2025 Kuskokwim 300 race preview

 

Someone cue up the chorus from Andy Williams' "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year", because that's exactly where we are in the mushing season. The Kuskokwim 300 is upon us! 

After having to postpone the race by a couple of weeks due to the insanely warm weather Alaska suffered for most of December and January destroying trail, the Kusko is ready to go. The cold snap that settled on Alaska at the end of January helped stabalize several areas along the river route for the promise of a safe, yet tough, trail.

With much of Alaska still without snow (from Willow to Anchorage and points in between there's ice but very little of the white stuff), the West Coast has finally seen a little bit of snow along with the more normal winter temperatures.

Currently, Accuweather forecasts 20F at the start of the Kusko on Friday with wind gusts of up to 20mph. A tad warmer than last year's frigid Kusko, but the Coastal Winds of Alaska are no joke. For most of the race, teams will run on or along the river before hitting a portage of sorts that is known to be a difficult stretch as the terrain is reminiscent of the Iditarod's "burn" section with exposed tussoks for miles. With all of the river trail, there is always the threat of overflow for the teams (several years ago we saw the finish slow significantly as winds brought warm air and rain that turned the end of the race into an absolute slog). 

The Kusko saw quite a few teams withdraw in the last few days. Some withdrew after the race was postponed because they had other races lined up already for February. Some withdrew as late as Tuesday. With all of the unknowns both with the weather as well as not being able to get all of the training in with lack of trails close to home, it's any wonder the seventeen teams still signed up are still ready to go!

Teams have already made their way to Anchorage to fly out to Bethel with most arrivals scheduled for Wednesday. The Kusko knows how to put on a dog race and it's a full on celebration that rivals the Beargrease and the Scandinavian Races as far as the excitement surrounding it. It's rock concert level. Bethel hosts the start and finish of the Kusko and acts as a major hub for the region. The entire community takes part in the festivities and cheering on the mushers, each team is hosted by a family who offer up their yard for the dogs and their home for the handlers. 

The Kusko is also one of the races that you can create a Fantasy Mushing team (for free) to help bring another element of excitement for armchair mushers as they follow along. So let's take a look at some of the mushers that have a good chance of scoring high for your team. (This year we're doing a top ten because, reasons.)

Who to Watch

Cody Strathe - Did you watch the Copper Basin? You should have. Cody gave eventual winner Jessie Holmes a run for his money. Cody is a late entry to the Kusko roster, and it's a very good guess that it's in large part due to how the team did in the Copper. This team will also be going to the Iditarod in March (a very late addition) with Cody's wife Paige. This could mean that Cody runs a more conservative race, but.... either way he's a great choice for Fantasy Mushing.

Emily Robinson - Originally, Emily was going to be an honorable mention, but as the list of who to watch grew, she made it on the list because we were so close to having a top ten. This teenage phenom is on everyone's "to watch" list. Robinson has proven last year was not a fluke when she took down Iditarod champions in several "grown up races" when she repeated her wins this season. Robinson chose the Kusko over the WillowJr 100 which is also set for this weekend. This will be her first 300 mile race. Last year Robinson made comments stating 300 milers seemed daunting. She's a confident and smart musher (and she's a steal of a deal for Fantasy Mushing). Expect her to run a smart race, but if she's near the front, don't be surprised if she lets loose. (And did we mention that she's the only junior musher running?)

Hunter Keefe - It'd probably be a good guess that Hunter is using this as a training run for Iditarod, but Hunter also tries to keep from being back of the pack. He runs a very strong team out of Raymie Redington's kennel, and they've proven themselves time and again that they can be in the mix. Hunter would be a solid bet for your Fantasy Team, and we're just here to see Hunter have a fantastic Kusko experience!

Jeff King - Is Jeff still the winningest musher in history? Even if King no longer holds that title, he's no slouch. He may be retired from the Iditarod, he's not retired from racing. King also currently holds the most wins on the Kusko with nine championships. Perhaps that has motivated his return to the Kusko, his title is in danger of being tied this year, and perhaps he feels he has a chance to win just that one more. There are few mushers in this race as seasoned as Mr. The King, and it's always a joy to see him and his team of Husky Homesteaders on the trail.

Matthew Failor - He won in 2019, he knows how to run this race, but his focus is most likely on the Iditarod, so if the race proves to be very challenging - physically or mentally - for the dogs he could end up using this as a training run. However, Failor has worked hard to take the title again the last few races, so don't be surprised if he's one of the ones battling the reigning champion to stop him from repeating yet again. 

Nicolas Petit - This is one of the few 300s in Alaska that Nicolas has not won. This is also the first race we've seen Petit run this season. The musher posted to his social media earlier this season that he was "taking a break" from the mid-distance scene this year, except for the Kusko. Everyone loves the Kusko! Petit typically enjoys speed over following a schedule, though he has tried recently to change it up and use strategy. This will be our first real view of Petit's team ahead of Iditarod, one thing to expect is it's going to be anything but predictable with Nic.

Pete Kaiser - The current King of the Kusko, Pete is looking to tie for the most wins this year. The Bethel local who won the Iditarod in 2019 won his 8th Kusko title last year. Kaiser is not signed up for the Iditarod this year, so the Kusko is his big race of 2025. These are his home trails, he has a lot of knowledge of the area, his team is used to the weather and wind. He has the advantage in so many ways, but as we've seen before - anything can happen. (Plus he is a nice guy and gives his competition information on the trails and tips.)

Riley Dyche - Riley's really starting to climb the ranks this season in the mid-distance races. His team is really gelling (though some say it's due to having bought quite a few of Brent Sass's top dogs). This is Dyche's SECOND Kusko (he signed up for the 2022 race but withdrew) his rookie year he ended up in the top ten which for this race can be quite the accomplishment as the roster is typically stacked with the best of the best and is highly competitive. (Many thanks to those that pointed out that he ran last year, an earlier version of this post had Riley listed as a rookie by mistake.)

Ryan Redington - The 2023 Iditarod Champion, multiple time Beargrease champion. If Ryan's in a race, he's most likely running to win (though he blew that out of the water earlier this season during the Knik when he took the puppy team and let one of his handlers run the main team!). There's no sharing with other handlers/team members so expect Ryan to be in this for more than just a training run (though Iditarod is his main focus, no doubt). Ryan, like Petit, likes to run fast right out of the gate and try to get a large gap between him and the rest of the field and hope the gap is enough that no one catches him towards the end.

