Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Sept 7)

Happy September! It's more or less officially fall in Alaska, and that means it's training season. I know, I know, I keep saying it, but it's for realsies now. All kennels on social media have reported their first few runs of the season. It's still getting up into the 60s by midday, but that just means early mornings and late nights for the teams. Then off to work for the humans before back to training when they get home. Mushers. Never. Sleep. The weirdos.

Mary Helwig once again shared a bit of joy from her kennel. If you're familiar at all with the sled dog breeds you know that they're great singers. In my opinion very little else sounds as beautiful as a dog yard coming together in a contented howl after a feeding. And there's very little as sad a sound as the howl of a dog yard where one team of dogs has gone off on adventure and the dogs not hooked to the sled mourn that they were not chosen for the trip.

Mitch Seavey came out of hiding this week posting several photos to facebook before ultimately announcing that he was officially signed up for Iditarod 2019. The three-time Iditarod Champ spoke out repeatedly this summer about how he would not run the 47th Iditarod unless major changes were made to how the Iditarod Trail Committee (ITC) ran the program. With the addition of several new board members, and the recent resignation of Andy Baker as Board President, Seavey felt there was enough proof that the ITC was listening to musher concerns that he could run. Still, Seavey has been vocal about some of the rule changes for the race, claiming they were overreaching. While no revisions to the rules have been made public, it seems Seavey is satisfied - for now - that the race is headed in the right direction. Seavey also urged fans and mushers to support the race and keep the sport of mushing strong.




Speaking of Iditarod, they managed to obtain a new sponsor after the loss of Jack Daniels earlier this year. The Anchorage Distillery happily announced their sponsorship of the Last Great Race. Apparently mushing and beer are a happy match. Mush/Drink responsibly.

Laura Allaway plans on running the Yukon Quest this year, and has also come out of social media hiding to share a very nice photo of some fall training.


Squid Acres shared a photo of a recent hike with some of their pups. I share merely for the fact that fall colors in Alaska are beautiful.


Cindy Abbott shared her booty haul.

And some info out of Paul Gebhardt's kennel on fall prep and training from one of his handlers. Paul, you may recall, sat out last season due to being diagnosed with Cancer. After an aggressive treatment and stem cell transplant, Paul is on the road to recovery. While he builds up his immune system again Gebhardt cannot do the day to day chores with the dogs, and has hired help. I - as a non-stalker-stalker - have seen him around town as he runs a very successful construction business in the area and he looks great! Here's hoping his health continues to improve and we see him out on the trails again soon.


And that's this week's round up. If I missed anything big, let me know in the comments or on twitter. I don't share everything I find on social media as that would make this too long. It's a snapshot of what's going on. As soon as the snow flies and the races are in swing there will be more print media news to share.

Iditarod BBQ 2018

Last night I was so tired after a long day of driving and "extroverting" that I did a very short blog post about the BBQ before passing out for the night. I live in Kenai which is a 4 hour drive (one way) to Wasilla... on a good day... without traffic... or a dad who wants to stop at Cabella's for a man's version of retail therapy... and who also drinks way too much fluids when road tripping if you get my drift. I guess he's getting me back for that summer of potty training when I'm pretty sure I waited until no bathrooms were in sight and I just had to go behind a bush on the side of the road.

But I digress, you're not hear to read about my road trip woes (it really wasn't that bad).

The BBQ was not as well attended as in year's past. Normally by noon the overflow parking is filled with dog trucks and volunteer cars alike, but when we got there only a handful were there. This is a huge field to park in, so it was a very noticeable difference. There is no doubt, to me, that the "woes of the ITC" in the last two years are starting to greatly affect the long standing fans and volunteers along with the mushers. You cannot have a race the size of the Iditarod without those, but it seems the ITC is still more concerned with protecting their seats than the race.

After parking we made our way to the gift shop, where I ran into my first musher - Iditarod Rookie Blair Braverman. As I said in a previous blog post, she flew in from Wisconsin to sign up for her first Iditarod. I've "known" her husband for 4 years as he followed me on twitter, and I think it was a year later he suggested I follow Blair - and I'm glad I listened. Blair is such a positive voice for the sport - she just makes it fun. She is a kick to follow on twitter, and if you like sled dog puppies (I love them) then you definitely want to follow her, too.

