The top 10 teams are all out of the final checkpoint with the next two teams (Strathe and Dave Turner) coming in within the next hour.
The finishes will be broadcast live as the race is able over on their facebook page.
Showing posts with label copper basin 300. Show all posts
Showing posts with label copper basin 300. Show all posts
Monday, January 12, 2026
Holmes repeats at Copper Basin 300 champion
Holmes leads with Strathe & Turner give chase
Close behind are the teams of Cody Strathe and Dave Turner. Strathe and Turner are about three miles behind the leader, but trackers are coming through a sketchy area where updates are random.
Deke Naaktgeboren is somewhere close to the final checkpoint, his tracker hasn't updated in a long while.
With 40ish miles go go teams have 7-9 hours of mushing left depending on trail conditions.
Thursday, January 8, 2026
2026 Copper Basin 300 race preview
Typically the Copper Basin 300 is the second major race of the race season in Alaska, but as the Knik 200 canceled its race everyone has anxiously turned their attention on the "toughest 300 miles in Alaska." The race boasted a full roster with a large waitlist soon after opening registration this fall, but with the lack of snow for most of the end of 2025 in South Central Alaska several teams withdrew due to lack of training (among other reasons).
At last check there are thirty-four teams planning to leave the starting line Saturday morning. The forecast shows that the teams should have a pleasant weekend of mushing with temps ranging from a high point of 35F at the start of the race to temps nearing zero and snowfall by the finish. As teams travel into Glennallen Thursday and Friday the weather will go from a crisp -30 and clear skies Thursday night to -7 or warmer and snow Friday with an estimated 1-3 inches of new snow acculation. The 10am start on Saturday should see clear and sunny skies.
There is a perfect mixture of seasoned race teams as well as up-and-coming teams. Mushers who are looking to use the race as a challenging training weekend for their teams headed for bigger races like Yukon Quest Alaska and the Iditarod, and there are those teams hoping to complete the qualifications to be able to sign up for those bigger races. Some are handlers taking out the team and getting experience while they're at it. Some are in it to win, to show off their team's abilities and qualities (from breeding program to training).
To view the whole roster, you can check out the Reitter's Block musher roster compiling links to each musher so fans can keep track of their favorites (and find new favorites) and direct links to support them! But let's take a moment and talk about the teams most likely the push for the win. (It's unclear if Fantasy Mushng will happen this year, but the roster can also be used for that should it pop up in the next day or so.)
Who to watch
Amanda Otto - Remember when she did that monster run at the end of the Yukon Quest Alaska a few years back nearly beating out the champ? Otto trained and learned from what of the best, Mr the King himself, Jeff King. Now Amanda is an "old hat" at this thing and along with her dogs that make up Team Otto one is hard pressed to think she won't at least take a stab at it if she finds herself in the mix. She's crafty and has a few tricks hidden in her parka.
Cody Strathe - The Squids have been knocking on the door for the last few years, and they've been amazing in the Iditarod. A brief look at the race archives over the last few years show a pattern of whichever team comes in second the year before end up winning the next year. That's not a rule, though, and anything is possible... but these dogs are full of disco and can be expected to boogie on down the trail with the best of them - and maybe even disco away with a win!
Deke Naaktgeboren - It's nice to see Deke back on the runners after seeing his handler turned kennel partner Jonah Bacon race with the team. The team lead by Bacon last year came in fifth, so it's safe to assume Deke will see similar if not better results this year.
Jessie Holmes - The reigning Copper Basin champ is also the reining Iditarod champ. Holmes seems to still be riding high on the "perfect season" last year and it's a good bet his team is just as strong this year. Unless he's running a fully inexperienced group of dogs without any plan to be competitive expect the champ to be right up there in the mix if not leading the whole thing.
Mille Porsild - Mille is a force all her own. There's a reason why so many fans adore her: she has grit. This is the woman who ran the Iditarod while dealing with a severe bout of pancreatitis afterall. Mille has years of experience running dogs and manages to pull out some miraculous feats with her team. It should surprise no one if she manages to find herself in the lead group.
Some other names to keep an eye on as it will be interesting to see what they do are the teams of Dave Turner, Josi Shelley, and Rohn Buser. All are very competitive, but could also plan to take it easy on this first outing of the season depending on their goals for later on in the year and what their teams are capable of. Don't be surprised if one or all of them play spoiler to the top five above.