Wade Marrs - Okay, so Redington isn't "sharing" a team with a handler, but he IS sharing a few (four) dogs with Wade. Marrs is running mainly with dogs from his Stump Jumpin' Kennel, but did post to social media Tuesday night that he would be taking four dogs from Ryan's kennel that he bonded with over the summer doing tours on the Panhandle. Wade would be considered an outside chance for a win, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. We haven't seen much of Wade this season as he's been doing the family thing in the lower 48 waiting for the weather to cooperate for races closer to home.

Now that we know who has the biggest chance of winning the thing, how can we make sure to follow along with the race?

How to Watch

While many of the other mid distance races rely on fan videos and Kale Casey LIVE to cover their races, the Kusko is unique in that the local grade school runs a program where they film the start and finish of the races. They go live on Facebook with race coverage done mainly by the students. It's fantastic and well worth a watch. Last year the students were unable to film due to tech difficulties, so the official facebook page and the radio station took over the duties.

Official Website

The Kusko's website is pretty slick. You can follow all of the races, fundraising and news from their site. It's easy to navigate and they have great musher bios. And this is where you will find those ever important in and out times from the checkpoints. Be sure to check it out.

GPS Tracker

Real time updates will come through the trackers as always. With the cold there may be more glitches than we'd like (blame the aliens!) but there's not much we can do. Cold and technology don't get along. The link for trackleaders hasn't gone live yet, so this will get edited once it does. Once it goes live you should be able to view them here.

Radio Broadcast

KYUK Radio will broadcast the start which begins at 8:00pm (start listening at 7:30pm for pre-race info). You can listen to the broadcast online through this link.

Social Media

Updates will most likely be posted on the race's Facebook page, and possibly their twitter account. Photo updates should come from Instagram. They typically try to have a Facebook live feed. If you are tweeting, instagramming, etc. the traditional hashtag is #K300.

KYUK is also plans to post updates on their Facebook page, including Facebook interviews with the mushers from the last week or so.

Most mushers have facebook these days, and many of them have someone monitoring and posting to those pages during the race. To find and follow all mushers in this year's race, check out the 2025 Kusko 300 musher roster on this blog where all socials are linked.

Schedule of Events

Wednesday, February 5
Vet Checks

Thursday, February 6
Vet Checks
5pm - Musher Meeting
7pm - Bib Draw 

​Friday, February 7
8:00pm 1:00pm - Kuskokwim 300 START*
8:40pm 7:30pm- FIREWORKS*

Saturday, February 8
NOON - Akiak Dash Mass Start

Monday, February 9
6pm - Musher Awards

*Schedule changed due to forecasted warm up on Sunday.

Who do you think will cross the finish line first? Who do you expect to beat every expectation? Can Pete Kaiser win his 9th title? How about that Emily Robinson? Comment below with your thoughts!

If you like what you see and want to support my addiction (I mean HOBBY) of following these races and stalking (I mean cheering on) the mushers, you can buy me a slice of pizza (that really goes to paying for my internet/web expenses).

2024 Kuskokwin 300 reaches roster limit

In what felt like record time, the Kusko 300's roster was capped last week when it hit 30 teams just over a week after registration opened. Teams from all over Alaska and Canada plan to descend on the Western Alaska city of Bethel where the only way to get there is to fly if you don't live close enough to snow machine, mush, or if you're brave drive on the local ice road. But if you're from Anchorage, Fairbanks, The Yukon, and other parts of Alaska - you gotta fly (or you could spend a week mushing out there but then your team would probably not want to get up and race after!

The Kuskokwim 300 is one of the premiere mid-distance races in North America, and one of two major races in Western Alaska. Where the Iditarod's creation was in part to support the Alaska Native tradition of mushing by giving a reason to keep dogs even with the more modern inventions of travel, the Kusko actually has maintained that lifestyle for many of the mushers of the Kuskokwim Delta. They keep the expenses rather low for locals, they have other races throughout the season to bolster confidence and monies... and the Kusko 300 is the BIG race with the BIG purse. Where other races big and small seem to struggle with financial incentives - the Kusko is thriving.

And mushers notice. The race is heralded every year as one of the best run and organized of the races in Alaska. The locals in the villages come out for a weeklong party - almost like their own version of Anchorage's Fur Rondy celebrations - celebrating the dogs running the race. They manage in some of Alaska's harshest conditions to keep fans up to date in a variety of ways - including facebook live updates run by not only race volunteers but local students at the school.

It's just a really cool race, and it gives a lot of "outside" teams (as in not KuskoDelta teams) a chance to run in conditions you only find on the Alaskan West Coast. 

So just who are the lucky 30 with spots secured for the 2024 race? Take a look below:

Travis Beals
Pete Kaiser*
Brent Sass*
Ebbe Winstrup
Joe Taylor
John Snyder
Dave Turner
Josh McNeal
Raymond Alexie
Gabe Dunham
Lev Shvarts
Richie Diehl
Jessica Klejka
Riley Dyche
Matthew Failor
KattiJo Deeter
Cim Smyth
Jessie Holmes
Hunter Keefe
Isaac Underwood
Jeff King*
Father Alexander Larson
Jeff Deeter
Jason Pavila
Nicolas Petit
Rob Cooke
Aaron Burmeister
Mike Williams Jr.
Dakota Schlosser

Bold signifies Kusko Champion
*Asterisk signifes Iditarod Champion
Italics signifies Kusko Rookie 

Teams that missed out can sign up to be on a waitlist. Teams will be contacted if one of the thirty currently signed up withdraw their name. Waitlist teams will have twenty four hours to respond and pay for their entry once they are contacted. The race begins Friday, January 26, 2023 at 6:30pm in Bethel. Be sure to like/follow them on Facebook to keep up with all the race announcements as well as announcements on the Delta Championship Series.

What are your thoughts on the 2024 roster? Got any early predictions on who brings home the prize? Who do you plan to cheer for? Comment below with your thoughts!

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Mackey remembered as great dog man and friend

Family, friends, and fans gathered Saturday at the Janssen Funeral Home in Palmer to pay tribute to legendary distance musher Lance Mackey. Mackey passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer on September 8, he was 52. While the service was well attended in person, many tuned in worldwide via a zoom link that quickly filled to capacity (the limit was set at 100 which was met in minutes). Everyone dressed as one would expect to tribute an Alaskan Dog Man - jeans and clean shirts (many featuring Lance's Comeback Kennel logo). The two hour service went quickly.

Soon after the pastor spoke, sharing the traditional "funeral scriptures" as well as a heartfelt tribute that wasn't your standard reading of the Obituary, the podium was open to anyone who wanted to share stories. Many of the Mackey family spoke, including Lance's older brother Rick, and his younger brother Jason. While Rick managed to get through his story without becoming emotional, Jason acknowledged he wasn't going to be successful. Jason thanked everyone for coming, and was touched so many of Lance's competitors came - to which Jeff King yelled out "wouldn't miss it!"