I didn't actually spot her, she spotted me as I walked into the gift shop and she shouted my name. It's a small room, but I think we were all shocked that we'd finally managed to be in the same place at the same time (we missed meeting up at the restart this year, her husband worked at Ididaride one summer and I never saw him, it's crazy!). After exchanging hugs and introductions to my dad, they pointed out that Mitch Seavey was in the room next door and so Q went to interview him, Blair and I chatted and realized he was never coming back so we went in search. It was an interesting conversation considering Mitch had let the world know just a few days before that he was considering sitting out next year's race. Mitch attended the meeting that morning in hopes of having his concerns listened do and addressed, we had a very interesting conversation (for instance they are changing the "dropped dog" term to "returned dog" and it sounds like that was a heated debate in what the new term should be).

Trying to convince the three-time champion that social media is a great tool.

I'm still very much Team Seavey so I am biased, but I do feel that Mitch - as always - has a really good perspective on the issue and that he's thought it through. A part of me wants him to run and just to hell with the rest of them, but another part of me wants him to stand firm. I don't know if there is a right answer. I'd like to think Mitch is right, because it's the closest to what I think, but I'm not sure. I do know that there's a lot of hurt, and a lack of trust, and it's not just Seavey... and they're not the ones who started it. There was a quietness to the event this year that just seemed to hang in the air.

Small Roster to start Iditarod 2019 Musher Sign Ups

As always, the rain stayed away during the annual Iditarod Volunteer Appreciation BBQ and Musher Sign Ups. 28 mushers, all but one a rookie, made their intentions known at the Iditarod HQ. Three champions signed up, but at least five were on hand to greet fans and volunteers. Jeff King, Martin Buser, and reigning champion Joar Leifseth Ulsom will run for another championship... while Mitch Seavey held onto his entry waiting to see what the ITC planned to do about the controversial rule changes (specifically the gag rule, and how the "dead dog" rule was worded). 

The lone rookie is Blair Braverman of Wisconsin. If you're active on social media you probably recognize her name - she is the queen of "Musher Twitter" (I just officially crowned her). She and her husband Q flew up to sign up in person today, and while nervous the rookie was all smiles as she handed her paperwork to the ladies at the desk. Braverman plans to head to Alaska after the holidays to get in some training with the dogs. Blair is also an accomplished writer, writing for several publications and she has a best selling book!

I have quite a few pictures to go through, but I got home about an hour ago and I'm exhausted. We'll have more coverage tomorrow. You can always hop over to my twitter to see some of the high lights. I may have gone a little fan girl over Blair... and Mitch... but more photos of other mushers are coming. For now... Stitch the Pug is demanding we sleep.

It's an Upside Down World

Bradley Farquhar's lead dogs at the Ceremonial Start
of the 46th annual Iditarod Sled Dog Race.
March 3, 2018 Anchorage, Alaska

2018 will definitely go into the record books as one of the more exciting Iditarod races. Equally as exciting is the new found interest in the Norwegian long distance sled dog race the Finnmarkslopet. As standings currently sit, a Norwegian is set to take the top prize in the Iditarod and an American is leading the race in Norway.

Times they may be changing.

While the race in Norway has seemingly gone off without a hitch, the Iditarod has had a tumultuous run. And we're not just talking politics. This year's Iditarod is giving long time fans all the feelings of a good ol' fashioned dog race in the 90s. We've had blizzard like conditions for most of the week. Just when teams think the worst is over another storm would blow in slowing them down once again. The Norton Sound proved to be the breaking point for Nicolas Petit's team as they were blown off course and ended up an hour and a half down the wrong trail only to find, once they backtracked, Joar Leifseth Ulsom's team in command of the race.

Joar entered the White Mountain Checkpoint at 7:52am, and so far no other team has joined him (though at 11:15am Nic is coming up on White Mountain and should be in fairly soon). He will have a substantial lead out of White Mountain (he can leave the checkpoint at 3:52pm). It's 77 miles to Nome from there. At the average speed he's going it may be a long night of mushing. Danny Seavey has him in at 1:30 or 2:00am. I'm going more conservative and saying closer to 4am. Until he starts running we won't really know what to expect.

Should Joar win he will be only the second Norwegian to win the Iditarod. Robert Sorlie is out on the trail via snow machine and cheered on his friend from the sidelines as he came into Koyuk yesterday. Sorlie won the race in 2003 and 2005.