And in a last minute change of roster (as in day of race sign-in) Ryan Redington is now on the list in place of Mazzy Bailey (young musher who runs out of Ryan's kennel). It will be interesting to see if he runs a competitive race or if he takes it easy and runs closer to what Sarah Keefer's schedule looks like.
How to follow
Copper Basin has several areas where cars cant go and satellites can't find. There's a remote checkpoint that almost no instant communication comes out of. Just remember, if the trackers don't work or the news isn't instantaneous to just be patient. Part of the fun of a sled dog race is the unknown. (Seriously, don't make me come at you with "back in MY day".)
GPS Tracker
TrackLeaders.com is once again supplying all of our GPS tracking obsession needs, you can find this year's map and teams here. (The link goes live typically after the bib draw/starting order is finalized.)
Official Website
If you want to see official in and out times, the official website is the best place to find the updated timesheets. Remember, this is all done by volunteer and communication and connection can be sketchy, but if you want the latest greatest numbers use patience and follow along on the CB300 website. (The site has had a make over this year and it's fantastic! Streamlined and user friendly. It has a few new pages with quick and easy info to follow the race!)
Radio Broadcast
KCAM Radio will broadcast the start beginning at 10am (or shortly before). If you're in the area you can listen to the broadcast on AM 790, or online through this link.
Live Stream
The CB300 plans to go LIVE on Facebook at 9:30am on Saturday, a half hour before the first GO! According to the CB300 website our buddy Kale Casey will also go live to share "behind the scenes" coverage as well as videos from the checkpoints. CB300 posted on Facebook that due to "unforseen circumstances" Kale will not be at the race this year.
Social Media
Updates will most likely be posted on the race's Facebook page, and possibly their twitter account. There may even be live video feeds, but there's been no promise that systems will work for the whole start. If you are tweeting, instagramming, etc. the traditional hashtag is #CB300.
KCAM normally posts updates throughout the weekend on the race on Facebook as well. KTUU/Alaska's News Source is always good for a recap of the races.
Schedule of Events
Friday, January 9
10am-4pm Registration and Mandatory Vet Checks
5:30pm Mandatory Handler Meeting
6pm Mandatory Musher Meeting & Bib Draw
*Rookie Meeting follows directly after Bib Draw*
Saturday, January 10
10am - Race Start
Tuesday, January 13
6pm - Award Banquet
Who do YOU think are the teams to watch? The team to beat? The team to take it all? Comment below with your thoughts about this weekend's race!
Buy me a slice of pizza to help keep the blog up and running. It's always appreciated but never expected.
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
2026 Copper Basin 300 musher roster
Thirty-four teams are looking at taking on a race notorious for its deep cold. Races have been run in temperatures of -40 and lower. It's the perfect reminder that not only are sled dogs bred differently to many dog breeds when it comes to what they can accomplish (and what they think is fun weather to play in), but so too are the mushers. Are mushers human or alien? It's hard to say, but insanity is a word that often comes to mind when one sees the historic temps of the race and then gaze at a nearly full roster.
In other words: y'all are nuts.
All jokes aside, this is shaping up to be another exciting Copper Basin that has several teams poised to contend for the win. As always the roster will be updated with bib numbers and organized by starting order once bibs are drawn and published on Friday.
Edited at 8:15pm on January 9, 2026 to note that several teams dropped/swapped mushers and the official starting list with bib numbers is now updated with a final tally of thirty-three teams starting Saturday.
*Roster as of January 9 @ 8:10pm AKST.
Who are you surprised to see on the roster? Who are you cheering for? Comment with your thoughts on the roster below! (And if you see a mistake or a musher's kennel has changed please let me know.)
And, as always, you can Buy me a slice of pizza to help keep the blog up and running. It's always appreciated but never expected.
Friday, October 10, 2025
Registrations are high this race season
October is traditionally when most of the Alaskan races open registration, with the Copper Basin and the Knik races starting the charge. With the Knik races the 100 is scheduled for late December (Dec 20, 2025 to be exact) and the 200 is set to be the first race of 2026 (January 2, 2026). Within hours (or maybe minutes) of registration opening, the Knik 100 was full with a healthy waiting list. The 200 at last check still has a few slots available.