Lance and Jason had a special bond as they were closest in age and grew up together, and the loss of Lance has affected Jason greatly. Jason told several stories on his older brother before choking up when he pointed out, "There was never a time... never a time that Lance couldn't handle whatever was thrown at him. ...until this time." He soon after went to leave the podium saying he couldn't finish to which you could hear the family encourage him saying he did great. Jason then did a 180, went back to the podium and began listing the mushing greats that had gone on before, he finished by saying "there's a hell of a race going on up there."

Several mushers also spoke, sharing stories of Lance in his early mushing career. Barb Redington also spoke about Lance's history with the Jr Iditarod as well as the Last Great Race. She asked Iditarod Champions to raise their hands and read off some of the names - including Doug Swingley - then asked the audience to raise their hand if they ever ran the Iditarod and many more hands went up. Barb finished by reading an excerpt of Danny Seavey's write up on Lance's 2015 Iditarod entitled "What the Hell does Lance do now?" It was incredibly moving.

It wasn't all mushers. Several fans/race volunteers spoke, one of Lance's neighbors spoke as well. His sisters, niece Brenda, and youngest brother also told stories. Lance Mackey's ex-wife Tonya got up wearing her Raider's hoodie in honor of Lance's favorite NFL team and spoke of their moving to the Kenai Peninsula and how quickly Lance grew his kennel of misfit dogs. 

The Mushin' Mortician Scott Janssen spoke last, wrapping up the service by sharing that during his hospital visits with Lance he often read Robert Service to Lance. He then shared a parody poem he (Scott) wrote after running the 2018 Iditarod about the race. He shared that Lance often asked him to read it to him. 

After the service the reception took place with more stories and memories. Outside Nic Petit gave dog cart rides, and attendees were given the opportunity to drive Lance's race car. Overall the perfect send off for one of Alaska's most beloved sports icons. 

Barbara Redington didn't just share stories on the podium, she brought her camera along and posted the photos of the service to facebook.

As the service ended Greg Heister posted in the livefeed chat that Iditarod Insider shared an interview they shot with Lance and encouraged everyone to go and watch.

Sunday evening the service was uploaded in its entirety to YouTube, you can view it here.

The part of Nicolas Petit will be played by Jeff King

Late last night Nicolas Petit took to social media to announce he was out of Iditarod 50 due to a positive Covid test. While, the musher stated, he had been careful and was vaccinated Covid still managed to find Nic. After a mild panic Nic made a short list of mushers he'd trust running his dog team 900+ miles to Nome. Top of the list was four-time Iditarod Champion Jeff King.

King, of course, was not planning on running Iditarod this year - instead choosing to send his A-team with rookie Amanda Otto. Jeff revealed in an interview with Anchorage Daily News part of his reasoning for sitting this race out was due to having surgery in October - his third, after his emergency surgery in 2020 days before the start of that Iditarod. 

Now, Jeff King is headed to Nome in the historic 50th Iditarod pretty much unprepared. Food drops for dogs and musher were sent out over a week ago - that means Jeff is at the mercy of what Nic packed. Any extra clothes or equipment Jeff would normally send out on the trail won't be there (and he and Nic aren't the same size.) King noted he plans to run a slower race than what Nic would normally run, so the decisions for where he will take his mandatory breaks may be an issue as well (though most of the top teams send extras to several stops where they *might* take a mandatory).

This is not the first time a late swap has happened. In 2020 there were two memorable swaps that happened before the race began. Sean Underwood went from handler to Iditarod rookie in the blink of an eye when Jeff King fell ill after a special Q&A just a couple of days before the musher banquet. Underwood had qualified for the race that winter but was not scheduled to run the race until 2021, he was given permission by the race to take Jeff's team to Nome. Underwood wouldn't make it all the way - being one of three teams that got caught in the overflow near Elim - but was nearly there (he made it the following year). 

The most bizarre one happened at the ReStart in 2020 when Zoya Denure (oops, I used her name on my blog) took ill and so her husband, Yukon Quest champion turned outdoor editorialist John Schandelmeir was allowed to go in her place. The change didn't happen until the team was at the starting line. Talk about issues with drop bags, how John managed to find anything worth using is still a little bit of a chin scratcher.

In 2014, Danny Seavey was tagged to take the Seavey puppy team to Nome after handler Matt Giblin injured his foot in a late training run. Danny flew in from a Florida vacation to run dogs he hadn't worked with - after being basically retired as a handler for several years. Seavey would write in a race recap that the hardest part of dealing with drop bags that weren't really for him was he and Matt ate very differently (a lot of diet and powder foods). He also couldn't fit into the clothes sent in the drop bags.

Even with all of the challenges, don't expect Jeff King and the team to do anything less than finish if at all possible. Jeff is a hardened veteran of the race and trail, and even though he won't know the dogs well he will be able to coach them along in a finish. The pups deserve the chance after having trained for this adventure. Look for Jeff to have a solid run, but don't expect them to break any records. Still, if Jeff finds himself in good position he could very easily bring these dogs in for a win.

2021 Kuskokwim 300 Race Preview

Mushers and teams arrived today in Bethel, Alaska ahead of the 2021 Kuskokwim 300. The race always boasts an impressive roster of competitive teams, and even in this year of Covid it's no exception. While normally run in January, with rising Covid numbers happening early in the New Year, the race organizers chose to push back the race date to February hoping that Alaska would get the numbers under control (and a vaccine). The Kusko has one of the most intensive Covid-19 mitigation plan of all of the mid-distance races. Being off the road system, the race wants to take every precaution to protect the peoples of Western Alaska. 

Even with all of the changes to make sure they keep the communities along the trail safe, the Kusko still plans to make this a party for the ages. The fireworks are still planned for Friday night after the teams take off, and there will be a pre-recorded virtual awards ceremony on Sunday after everyone completes their race. As always, Bethel knows how to throw a dog race.

With a roster of 16 teams (as of February 7), the race is a balance of top names most everyone recognizes and some local heroes all running their first Kusko. It's promising to be another stellar race and the only bummer is it has to share the weekend with the Summit Quest (the new name of the Alaskan Yukon Quest 300).

So, let's do as we always do and take a look at the teams that are a safe bet to be near the top...

Dave Turner - The 2019 Tustumena 200 champ made Rookie of the Year in last year's Kusko. Turner has already withdrawn from one race this season, and his social media has been quiet since Christmas. I'm unsure if he's actually gone to Bethel, but I look for that info to update by morning one way or the other. Still, if Turner starts on Friday, but sure that he'll once again challenge for a lead spot. 