And while all that unfolds, Dallas Seavey is showing that he's not just a force to be reckoned with on the Iditarod, the rookie in the Finnmarkslopet is so far commanding the race in Norway. Not that he wasn't expected to do well, but even he came out and said in the days leading up to the race that he had no idea what to expect but that "it's still dogs, and mushing, right?" And you'd be hard pressed to find an argument to suggest Dallas isn't one of the best (if not the best) mushers in the world right now. Yes I said it, please don't tell him I said it though!

When Dallas does get to the next checkpoint he will rest and then prepare to turn around and head back. Unlike the Iditarod and Quest where they start in one place and end in another, the Finnemarkslopet follows a loop. They will not take the exact same course, but some of the trail will be very familiar to the teams. This is not a foreign concept on a sled dog race. The Junior Iditarod runs similarly to this style, as do many of the mid-distance races in Alaska (for example the Tustumena 200 is also a loop, and this year was two shorter loops). This does not have the same effect on a team as does a course correction resulting in backtracking. There the dogs can sense that the musher "made a mistake" and they begin to second guess the musher.


So while the world of dog mushing seems to be on its head both in who's winning what and just the state of mushing politics in Alaska, one thing remains constant: the dogs. It doesn't matter where they are, or what the trails are like, it's just dogs and it's just mushing, and you can do that from anywhere.

Iditarod 46: Is Nicolas Petit really winning the race?

Joar Leifseth Ulsom at the Ceremonial Start of
Iditarod 46. Anchorage, Alaska, March 3, 2018

For the last two days, possibly more, Nicolas Petit has been in control of the Iditarod. Only two teams have had a chance of catching up with him: Joar Leifseth Ulsom and Mitch Seavey. At this point it's Petit to lose, however most race fans have considered the race leader to not be clear until the coast.

With the race becoming more and more about speed, with well groomed trails and lack of need for camping and snowshoeing, it feels almost foreign to have the race seemingly stall more than once. A huge storm front blew in early in the race, with most teams getting caught out in it. The three front runners, for the most part, have run ahead of the worst of it, but they too are dealing with a trail that has been snowed and blown over. The chase pack reported blizzard like conditions on their way to the Yukon, with many teams hunkering down in between checkpoints hoping the storm would pass. While it's a race, right now it's more of a camping trip for the teams not in the front.

Because of the weather, the checkpoint of Eagle Island is relegated to a "hospitality stop" - meaning there are no drop bags. Teams must now plan on taking as many supplies and dog food that they need to make the trip from Anvik to Kaltag - 120 miles. Back in the "old days" this is how this race was run. More camping between checkpoints and then again in them. We haven't seen a race like this - that I can remember - since the 90s. This is definitely not the "norm" of the last couple of decades.

As of now the GPS tracker shows Nic back on the move, but it's once again slow going. In most recent races, he'd be in Kaltag by now (but judging by the GPS he's about 50 miles away). He has an eleven mile lead over Seavey and Ulsom. Right now it looks like Petit's to lose, but he has been breaking trail for over two days. That takes a lot of energy out of a team and even the best lead dogs need a mental break when the trail is tough. Nic is known for pushing hard through the whole race, and his team responds fairly well to it, though by the time they hit the coast they have been known to slow significantly... and that's on good trail years. We've yet to really see what Petit's team can do on a thousand mile race where the going got tough for the majority of the trail.

Looking briefly at the analytics (my least favorite thing to do because I'm horrible at reading them, because I never pay attention to Danny Seavey's lessons) Mitch has the "winning team" still on paper. He's taking more rest and he's traveling at faster speeds... but Nic still has almost a two hour lead on the team. Likewise, Joar may have a slower team but he's running right along with Mitch.

Everything in recent memory says that Nic cannot keep his pace and his lead on the other two while continually breaking trail. But, the two following are playing a game of cat and mouse trying to get the other one to break trail. So far, it's been Mitch showing as being the one leading the two teams up the Yukon.

All the while, the chase pack is catching up. They may have gotten caught in the blizzard on their way to the Yukon, but now they're away from that, and someone else broke trail for them. The snow hasn't been as bad on the river, and neither has the wind, since Nic, Mitch and Joar went through which means the teams behind them are not working quite so hard. At this point they aren't in danger of being overtaken, but they can't sit back and relax anymore, either. The chase pack is 10 miles behind them. Their times to rest points are faster.