Copper Basin (set to run January 10, 2026) also opened its registration at the very beginning of October, releasing the roster Thursday morning. It, too, is full with a waiting list started. The CB caps its roster at 40 entries and hasn't seen a full roster in several years (it's often come close, however). Dubbed the toughest 300 miles on sled, the Copper Basin is a fan and musher favorite, so it's no surprise it has a robust roster.
The most successful (financially if not also for fandom and musher roster alike) mid-distance race in Alaska - the Kuskokwim 300 opened still has a couple of spots left on its roster after just 24 hours of registration open. The race caps at 20 and is one of only two major mid-distance races not accessible by road. Teams not in Westeran Alaska fly in days ahead of race day and are hosted by local families in Bethel. The Kusko boasts a hefty purse each year and receives high praise as one of - if not the best - run organizations in mushing. Its roster has quite the star studded line up as Iditarod and Local legends are set to compete January 23, 2026.
Outside of Alaska the famous John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon opened registration and boasts a strong roster. They currently have thirteen signed up for the marathon and fifteen for the shorter distance. The excitement is building after last year's devastating cancelation due to lack of snow in the Mid-West and Upper Peninsula. Everyone everywhere is hoping for snow as even Alaska found it difficult to keep snow on the ground and forced a last minute move for the Start of Iditarod to Fairbanks. The Beargrease hopes to leave the starting line January 25, 2026.
There are many more races with registration open or set to open soon. Mushing social media is all a buzz as kennels announce their plans for racing season. Recreational teams as well as Professional teams come together for these smaller more intimate races and the spirit of mushing feels as fresh and alive as ever. 2026 looks to be an exciting racing season for fans and teams alike.
Thoughts on the rosters above? What races are you looking most forward to? Who do you plan to cheer for? Comment below and let me know!
And, as always, you can Buy me a slice of pizza to help keep the blog up and running. It's always appreciated but never expected.
Monday, January 13, 2025
Jessie Holmes gets his win
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| Jessie Holmes at the Copper Basin 300 finish. Still from CB300 Live Feed. |
Holmes ran fast straight out of the gate, traveling at first with his B team run by Kelsey Winters. By the second checkpoint their race schedules changed with Winters running a slightly more conservative run rest schedule (but just barely). Holmes then traveled (or battled) for trail with Cody Strathe of Squid Acres. Strathe managed to get within a few minutes of Holmes on the second day, but Holmes kicked it into high gear as they ran into their planned time differential mandatory rest. Between the time differential and his lead, Holmes had it in the bag.
Yes, there were still miles to go in the race and we've learned over the years to not count out the weather, wildlife, and other circumstances throwing a wrench in even the most sure of leads, but in this case - Holmes had the winning ticket.
In a race that was warmer than it has been in years, as the rest of the state dealt with hurricane like winds and rain, Team Can't Stop managed to pull off what their musher has been trying to do for the last seven years. Yes, Holmes won the Kobuk 440 which is a HUGE feat in 2017, but for most of his career he consistently lands in the top five - and many times the top three. This could be the turning point to become the Holmes era (especially since he tasted that Iditarod win last year).
Rounding out the top five, Strathe was able to keep everyone behind him (except Holmes, of course) to take second. Third was a surprise as Dave Turner and his Racing Chaos team picked off teams in the final run. Fourth was Kelsey Winters who also ate up a lot of time and trail on those ahead of her Monday. Fifth went to Jonah Bacon who kept with the front runners for much of the race.
There are currently seven teams into the finish with many more to come through the night and into Tuesday. Your current Red Lantern is Sydnie Bahl.
Keep watching the race, folks, it's far from over. The trackers will ping until the final team is off the trail. CB300's Facebook Page and Kale Casey are both going live as teams come into the finish.
Cheer on those teams and let them hear you!
Jessie Holmes heads for the finish
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| Jessie Holmes and team at the restart of Iditarod 52. May 3, 2024. |
Holmes has hoped to be the "champion" of the races he's entered for several years. He is confident that his team is the best in the business, and it's just getting a handle on how to beat the other teams. He's a marathon runner as well as lives off the grid. He's well prepared for any type of trail condition. He made a huge impression in his rookie year of Iditarod when many counted him out as "just a reality star".
Strathe, too, has mad respect within the community. He and his wife Paige Drobny have created a successful kennel and continue to impress in the races they enter. They've won a few, came close in others. Drobny took the Squids on the Iditarod last year and took her very young team to a top five finish, calmly picking off the "more seasoned" teams of dogs one by one on the river and coast.