Jeff King - the 9-time Kusko Champion (and 4 time Iditarod champion among countless other races won) has been busy behind the scenes of this year's race season. He hosted the Denali Doubles at the start of the season, and he's created a new mid-distance qualifier race to take place in March (called the Ididn'trod, because of COURSE he did). But Jeff is now ready to get on the back of a sled and no double cause some trouble for the young guns currently dominating the racing scene. I don't know that I will ever keep him off the "to be watched" lists. (I mean, he DID come in 4th last year. Not too shabby for the "old dawg".)

Matthew Failor - the 2019 Kusko champ came in second sandwiched between two homegrown heroes in last year's race, proving that his win two years ago wasn't an anomaly. Failor has also had an easier season - choosing to send his dogs off with other mushers, but I expect that he'll be ready to go for another title this weekend.

Nicolas Petit - Let's just dub him the King of the Mid-Distance race, okay? One of the few he hasn't won, however, is the Kusko. He should probably be considered an underdog for this race, but he's been hot (as always) in his earlier races. Expect him to start fast early and try to jump to the front and stay there.

Pete Kaiser - the 5-time and reigning champion (and 2019 Iditarod Champion) dominates his home-town race. The homegrown musher is the odds on favorite to make it a 6-Pete, but he'll have his work cut out for him. This is Pete's backyard and he owns it. Do not expect him to be far from first.

Richie Diehl - the other hometown hero, while he's yet to win the Kusko, he did just win the Bogus Creek 150. Do not count him out. His team came in third in last year's race. It would be a huge deal to see Richie and Pete charge to the finish in a 1-2 order. And it's kinda what I'm rooting for. 

How to Follow

Unlike the bigger races like the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod, there is very little promise of any video coverage. With the temps dropping so low, even the facebook live feeds we've grown accustomed to cannot be guaranteed. Cold air zaps batteries faster than lighting, and who has the time or ability to keep their fingers exposed long enough to even press "start"?! That being said, the Kusko crew do their best to give us a looksee into the start, fireworks, and finish. So, how can race fans follow along when a race doesn't have Iditarod Insider like coverage?

Official Website

The Kusko's website is pretty slick. You can follow all of the races, fundraising and news from their site. It's easy to navigate and they have great musher bios. Be sure to check it out.

GPS Tracker

Real time updates will come through the trackers as always. With the cold there may be more glitches than we'd like (I blame the aliens!) but there's not much we can do. Cold and technology don't get along. You can follow the trackers here, but they won't go live until closer to go time on Friday.

Radio Broadcast

KYUK Radio will broadcast the start which begins at 6:30pm (start listening at 6pm for pre-race info). You can listen to the broadcast online through this link.

Social Media

Updates will most likely be posted on the race's facebook page, and possibly their twitter account. Photo updates should come from Instagram. They typically try to have a facebook live feed. If you are tweeting, instagramming, etc. the traditional hashtag is #K300.

KYUK is also plans to post updates on their facebook page, including facebook interviews with the mushers from the last week or so.

Schedule of Events

Wednesday, February 10
2pm - Covid Tests for Mushers

Thursday, February 11
11am - Food Drops
2pm - Covid Testing
6pm - Musher Meeting (Bib Draw?) 

​Friday, February 12
6:30pm - 2020 Kuskokwim 300 START
8pm - "The Lead Dog Light Show" presented by First National Bank Alaska

Saturday, February 13
2pm - Akiak Dash Mass Start

Monday, February 14
7pm - Virtual Awards Ceremony via Facebook

Which teams are you cheering for? Comment with your thoughts and questions below.

Iditarod 2021 Sign Ups are open

As we watched the world rapidly shut down in March, the 48th running of the Iditarod plugged along through the wilds of Alaska. Somewhat fittingly, the Iditarod became the literal LAST Great Race On Earth. As professional sports are mostly on hold, with many trying to save their seasons with drastic plans of empty stadiums and other social distancing means, the Iditarod is also facing a different world as they gear up for Iditarod 49.

Most Iditarod fans know June signals the start of the new mushing season. The last Saturday in June is typically held for the Iditarod Volunteer Appreciation Picnic and Musher Sign Ups (as well as ITC Elections and Annual Meetings). However, due to the current Covid-19 Pandemic, the Iditarod made an announcement last week that they made the difficult decision to not hold the summer festivities.  Fans and mushers lamented, but ultimately were understanding (to be fair I think most mushers were grateful - being a mostly busy introverted bunch).

With the decision to cancel the Picnic, the Iditarod felt there was no reason to wait until the end of June to start the process of sign ups. They announced late in the week that teams could begin signing up. Along with the changes for June, they also announced a change in the break down of fees and due dates. Because of the lack of revenue most kennels are seeing due to the Covid-19 shelter-in-place mandates (lack of travel means lack of tourists taking rides and touring kennels), the Iditarod has come up with ways to help lessen the financial strain signing up for the thousand mile race puts on kennels.

For teams signing up now through June 27 (what would have been the opening day of sign ups were it not for Covid-19) teams signing up will only pay a $2000 entry fee (a 50% decrease from last year's fee). June 28 - August 31 the entry fee goes up to $3000, and September 1 - November 30 the fee is the standard $4000. Late entries (December - February 12, 2021, discretion by the Iditarod Qualifying Review Board) must pay a $4000 late fee on top of the $4000 entry fee. All applications will be reviewed by the Qualifying Review Board before final approval.

While we're in a wait and see period - as are most mushers, I assume - as to who will sign up, we do know a little information on what the roster should look like in March. Reigning Iditarod Champion Thomas Waerner, who only arrived back in Norway this week after being stuck in Alaska post race due to the Covid-19 shut downs, has already stated to the media he hopes that he and his team will be back in 2021 - depending on travel restrictions. Three-time champ Mitch Seavey announced at the end of the 2020 race that he planned to sit on the sidelines for 2021 (it's not retirement!) and is combining his A-team with son Dallas' A-team to create a SuperTeam "to see what they can do." Dallas, of course, is a four-time Iditarod champion - among other records. Four-time champ Jeff King had to sit out this year's race due to a medical emergency just days before the start, and it's unclear if The King will head down the trail in 2021, but it would be shocking to not see him try to make the start line. It's everyone's guess that we haven't seen the last of four-time Champion Martin Buser either, but it's not for sure until his name is on that list.