Expect all teams to take a nice long rest in Kaltag once they make it. Bruce Lee spoke this morning on Insider saying that it would make no sense for Nic to blow through and rest out on the trail again, but there again, we just cannot predict what Petit will do. He is a go with your gut kind of musher. The other teams need to just run their race, not try to catch someone else's race. It's worked many times before... on good trail years... it's the gutsy ones that normally win the bad trail years.

So, is Nic winning the race? Possibly. But SHOULD he be winning at this point? Time will tell how it pays off.

Iditarod 46: The Bottom's on top!

Cody Strathe's lead dogs lead the team
through Anchorage for the Ceremonial
Start of Iditarod 46. March 3, 2018.

The Iditarod has come into the period of true strategy. Teams are starting to take their mandatory 24 hour breaks. What checkpoint they choose is based on strategy as well as how their teams look as they get to the checkpoints. Teams like Mitch Seavey are resting where they'd planned to rest before they started down the trail on Sunday. Others may decide to push on because they feel their team wouldn't benefit from the rest just yet, and still more will rest earlier than planned due to the deep snow taking a toll on their team's energy.

All of this means that the front runners suddenly look stalled on the GPS tracker, because... well... they are. But it's not something to worry about. Once the teams get their 24 hour (plus differentials) out of the way then we'll have an equal playing field and we can better tell who really is in the lead. 

Takotna is filling up fast, and is a very popular spot for teams to take their mandatory rest (I hear the food is a major factor in deciding where to stay). Note that when they do "declare" their 24, teams CAN choose to leave before it's up... but it will not count as their 24 rest. And when we say 24, we also mean any differential they have to take. Because teams leave at two minute intervals, there has to be a way to make it equal, so the earlier you start, the more time you have to make up and the best way to do that is to add it to the longest mandatory rest. So for bib number 2, he has 67 mushers behind him... so it's 24hours+(67teams X 2minutes)=total rest for the first musher... which means Cody Strathe has to stay in the checkpoint for 26 hours and 14 minutes. Make sense? The only team that gets a straight 24 is Hugh Neff as he is the last musher out of the starting gate.

Mitch Seavey's time (who was first to declare his 24) into Takotna last night was 9:45pm, he is bib number 13, Neff is Bib 68 (remember the bib numbers start at 2, not 1). 68-13= 55. So He has 55 teams behind him... so now we multiply by 2 to get minutes added to 24hours... which is 110minutes so just under 2 hours... (1hour 50mins) So he can leave at 11:35pm.

This is what we diehards lovingly refer to as "Iditamath". I am not good at the maths so these times are unofficial and I'd trust just about anyone else but me.

This is the perfect time for fans to get some well needed rest, or at least get some chores out of the way. With many teams bedded down for the next day and half there's really not a whole lot going on. This is also a great time to get to know the back of the pack. A lot of rookies are just heading to McGrath having hit Nikolai early this morning. So many dreams come true to run this race. Make sure to give them some love too.

You can call and leave a musher gram for any musher/team by calling 907-248-MUSH! The COMMS center will make sure to get the message to your team!

Iditarod 46: My Top 10

I had so many goals for this season in making sure my blog kept going and had great insights into what we were seeing in the sport - I got massively sidetracked with vacation, work, and the Olympics. Oooo shiny! is my theme so far for this year it seems.

That being said, it IS time for me to make horrible guesses as to who has the best chance to be named champion of the 46th running of the race. I feel like the race should be two weeks out, not less than a week (Thursday is the Musher's banquet). So, this is what it is. I think I did fairly well... 8 of my picks made the top 10 and the who who didn't came in 11th and 12th. Go me! I expect I won't have quite the same success this year, but I'm hopeful that my picks are fairly accurate.

My list is once again alphabetical by first name as I don't want to try and talk percentages in who's most likely to take first.

Aaron Burmeister - Aaron last raced three years ago in 2015. Since then he's been key in some of the rule changes we've seen handed down by the ITC Board. I'll try to stay neutral about all of that, but Burmeister's team has seen action while he's been "retired". Aaron's team has been run in the Iditarod by his brother Noah (is my understanding, comment below if I am wrong). Aaron came in third in his last Iditarod race, and I don't expect him to be too far off the pack this time around either. It will be interesting to see just how he stacks up with this year's roster.