Holmes has his eyes set on the big prize of Iditarod this year while the Squids are taking time away from "the Last Great Race". They're both willing to test their teams metal against one another.
The finish line is about 47 miles away. The weather has turned windy on the Copper Basin race and ice has been mentioned as well. Temperatures are still reaching the upper 30s or low 40s. With the average speeds we've seen from Holmes, start looking for a finish around 1:45pm Alaska Time.
Of course, if we don't have a working tracker for Jessie Holmes it will be hard to know if that estimate is too conservative or not. Keep an eye on the race's Facebook page as well as Kale Casey Live for updates.
Sunday, January 12, 2025
Top Ten are into Meiers Lake
The Copper Basin is also dealing with unseasonably warm temperatures, but they stayed in the 30s. The trail has seen both snow and rain Sunday. Teams are not reporting a "slog fest" but it is a slower going than what one may be used to seeing in this race.
Then again, many years they have quite a bit of snow and trail breaking to do. It's the toughest 300 miles, after all.
Teams moved through the early morning into early afternoon from Lake Louise and Sourdough. Ten have made the haul to Meiers, including favorites to win Jessie Holmes and Cody Strathe. Strathe with his team of Squids left the checkpoint of Sourdough ahead of Holmes early Sunday morning but at some point was passed by the speedy Holmes. Holmes came into Meiers sixteen minutes before Strathe after leaving Sourdough four minutes behind.
Neither of the top two have taken their mandatory 6 hours plus time differential, but it would be a good guess they've both declared and are taking that rest here. Of the current top ten, none of the teams have taken their mandatory 6, however the chase pack have several who have taken theirs.
Currently into Meiers Lake:
Jessie Holmes
Cody Strathe
Jonah Bacon
Travis Vanderhoof
Dave Turner
Kelsey Winters
Aiden Kosciolek
Lauro Eklund
Anna Hennessy
Elke Hall
Michelle Phillips
Sam Martin
Ben Simard
Two teams chose to cut their races short Sunday, Laura Allaway scratched at Lake Louise and Jessica Hickey scratched at Sourdough. No official release for either as to reason.
Look for teams to start leaving Meiers Lake around 830p or 9p Sunday night.
Saturday, January 11, 2025
Top ten are into Lake Louise
Several mushers left the start wearing nothing more than a hoodie and carhart pants. No one looked terribly bundled up, and all shared hopes that with the wind the dogs would stay cool. At temperatures somewhere around 38F before windchill, it was not the norm for the toughest 300 miles in Alaska.
Talk of weather was most likely the top subject Saturday morning. Reports are calling for snow over night into Sunday as well as wind, with snow turning to rain in the heat of the day. The trail is reportedly slow due to the snow the area got over the last few days, and so teams have had to strategize how best to deal with warmer than usual temps as well as ever changing trail conditions.
If anything, those that plan to run the Iditarod in March will have a great training run out of this race.
Currently twelve teams (ten officially) sit in Lake Louise with the first eight coming in just minutes apart from each other. At seventy-five miles into this year's race, it's still too soon to tell who will come out the winner, but there are few surprises as to who are in front at this point.
Perhaps the lone surprise is that Aidan Kosciolek and Kelsey Winters are the first two in. Aidan is running a team out of Ryan Redington's kennel and Kelsey is running out of Jessie's team. Kelsey had a 16 minute lead on Jessie coming into Lake Louise, but until time differentials are made up during the mandatory rest in one of the checkpoints no run is really equal to the next or an easy comparison. Kelsey started 10 minutes ahead of Jessie back in Glennallen.
The official top ten are as follows (in order of arrival):
Aidan Kosciolek
Kelsey Winters
Jessie Holmes
Lauro Eklund
Jonah Bacon
Travis Vanderhoof
Cody Strathe
Dave Turner
Joey Sabin
Dylan Robbins
Each team will have their own strategy of when to take their time differential rest (six hours plus differential). From Lake Louise it's fiftyfive miles to the very remote (and sketchy service area) checkpoint of Sourdough. Look for teams to start heading out around 12:30am or 1am (at least, that's the semi-educated guess).
Did you find the top ten at all surprising? Who are you hoping will keep their lead? Comment below with your day one thoughts.
And, as always, you can Buy me a slice of pizza to help keep the blog up and running. It's always appreciated but never expected.
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