Another up in the air former four-time (consecutive!) champion is Lance Mackey. Mackey finished 21st in this year's race, but was DQed in May after drug test results showed he had Methamphetamine in his system. Mackey's family says he is taking the time to focus on his health, and the entire mushing fandom is behind him. One can only hope Mackey can overcome this latest hurdle, but it remains unseen (and possibly unlikely) if he will make the starting line in 2021.

It is unknown when we will start seeing the roster for 2021 live on the Iditarod Website. As of June 6 the musher profiles still list the 2020 teams. However, some teams have taken to social media to let their fans know they've signed up. As of June 6 the known teams are:

Dan Kaduce of Dew Claw Kennel
Ryne Olson of Ryno Sled Dog Kennel
Riley Diche of Dark Horse Racing Kennel
Paige Drobny of Squid Acres Kennel

Hopefully we'll see more names added to the list soon.

Iditarod 47 - Top Ten

As the clock winds down ever closer to the start of the 47th Iditarod, thoughts are turning to who will become the next champion. The pool is growing larger for potential champions. Knowing who is going to take the top prize is more difficult every year. In fact, this year's top ten is really a top fifteen since I just can't seem to narrow it down further. So, yeah, I have a few honorable mentions.

Top Ten

Aliy Zirkle - SPKennel's top dawg, Zirkle is the 2000 Yukon Quest Champion who has been so close to the Iditarod Championship she could taste it. Aliy is everyone's favorite. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone - fan or competitor - who could say a bad thing about her. But enough about why we all love Aliy. She is a true dog woman. Her dogs just ran the Quest with her husband Allen Moore and gave it a good go, but tapered off during the final push. Aliy's team struggled last year during the Iditarod when a storm blew in early on in the race and she finished out of the top ten. That being said, I'm not ready to count Aliy out yet, and last year's finish might be the push she needs to come back "with a vengence".

Jeff King - King is a four-time Iditarod champion who is still gunning for another. While his fellow four-timers seem to have conceded that the race has changed since they won their races, Jeff hasn't given up on the illusive number five. King was just hours away from number five in 2014 when a storm blew him off course and he was forced to scratch. Jeff has proven that he is willing to take chances, but not ones that will do wrong by his dogs. He's an old hat at this race, and that experience comes in handy. His dogs come from a long line of champions. Everything is there to come together, the problem is that a lot of other teams have grown up studying "the winningest musher" and now he has more teams threatening to dethrone him. I was *this close* in bumping him down, but you can't count out Mr. The King.

Jessie Holmes - Many counted out the rookie last year, chalking him up as nothing more than a reality TV star, but Holmes came to play. He not only won Rookie of the Year, he broke the top ten. Jessie's got speed on his side, and he has the right kind of ego to get him to the finish in first. He definitely believes in himself and his dogs. But ego is most definitely a two edged sword and it can cloud judgement. Push too soon and the dogs will slow on the coast. They did incredibly well last year, but a storm helped a lot keeping many of the veteran teams at a slower pace. It will be interesting to see what Jessie Holmes and team will be capable of this year.

Joar Leifseth Ulsom - Can Joar repeat? Repeat wins are difficult. Even if every dog is the same, the elements and trail change from hour to hour and there is no guarantee that you will have even close to the race you had last time. Joar quickly climbed the standings in his Iditarod career, now he has to maintain. That's hard to do in any sport, and especially in dog mushing. Joar had the perfect storm blow in to help him advance to the number one spot. I don't expect Nicolas Petit to lose the trail on the Norton Sound again. If Joar wants to become a repeat champion he is going to have to stay within striking distance and have enough gas in the tank to jump out ahead when the time is right.

Matt Hall - It's kind of mind boggling that this will only be Matt's third Iditarod, but the 2017 Yukon Quest Champion has made sure to keep his name in the running for top ten. He nearly missed out on a top ten finish last year, and was on his way to a strong lead in this year's Yukon Quest when he was sidelined (by choice) waiting for a diagnosis of one of his dogs (doggie cancer sucks). Even with having to make up quite a bit of time, Hall managed a very respectable fifth place finish on one of the most difficult Quests in memory. It is completely within reason to see Matt make the top ten, and I wager he could very easily challenge for first.

Mitch Seavey - "Da Man" or "Old Man" Seavey, depending on who you talk to, has found the fountain of youth and has kept many of the young guns at bay in the last 7 years. The Three-Time Iditarod champion has proven time and again that you can teach the... once around the block... guy new tricks. Master strategist, dog man, and just all around expert - you just don't want to count him out. But, like Zirkle, Mitch can sometimes be the "weak link", but more recently he has worked to improve his athletic ability to be able to do more behind the sled than we're used to seeing. I don't expect him to pull out the tricks from Dallas's books and run sprints up mountains with the team, but don't be shocked to see Mitch not only keeping up but surpassing known fast teams. It's all about "building the monster" as they say.

Nicolas Petit - Someone is starting to gain somewhat of a comical reputation as one who is directionally challenged. Last year Petit was solidly in the lead when he took a wrong turn during the run across the Norton Sound, he lost not only valuable time, but the extra work the dogs ended up dealing with as they backtracked slowed his team. The misstep cost him the win. He's had a few misdirections in several of his mid-distance races this season. Whether it's a loss of focus, or flat out being asleep, or something else - who knows. But it doesn't take much guessing to know that Nicolas is going to run this Iditarod like he has something to prove. Expect Nicolas to get up in front early and fight hard to stay there.

Peter Kaiser - The four-time Kusko 300 champion missed out on a fifth title this season, but not for lack of trying. Kaiser managed a fifth place finish in last year's Iditarod which threw many curveballs at the teams crossing the thousand miles of Alaskan wilderness. One of the strongest Western Alaska teams, Kaiser has steadily climbed the rankings and is poised to do well yet again. It's not a matter of if Kaiser will be an Iditarod champion, it's when. His dogs have it in them, and so does he, but just like all the other champions that have gone before, everything has to go very right for them, and other teams have to have something go wrong. Kaiser has the tools.

Travis Beals - This is another pick that I went back and forth on. When Travis is on, he is very very good, other times he's middle of the pack. Beals had a decent season again this year, and looks to have a solid team. Travis did very well in last year's snowmageddon Iditarod, so one would expect it to go well again this year. He is determined, and it would not be a surprise to see him crack the top ten again.

Wade Marrs - After last year's disappointing race where he scratched on the coast, Marrs is back and should be a contender. The face of Stump Jumpin' Kennel and the former ITC Musher Board Representative, Wade is one of the most exciting "up and coming" (though after this many years, is he really still up and coming?) teams. Marrs trained with some of the best in the sport while in the junior ranks, and he's shown to be a pretty quick study when it comes to racing against some of the best in Iditarod. While using his own methods, Marrs has picked up a few tricks watching how Dallas Seavey races Iditarod, and it's no wonder his schedule seems to match up with those of the Seavey teams. It will be interesting to see how a healthy Wade matches up with the pack this go around.