Aliy Zirkle - Her husband Allen Moore just won the Yukon Quest with essentially the team she will take to Nome. This is how they've done things for a while. He runs the A team in the Quest, Aliy runs it in the Iditarod. Zirkle typically runs the YQ300 with the B team that Moore then takes on Iditarod. Zirkle did not run the shorter Quest this year as she was unable to plan a race that would be fast enough for her to then head for Dawson to meet up with Allen and the Red Team. I've said it the last few times, but really, the weak link on this team seems to be Aliy. I hate saying that, but sometimes she gets too in her head and she plays it safe at just the wrong time. I do feel, though, that if the Red team is that much faster than the Black team that she may have a freight train heading to Nome.

Jeff King - The four-time Iditarod Champion is still looking for number five. He's come close in the last decade or so, but after his brief retirement he hasn't been able to make it happen. He's come close, but teams are starting to pass him. Is it age? Well, Mitch Seavey's proven old dogs can still win this thing. Is it strategy? It could be, what won races even 10 years ago doesn't work these days it seems. King was out of the top ten last year, but just barely (he came in eleventh). Whatever placement he gets, however, we're sure to have an entertaining time watching him run his team. I'm not so secretly hoping he can tie Swenson's record.

Jessie Royer - My girl Royer. What can I say? She came fifth last year, a year that saw a lot of women shaking up the racing scene. She's had a fairly good season again this year, and I don't expect that she plans to sit back and relax this year. Jessie's steadily gotten better, and she's a true veteran of this trail. I believe that Jessie should be the top ranked lady musher coming into the race. Yes, I said it. As I said last year: Should she pull off a win, it'd be an upset, but she'd also become the first non-Alaskan woman to win. She's got the goods, she could pull it off.

Joar Leifseth Ulsom - I know, I fan girl over his face every year, but seriously. I feel like he is constantly posing when he's on those runners! All jokes aside, Joar is not a joke. He was fourth last year. Fourth. It was a fast race from Fairbanks to Nome in 2017. Joar came in to a roaring crowd in Nome (I missed it, how I don't know, but I did...I blame exhaustion). Joar is one of those "silent teams". He's got the goods, but very rarely does he really make the conversation by the folks "in the know". It's probably how he likes it, he can just sneak in. Maybe he'll sneak in first to Nome?

Mitch Seavey - The THREE-time and defending champion shows no signs of slowing down. Mitch won last year's race in record time with a team he says he could not slow down. They flew into Nome wowing everyone with their endurance and strength. Mitch had never seemed happier with a team, and I hear many of his team from last year were in the running to make this year's team. Seavey spent most of his time further north of his stomping grounds training, and he skipped the Tustumena 200 this year opting to keep with his training schedule. I never count Mitch out, but without Dallas Seavey in the race to compete against during training and the race, it will be interesting to see Mitch's style and strategy. Can this be a year for Mitch to hit a fourth win? I'm hoping if Jeff can't take it that Mitch can.

Nicolas Petit - The only races this guy hasn't won this season are the ones he didn't enter. Petit is hungry. He came in a controversial third place in last year's race (minutes behind Dallas Seavey who accidentally left his vet book at a previous checkpoint, but Nic brought it to the finish and allowed Dallas to stay in the race). I do not expect for Petit to accept anything but first, this could mean that he makes some risky decisions (risky race wise, not life threatening). I expect him to push his team hard, they've trained and raced that way for several years now. Petit will rise or he will fall hard. There doesn't seem to be an in between.

Pete Kaiser - Pete just won yet another Kusko 300. They had some issues with trail this year with warmer temps keeping a lot of the race from the river. From the sound of things, the race on the coast for Iditarod will be very similar. Kaiser is a solid team, and last year came 9th. He's always in the conversation, as he should be. He knows what it takes to win, he just has to put his team in a position to make a move.

Travis Beals - I have been sitting here for a few hours trying to decide if Travis should be on this list or if I should go with a Redington. I'm still not sure I chose correctly, but Travis does seem to have a strong team this year. Beals had to take some time off from Iditarod after he was banned from the race for domestic violence "issues" that he had to work through. Beals followed court orders, and jumped through all of the hoops, which satisfied the race officials to allow him to participate in this year's race. Travis comes from solid family tradition in mushing and turned heads early on his career (hence his kennel's name "Turning Heads"). Travis did not take time off from training dogs while satisfying court requirements, and I expect him to have a good showing in this year's race.

Wade Marrs - He set the pace last year and man, he almost had it. It was exciting to watch Wade race against the Seavey's with their own game! He's no doubt learned a lot from that and I expect him to not make the same "mistakes" twice. He's also had a really nice racing and training season, and seems very confident. Where he might have had some distraction was having to be the face and spokesperson for the Iditarod Finisher's Club in regards to the Doping ruling on Dallas Seavey and what all that drama entailed. In a week he'll be able to let go of distraction and just mush. He'll be pushing.




