

Joshua Robbins left White Mountain around 8:45am. As officials counted down he went through a similar ritual to what he did back on Willow Lake a week an a half ago. As he stood on the back of his sled the team broke out into a loud and happy "dogsong". The team's battle cry only stiffled when the official said go and the musher didn't let them leave - he was still trying to put on his parka. The judgemental looks of the team were comical, but they were soon on their way "nice and steady".

Robbins will have to wait a while to find out if he's the Red Lantern this year or not (assuming he makes it to Nome, and why wouldn't he?) as Sean Williams has not scratched yet even after being hung up in Golovin. The three time Iditarod rookie is once again seeing his hope of finishing dashed as his team reportedly will not go out onto the Sea Ice of Golovin Bay. The dogs are still energetic and have been rides to children of Golovin to make the most of their time in the former checkpoint.

Golovin was a checkpoint of the Iditarod for many years, but as teams were able to run further between checkpoints and with the mandatory 8 of White Mountain being the next stop, Golovin became a memory. Until this year. It's an unplanned stop for one team, and it will no doubt be a memory for all. Williams' team reported that he would try one more time this morning, but with little movement on the tracker it's unsure if they will ever get moving.

The Iditarod is coming to a close quickly. It was one of extreme lows and highs. 38 teams left the starting line March 3, and it may have 30 finishes. It's not over quite yet and cheering in the final teams is something every fan should be excited to do.