Dark Horses

I couldn't stop at 10. Honestly there's at least 15 teams that could easily be top ten depending on circumstance. This is a highly competitive field and it's exciting to see. So I have been stressing all week trying to justify my picks, and I can't so I'm adding a few more who could easily make it into the top ten.

Aaron Burmeister - No stranger to Iditarod, Burmeister has knocked on the door to the title for many years now. His short-lived retirement(s) proved that he isn't quite able to give up the dogs or the lifestyle. For some, the race just gets inside them and they have to continue on. Each time Burmeister comes back, he reminds everyone just how good he is. Last year he came 12th, in 2015 he was third. He has a very good chance of breaking into the top ten again. He just has to play his cards right.

Jessie Royer - I really wanted to put her in my top ten, but something tells me this is not her year. Jessie ran the Yukon Quest earlier this month, and she had a rough go of it. Not sure if it was just the extreme negative temperatures (likely) or if this is a team rebuilding year. So I have her as a dark horse this year. I'd love for her to wreck my top ten and make a high placement (or a win), but I'm going to hedge my bets on her.

Matthew Failor - Mattew just beat out Pete Kaiser last month in the Kuskokwim 300, a race Pete pretty much owns. A former handler for four-time Iditarod Champion Martin Buser before striking out on his own with his own team of dogs. It hasn't taken him long to become a true contender. The Kusko is just the first stepping stone on the way to the top. His race this year will be fun to watch as it plays out.

Ramey Smyth - One of the best finishers in the business, you don't want to ever have a Smyth team running up behind you. Ramey has come close to beating out champions in the past, and is always knocking on the door. In so many ways it feels like he should have "Iditarod Champion" next to his name, but he hasn't quite found the magic for it to happen. Still, don't be surprised to see his name creep up the standings, especially once his team hits the coast. Then all bets are off.






Thoughts on who might take the prize this year? Who do you have in your top ten? Comment below!

Mushing News Round Up (Oct 15)

Another week has passed (and then some) and I am finally done with training at work... at least until March when we do it all again (yeah, don't ask me why I thought scheduling training to start the week after I get back from Nome was a good idea). Once again, I am sure I've missed a bit on the mushing news circuit - especially since there were a lot of races to sign up for - but here are some highlights I snagged while being completely distracted with work.

The Tustumena 200 Sled Dog Race - that runs from Kasilof, AK to Homer, AK and back - announced tonight that registration will open on November 1, with the random drawing on November 3. They also announced that they will be posting updated rules soon, suggesting some changes were coming to the official race rules.

Mushers have been excited to announce which mid-distance races they have signed up for. This is especially exciting for teams that are trying to qualify for their first long distance races. One such musher, Eric Kelly, plans to run the Iditarod in 2020, and has signed up for - what he hopes are - his final two qualifiers.


Alaska and the Yukon aren't the only places that are seeing fall training in full swing. Northern Norway has also found cooler temperatures. The Finnmarkslopet race shared this beautiful training photo on their social media pages. The race opened registration earlier this fall, and so far no teams from North America have appeared on the roster. Last year, you may recall, four-time Iditarod Champion Dallas Seavey ran the race and placed third. Seavey stated at the time that he would probably not be back to the race for several years as it was an expensive endeavor and he needed to build up the funds and team - however Seavey has yet to register for any race for next season... and he's been spending an awful lot of time in Europe.


SPKennel - home to Yukon Quest Champions Aliy Zirkle and Allen Moore - is in winter prep mode. They shared a blog post a few days ago about how they prepare for freeze up... or, rather, fix the mess the dogs make during the summer months. Moore is once again signed up for the Quest, and Zirkle has signed up for the Iditarod, as well as a few other mid-distance races.

Jeff King's Husky Homestead social media crew are killing it these days with the puppy pic updates. I have to say that Zig's litter is probably the prettiest litter I've seen in a long time coming out of a very competitive Racing Kennel. Sled Dogs that race aren't typically chosen or bred for their looks, but their athleticism. It'll be a few years to see what these pups will do out on the trails, but for now they are breaking the internet.


In a somewhat surprising announcement this past week, the UP 200 race announced that they were increasing the purse winnings for the 11th-15th placed teams. The announcement gave credit to the mushers who suggested the change. Who knew there were races out there with boards willing to listen to the mushers?!


Okay, so, Jeff King doesn't have the monopoly on cute puppy picks. Ryne Olson's photo this week was a huge awwwwwww as well. Who DOESN'T want a basket full of puppies?!


And mushers continue to share photos of their training runs. Iditarod musher Misha Wiljes shared a photo of "on by" training yesterday. This is very important, not so much the head on kind that they were doing in the photo - but just passing in general. Sled Dogs need to be aggressive racers, but also polite. The last thing a musher wants is a tangle (with another team, or just within the team itself). Slower teams MUST give a faster team the right of way - unless they are in the final stretches of the race known as "No Man's Land" which begins one to two miles before the finish line. The slower team slows or even stops to let the other team pass. Typically the command the advancing team gets is "on by". That way the leaders know that they are to continue and not stop with the other team, and the team dogs know that they are to pass and not try to take a chunk out of one of the other team's dogs. This typically works with little incident, but just like with humans sometimes the dogs forget their manners. This is why training is so very important.


Lastly, Wade Marrs is jumping into the arena of winter sled dog tours. Until then he is opening his property up to kennel tours until the snow flies. Marrs is a competitive Iditarod musher who - until recently - served as the Iditarod Official Finishers' Club's (IOFC) spokesperson to the Iditarod Trail Committee (ITC). This summer it was decided that the IOFC representative could not be a current racer, so Wade Marrs was forced to step aside. Marrs found himself in the middle of the Iditarod Doping Scandal last March when it was brought to his attention at the official start of the Iditarod that his dogs had tested positive for the same substance that Dallas Seavey's team had - just in smaller doses. Marrs' fiance took to social media after seeing Wade safely down the trail to call out the inappropriate communication by the ITC's Doping specialist and alleged that he threatened Marrs with outing the findings if Marrs did not stop his support of Dallas Seavey. Like Seavey, Wade Marrs has not signed up for Iditarod as of yet, and has not gone public with any plans he has for this season's biggest race.


And on that note I'm off to bed. Did I miss anything big in the mushing news scene? Let me know in the comments below.