Honorable Mentions:

Gonna go with Ray Redington Jr on this one, he placed very well last year (in the top ten) and has been very hot on the racing circuit this season. I'll also give Ramey Smyth another chance, he should always be in the conversation. He was in my top 10 last season and came in 12th. Not bad.


Which mushers do YOU have in YOUR top 10? Who are you cheering for? Agree/Disagree with my picks? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and check back as I continue to blog about the 45th running of the Last Great Race!

Mushing News Weekly Round Up (Dec 29)

Happy last weekend of 2017! I don't know about you, but I'm thankful that this year is coming to a close and I just pray that 2018 doesn't try to out do 2017 in the "what on earth is going on?!" department. Some days felt like the world was burning. I'm sure each generation has had this sort of feeling, but I'm not a fan of having my turn. But, I digress, this is not a blog post to whine about the past year. We're here for mushing news and fun posts, and that's what I'm here to do.


I'm trying very hard to not just share stuff from the Seavey pages, but how can I pass up this story shared on Christmas Eve? Wishing the best for Magnus, and I know Patrick will give him a very happy life.

The Northern Lights 300 has been cancelled due to the short entry list. Thirteen names were on the roster when the decision was made. The cost could not be made with so few entry fees, so the decision was announced over the weekend. The 150 could still go on with a few more entries, and that decision will be made at a later date.

Newer race the White Mountains Dogsled Race is also cancelled due to poor trail conditions. Open water and lack of snow make the race a no go. Race administration took to facebook earlier this week to make the announcement.

On December 16th it was reported that the Knik 200 was looking at possibly cancelling the 2018 race due to lack of good gold weather. A recent cold snap that brought a bit of snow along with it has apparently saved the Iditarod qualifier for the 2018 season. They will have to move the race's start and finish, but they're a definite go.

Wade Marrs just updated with an end of year, end of phase 1 of seasonal training post. It will be interesting to see his race strategy come Iditarod - especially with Dallas Seavey out of the mix.

The Two Rivers Dog Mushers Association held their Solstice 50 race on Saturday. A lot of familiar names with race fans entered the event and it looks like it was a pretty solid race. Another good opening race for teams to get their legs underneath them.

Iditarod Roster Set for 2018

The sun shines on the Iditarod Finish Line, March 2017.

With the deadline to enter ending today, the Iditarod roster is officially set. There could still be a few names added so long as their applications are postmarked prior to the deadline - or special circumstances where veteran mushers can sign up past the deadline as what happened in 2017. As it stands, 69 teams will run the trail to Nome in March with four past champions in the mix. Five previous champions signed up originally, but four-time champion Dallas Seavey announced in October he would not run in the 2018 Iditarod. Seavey's father, three-time and reigning Iditarod Champion, Mitch Seavey still plans to run this coming March. Four-time Champions Martin Buser and Jeff King, and 2011 Iditarod Champion John Baker also plan to run.

Sixteen rookies are set to run the 46th running of the Last Great Race, leaving a large list of 53 veterans. Familiar names and fan favorites dot the list including late entries of Hugh Neff, and previously retired-from-Iditarod Kelly Maixner. Wade Marrs, who took a commanding lead for much of last year's Iditarod, is once again looking to set the pace. Aliy Zirkle and Jessie Royer are looking to be that first woman champion in over 2 decades to win, as DeeDee Jonrowe looks to make 2018 her Swan Song.

Other happy returns on the list include fan favorite Rob Cooke, Seward musher Travis Beals, and Army Veteran Steve Watkins. Watkins last run to Nome was in 2014, and he then went on to attempt to climb Mt Everest only to be caught in the major Earthquake while at basecamp! Apparently when not planning to run the Iditarod this year, he's been running for US Congress! It takes all kinds to create this one of a kind monster of a race.

While things looked a little bleak a month and a half ago, it seems a lot of frustration and anger has died down and most mushers who were backing Dallas are now content to run the race. Dallas Seavey, on the other hand, was true to his word that he would not run the race, and has instead opted to run a prestigious race in Finnmark. The race takes place the same week as the Iditarod, and other well known Alaskan mushers have participated in the past. Lance Mackey ran it a year ago and reportedly did well, and Hugh Neff has also visited the race in the past.

