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.

Jessie Holmes focusing on recovery

Musher Jessie Holmes made a statement tonight thanking everyone for their support after news broke earlier that he was in a "very bad" accident while helping recovery efforts in the Alaskan village of Golovin. Holmes is currently being treated in Anchorage after being medevac-ed first from Golovin to Nome and then onto Anchorage. 

"I wanted to take a moment to let everyone know how much I appreciate all the love, support, and prayers," the Life Below Zero star wrote. "I’m blessed to be surrounded by such great people and lucky to still be here."

Holmes was in Golovin with a team of Iditarod mushers who, independent of the race, traveled to the village earlier in the week to help clear debris and repair homes ahead of winter on Alaska's West Coast.

Golovin experienced extreme flooding over a week ago when the remnants of Typhoon Merbok slammed the Western Alaska Coast. The historic Iditarod checkpoint had storm surges bringing waves over 10 feet high i to the community. Many who were born and raised in the area said they had never experienced anything like what they were going through now. It was reported as being the most intense storm for the area in over 70 years.

Holmes accident occured when he, Richie Beattie, Brent Sass, and Jeff Deeter worked to pull wet insulation out from underneath a house. Deeter reported later that as Holmes lifted the floor with a crowbar the house caved in onto the musher turned volunteer. Jeff was not in the building at the time but heard Sass and Beattie calling out for their friend.

As Deeter ran back to see what had happened he found the two men digging furiously to rescue their friend shouting for someone to bring a knife. Jeff said that it took them over 3 minutes to get Jessie unburied. Holmes would find out he had a broken wrist, a broken arm, and broken ribs among other injuries. That he was able to stand and smile for a picture is mind boggling.

Like most in Alaska (especially mushers), Jessie has no insurance and he is looking at a lengthy recovery just as he is headed into his busy season. He will miss training time with his dogs which will affect his race schedule.

"My main goal now is to focus on my recovery and get back to my kennel," he wrote late Thursday.

Holmes is already entered in the 2023 Iditarod and it remains to be seen how the accident will factor into his decision to run or not. Jessie finished third in the 2022 race narrowly beating out Dan Kaduce.

The musher concluded his statement with a message for those recovering from the storm, "My heart remains with the people in Western Alaska and hope people will continue to remember and support these villages as winter fast approaches."

The villagers of Golovin set up a GoFundMe for Holmes.

To donate for the recovery efforts of all villages and towns affected by Typhoon Merbok, the Alaska Community Foundation set up a Western Alaska Disaster Recovery Fund.