Mushing News Weekly Roundup (Oct 8)

Sorry for the lateness of the round up. I've been tied up with work and will be again next weekend so I am working on a little bit of a different schedule than what I've had before. I've also probably missed a lot of news as I haven't been able to be able to keep an eye on news as it breaks like normal. This week did see a lot of excitement as several races opened up registration for their events. A dryland race event took place this weekend as well, and there was (of course) a lot of talk from the different kennels as training continues.


Probably one of my favorite things on social media this week was when Quince Mountain shared a thread on twitter of a Mushers Panel he attended. It was a great play by play of a panel that featured Jake Berkowitz, Mike Ellis, and Laura Neese. Some of their ideas on the state of long distance mushing, kennels, and use of social media was quite interesting.

This mushing panel is about to get HEATED I can feel it. #mushertwitter pic.twitter.com/wfS5T47wQO

— Rugged Art Cowboy (@QuinceMountain) September 29, 2018

Jodi Bailey of Dew Claw Kennel shared this adorable puppy photo. I've taken my share of puppies asleep where they eat, but this one is just too great to pass up.


Fall is a good time for mushers to finish up building projects like dog kennels, fencing... and dog boxes. Sometimes it's more dramatic than you want it to be.


There was a bit of a shake up for Montana's Race to the Sky sled dog race as their race manager of 5 (going on 6) years stepped down earlier this fall. They have already named a replacement, and the previous manager will be at hand to help with the transition and getting the new management up to speed. You can read the official statement below:


Team trading doesn't just happen in professional human sports like Football and Basketball, it also happens in sled dog racing. Sometimes a Kennel needs some "new blood" in the mix - mainly for continuing their kennel's race lines - and so dogs that show their metal on one team are valued by another and when they come up for "trading" other teams jump at the chance.


The premiere mid-distance sled dog race in Western Alaska - the Kuskokwim 300 - opened registration this week. Some top names are in the mix, among them the four-time Kusko Champion Pete Kaiser. Kaiser is a local area musher who seems to dominate the race in an incredibly strong fasion. Also signed up are two Iditarod Champions - Jeff King, and Joar Leifseth Ulsom. The most exciting name for mushing fans, however, is Paul Gebhardt's name on the roster. Gebhardt was sidelined from racing two years ago with a cancer diagnosis. Last year during race season Paul was undergoing stem cell transplant to help in the fight of his life, that transplant was successful and his recovery seems to be going well. Teams sometime sign up but have a handler run the dogs and not the musher the team is registered under, but it seems like Gebhardt is, in fact, planning to run this one. There are currently 10 teams signed up, with the possibility of 20 more teams being added.


Jeff Deeter reported on the never-ending drama most mushers know all too well of ATV repair. If one part isn't breaking it's another...


Jeff King has some very good looking dogs, not just in the athletic department, but the eyes. One of his most popular dogs is a female named Zig. She has piercing ice blue eyes... and now this little pup Otto is giving her a run for her money in the best looking King dog department. Wow. The markings and those eyes. He is going to be a very handsome dog.


Not wanting to jump into the political quagmire that is our Nation right now, but the approaching November election had several mushers in the news this past week. This weekend, President Donald Trump came out in support of Iditarod Finisher Steve Watkins on his run for Kansas Senator. Watkins is a war veteran and adventure enthusiast. Several years ago he made his rookie run to Nome claiming it was a one and done deal as part of his goal to run the Iditarod and climb Everest in the same year. Watkins was an outside chance at winning the Republican Primary in Kansas, but has now been on the fast track of the political scene as it looks like the GOP believes he is one of the seats that could somehow turn from blue to red. Iditarod Champion Jeff King and fellow Iditarod musher Tara Cicatello (who ran last year with a team out of Bacon Acres which is closely linked with Jeff King's kennel) went public this week as well stating that Watkins was a hair shy of being a fraud. King is very outspoken in his political views - and his dislike of President Trump - and so it really came as no surprise to those who pay attention. King has also spoken out about the Supreme Court Justice Nominee (who is now appointed) Brett Kavanaugh, having participated in a rally in front of Senator Lisa Murkowski's office prior to the vote.

Enough politics, let's get back to mushing! The Copper Basin 300 (CB 300) opened up registration Saturday. The CB 300 is probably the most popular mid distance race in Alaska. Its timing and trail seem to be the perfect combination. Unlike other races along the road system, the CB 300 hasn't had to cancel in years of poor winter conditions. The race typically sees a whirlwind of sign ups when registration opens, and a long waiting list. This year mushers took to social media to praise how easy online registration was this year, and were happy to sign up. And, sure enough, over thirty mushers signed up by the end of the day!

The newer Willow 300 race also announced that their race was on again this winter, and registration was open. There are currently 20 teams signed up, and it won't be surprising to see more names pop up as they miss out on registration for other races.

With race registrations in full swing, pups and top athletes alike are preparing... by... napping?


Mushers took to the trails this weekend for some dryland racing. With training seasons starting later and later due to warmer than normal temperatures, mushers are finding other ways to get out and stretch their teams into racing shape. It was a muddy weekend, but it seems to have made that much more fun. The event is growing as more recreational mushers and "professionals" alike come together and the Chugiak Mushers Association are hoping for continued growth and success.


Lance Mackey is on his way to Texas to be the guest speaker of a fundraising event for a drug rehab program. Mackey will be speaking on perseverance and survival as well as his own struggles with addiction. The ticketed event takes place on October 18th beginning at 5:30pm in Belton, TX.

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Sept 21)

Martin Buser and team at the ReStart of the 46th running of the Iditarod.
March 4, 2018 - Willow, Alaska.

Just going to share a few fun items today as well as some movie news - there is now a website (that I'm not involved with) that is working on "mushing news" and it's run by someone a little more dialed into the politics of the sport than I am. I don't want to step on toes, but I'll continue to do the round up of social media finds and big news.

If you've been around the Iditarod mushing scene for any length of time you know that the mushers all typically get along even when there are fierce rivalries and intense differences of opinion. Dogs, though, bring all of these personalities together and they get along more than they don't. Two old dogs who have rival kennels and tour businesses seem to have a lot of fun at each other's expense. Jeff King and Mitch Seavey shared a good laugh this week.


Yukon Quest champion Matt Hall shared some puppy sweetness on facebook today. Who wants to cuddle? I volunteer as tribute!

Squid Acres took to the interwebs to find a handler, interested in working with one of the top female mushers in the sport right now? Head on over and apply. (This is not an endorsement, simply informational.)


The Kusko 300 is doing something right when it comes to filling its purse for the race. They announced their breakdown online for their three race classes, a full breakdown will be available closer to race time. The numbers are impressive considering the Iditarod can't seem to keep the numbers steady... unless you count the steady decline. Iditarod powers that be have blamed loss of sponsors and monies on the animal rights groups, but other races seem to be thriving and get just as much flack from the terror groups. Just an interesting observation.