Also remaining off the roster is Paul Gebhardt. Gebhardt announced last month that he would not be racing this season as he is currently battling cancer. Gebhardt once again took to social media this morning to report that due to his ability to not have to take a week off in between cancer treatments, the dates have been moved up for when he will head down to Seattle for his stem cell transplant. Paul and his daughter will be in Seattle for a month after his treatment to be sure everything takes and that he is safer from infection and illness. They will essentially be in quarantine for 6 weeks. Paul will travel, now, at the end of December. The GoFundMe page is still up and accepting donations, it sits roughly around 50% of their overall goal.

Also on the Iditarod Trail Committee's plate, are plans to revamp the dog care requirements for mushers and their kennels. The Anchorage Daily News reported tonight that come 2019 there will be a "Best Dog Care" rule. The ITC says this is not a response to any accusation or misconduct, that it's been in the works for a long time and they are finally ready to move forward with implementation. This will most likely affect the newer kennels more than well established and successful kennels. This should come as no surprise as to be successful in this sport, dogs must come first at all times, not just when the cameras are on.


Who are you most excited to see on this year's roster? Tell me in the comments below!

My experience with Team Seavey

2007 Wildride, retired Iditarod Champions Angus and Zebra
pull Alaskan Malamute rescue Buddy out of the Arena.

Guys, I'm having a hard time remaining silent. For over a month I've watched a friend and former employer go through some pretty crappy things, and for the most part he's handled it with far more grace and dignity than I ever could. But, in the last couple of weeks, a couple of blowhards looking for - I guess - a little more limelight decided to jump on the hate train and come out with some pretty ugly allegations of their own. I won't link to their writings, because I feel that any more hits to their site is exactly what they want... and she who must not be named demanded over two years ago that I not use her name on my blog. So I won't. But if you're reading this blog post, my guess is you know who and what I'm talking about.

I met Dallas Seavey in the spring of 2007. He was starting a new attraction in Downtown Anchorage and was hiring folks to work in his gift shop. I ended up landing a "bigger" role than "just" gift shop girl. I ran the soundboard for his outdoor arena where he and his [then] fiance and a few other mushers showcased the power of the sled dog. I worked for them for four summers straight. It was probably the most fun I have EVER had with a job - and that's including my being a professional photographer. I'm not exaggerating for anyone. You can pretty much ask anyone who knows me - I talk about Wildride, still, after 10 years. I LOVED that job. I LOVED being around dogs and puppies all day. I LOVE the people I got to work with.

After I moved back to the Kenai in 2011, I figured I was done working for the team in any sort of capacity. I didn't even make it up to see the show in its final year, I was so busy trying to make ends meet. It was a very lonely time. I missed being part in some way of a sled dog team. How weird is that? I was never a dog handler. I still can't tell you the more intimate details of training, feeding, etc. But I loved being a part of the bigger picture. It wasn't long, though, before Team Seavey came calling again.

I worked for Mitch Seavey for another three years. Again, not in any dog handling position, but the daily office work that comes with running a touring business as well as social media for an active racing kennel. Again, I had a blast and learned so much and I'll always be grateful. But this was where I became increasingly aware of the ugliness of mushing. Don't think this is going to be a blog post supporting the allegations being lobbied at both Dallas and Mitch, far from it. I'm talking the ugly, untrue, and disgusting thing said by the likes of PeTA and other "Animal Rights" organizations against the Iditarod and the sport itself. One group used to have a "head hunter" list of mushers who needed to be "dealt with". Their photos from the Iditarod Website were placed on wanted posters. It was crazy. But the real kicker was when "fellow mushers" (term used loosely) decided to go after the team that was on top.

My first encounter with Mitch was my first week of work with Dallas back in 2007. That was the year that the Ramy Brooks "incident" happened during Iditarod. The decision had just come down from the Iditarod that Brooks would be banned from the race for 2 years, and following that would have a 3 year probation. As a fan of the sport, I felt the sentence was too light (still do), and for some reason when I met Mitch it was a burning question in my head that I had to ask. What did he think? I woke the bear with that question. Mitch has a way with words. Many find him standoffish with not a lot to say, but I think he just likes to choose his words carefully. One of the many things I admire about Mitch is how he presents himself, and how he speaks. I could listen to him talk shop for hours (which I've been chastised by his wife at different functions where the last thing she wants to hear is more dog talk).