The Finnmarkslopet has opened up registration for all of its race classes. So far 57 teams total will run the 500, 1200, and junior races. No Americans or Canadians appear on the roster, and of the 57 teams that are signed up, 30 of them are rookies. There's still time to enter, and with Dallas Seavey having had such a good time in this year's race, it wouldn't be surprising to see another team try their luck. Seavey said after the race this year that he would be back, but that they'd probably not be able to make the trek back so soon. Seavey is not signed up for Iditarod which runs during the same time frame, and has not really spoken publicly of his race plans for the coming season. His name has yet to appear on any roster in Alaska.

Dallas Seavey has racked up a few airmiles lately, having made several trips over to Norway to give talks and run dogs over the summer and fall. He finished up an event earlier this month with current Iditarod Champion Joar Liefseth Ulsom that apparently was well received. If you attended, comment below and let me know how it went.


I found out about a neat opportunity for troubled youth in the Fairbanks area. Had no idea that this organization existed. I wish there was a program down on the Peninsula. Our kids could really use something like this.

So I just found out about @noble_paws organization that helps promote confidence and positive mental health to those in need by teaching them how to run a dog team. How cool?! https://t.co/4OI0ofElSu#MusherTwitter pic.twitter.com/3ws4ijCasN

— Toni Reitter (@tonichelleak) September 16, 2018

Lisbet Norris' kennel had a great training run today. Gotta love those happy, muddy faces.


Iditarod rookie (come March) Blair Braverman came up with a brilliant grading system on sled dog softness this week. She graded most of her dogs in her dog yard. It's very scientific. If you have time, read her twitter thread on the subject (or even if you just like pictures of happy sled dogs, she's got lots).

We all know that the sled dogs are super-athletes with a keen sense of adventure, family loyalty, and courage beyond belief.

But did you know they’re also soft? pic.twitter.com/H9V97ZMYg5

— Blair Braverman (@BlairBraverman) September 20, 2018

Last, but not least, Disney is currently in production for a new film about Leonhard Seppala and Togo and the story of the Serum Run. Willem Dafoe stars as Seppala. It's currently filming in Alberta, Canada (cheaper than coming to Alaska now that we no longer have tax incentives for Hollywood big budget movies, don't get me started). Martin Buser announced via facebook this week that he has been called upon to be the expert on set. His race team will be brought to him later this year so that he can continue to train for Iditarod 2019. He does not, at this time, plan to not run the 47th running of the Last Great Race. The movie is set to premiere on Disney's new streaming service they plan to have up and running next year. The movie does not have a release date yet. Here's hoping this is better than Spielberg/Dreamworks' animated film Balto which had so many historical inaccuracies it makes you cry. Then again, Disney did no better around the same time with their version of Pocahontas' history, so... we'll have to wait and see which version of Togo we get.


And that's a basic rundown of what was interesting in the world of mushing this week. Let me know what you think about this and whatever else is on your mind by leaving a comment or two.

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Sept 14)

Jeff King smiles at the start of the 2012 Tustumena 200.

South Central Alaska continues its odd fall pattern of bright sun and warm weather. I'm not complaining, after a rainy summer it feels like we're owed a dry fall. Everyone is taking advantage of the decent weather. I'm currently house sitting in Kasilof which is prime sled dog country on the Kenai Peninsula. There are several dog yards close by and I can hear them in the early mornings and late evenings. I'd go stalk them, but I am trying very hard to not be a stalker.

Fall means the start of school, frost, colder weather, pumpkin spice... and politics. And, as we all know, you can't escape politics no matter what you're paying attention to. Sports used to be an escape, but it's bled over. Politics in the sports themselves (no this isn't another update on any Iditarod mess) is one thing, but now more than ever athletes are becoming outspoken on national politics. It's their right and I support anyone who takes the time, researches, and takes a stand - even if I don't agree. This week Jeff King somehow shocked part of the mushing fanbase when he took to a public event to call on Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski to oppose the President's nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court. King flew down the week prior to meet with Murkowski in DC along with others to voice their concerns in person. Murkowski has not declared where she stands on the issue (though a quick look at her track record can show that King and crew really don't have much to worry about).

King's kennel had good news this week as well. Famed dog Zig is mother to a large brood of newborn pups! They shared an update this week on facebook on how mom and babies are doing.


Another legendary Iditarod Kennel - Susan Butcher's Trail Breaker Kennel - shared a cute puppy photo this week as well. Some repairs to the puppy pen were made, and they had the sweetest supervisors one could ever hope to have.


While we're on the subject of Iditarod - the roster is now up to 35 names with the latest entry of Robert Redington. Redington is the youngest grandson of Joe Redington Sr. - the "Father of the Iditarod".

Keeping with the legends theme, two artistic legends tied to mushing and the Iditarod are teaming up again on another art project! Photographer Jeff Schultz - the official photog of the Last Great Race, as well as a top Alaskan photograher - and Jon Van Zyle - official artist of the Iditarod who is also a musher and has run the race - have collaborated and are working on another painting that sets on a photograph. Think Walt Disney's Mary Poppins where hand drawn animation was put onto live action film. Same basic idea. The duo's first collaboration happened last year as a way to raise funds to support Jeff's son's recovery from a Traumatic Brain Injury he suffered during a fire fighting training exercise.


Iditarod finisher Lisbet Norris has a "I am Woman hear me Roar!" themed winter dog sled adventure available for booking if you're so inclined. It's not really news, but I don't get a kick back for recommending it. It sounds like an interesting tour, though, so if you're able - check it out.


The Pedigree Stage Stop Race posted on social media information on their race director. Always good to put a face with a name and learn a bit about the people in charge of a race.


Kristy Berington had a magical training run this week. Like I said, this fall weather has been amazing. The Kenai doesn't have THAT many leaves on the ground, though. Winter looks like it'll hit the MatSu area well before it hits down here.


Another post from Trail Breaker Kennel that was so heart warming - seeing a retired sled dog have a moment of bliss and energy as they ran free. You can retire the sled dog from running, but you can't retire the running out of the sled dog.


Smokin' Aces Kennel - run by 2017 Yukon Quest Champion Matt Hall - shared this keeper of a pic today. TGIF is right, I had a very relaxing day myself.


Jeff Deeter's kennel Black Spruce Sled Dogs shared what they've been up to and how their fall is shaping up. Lots of work before the snow flies and the training runs get longer. I'm tired just reading it. Guess I'll wrap things up and get to bed!


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