Mitch let it be known than hitting/spanking/beating a dog was the most asinine way to try to get a dog to run. Key word is "try". You cannot beat a dog to run. That was a point he stated repeatedly in his - what felt like eternal - rant. Nothing good comes from losing your temper and taking it out on your team. The dogs' first instinct is to curl up and protect itself by shutting down and hoping it stops. They do  not understand what they are doing "wrong". Sled dogs are out there to have fun. Period. If it isn't fun, they stop. It is a delicate balance of how much you can push and for how long before they pull a Forrest Gump, stop, turn around and say, "I'm pretty tired. I think I'll go home now" in the middle of no where. It's a mantra that Mitch has held on to I'm sure his entire racing career.

It's why his kids and fans sometimes get frustrated with him because he typically plays it a little "too safe" and holds his dogs back and makes the push too late. You don't want the race to ever become a chore for the dogs. When it does, it's not pretty. Most mushers eventually take it in stride and hang their head low knowing they - not the dogs - did something wrong. They forgot for a second about the dogs need to have fun, and they focused on the placement. Or they were just having so much fun themselves going at a nice clip that they didn't see the subtle warning signs.

Please note: this is what I took away from Mitch's statements over the years, I in no way speak for him.

You can see how my first year working for Dallas & Mitch shaped my outlook on the sport. The Seaveys have been a part of the Iditarod since the beginning. Since before the beginning. Dan Seavey (possibly one of the greatest human beings to ever breathe air) was one of the friends helping Joe Redington get his crazy idea of a race started. He's raced it. He's defended it. He's watched a son and a grandson both win it. Iditarod's a big deal in their family. Their involvement is due to Dan following a childhood dream to Alaska and staying here to see it through.

Just 77 miles

Mitch Seavey at the Ceremonial Start in Anchorage, Ak. March 4, 2017

Mitch Seavey pulled the snow hook at 7:36am after his mandatory 8 hour rest in White Mountain. From there it's a mere 77 miles to the finish. If he keeps his pace what it's been this entire race he will be in sometime after 4pm, crushing his son Dallas's record for fastest time. It's just 77 miles until "Seavey the Elder" wins his third Iditarod championship. Just 77 miles.

But don't declare him the winner just yet. While it looks like it will take an act of God for any team to overtake him, it's happened before. Many times. Susan Butcher in 1991 lost her chance to win when a storm blew in - Rick Swenson kept going and won. In 2014 an insane windstorm caused Jeff King (who had such a lead over the rest there was "no way" he wasn't going to win) to scratch, and Aliy Zirkle to hunker down in Safety while Dallas Seavey pushed through to win. Today's forecast shows no sign of anything like that happening this time around, but it's Alaska. Weather is sometime unpredictable.

It's just 77 miles. Mitch and his team of 11 superstar dogs will run to the final checkpoint of Safety where he will put his bib over his parka, call up his dogs, and make the short jaunt to Nome. He'll have to climb one final mountain (which in normal years would be more like a hill compared to what they ran through, but this year is the biggest one). He's run along the coast until he pops over the seawall and runs down Front Street. He will stop to snack his dogs along the way. He will give them all a quick rub down and a bunch of "good boys!" as they munch on their snacks and hydrate.

There will be no more resting on the trail. Aside from the stops to snack and water the dogs, they're just going to run. It's just 77 miles, and then their race is done. They'll get all the rest they could ever want after they run under the burled arch. Their musher will also get the rest his body so desperately needs. The dogs have been pampered this past week, the musher not so much.

Dallas Seavey just left White Mountain with a 13 minute head start on Nicolas Petit. It's hard to imagine either will run down Mitch's team. It's possible, we know that, but it's highly unlikely. It's just 77 miles, and Mitch has an hour lead on them. It's just 77 miles before Mitch Seavey gets to stop racing and just admire what his team accomplished. It's just the 77 miles this team of dogs has trained for all year.

It's just 77 miles until someone, most likely Mitch Seavey, wins Iditarod 45.

Mitch Seavey running to Huslia

Mitch Seavey at the Tustumena 200
January 29, 2017

It's not normal. Nothing about this race seems to be normal. It's odd to think that three days in everyone is on the Yukon. It's odd to see certain teams run a conservative race, while others break with tradition and head off down the trail. It's odd that we're even on the route we're on.

Now we're seeing Mitch play rabbit and head to Huslia ahead of the other front runners. At this moment he is still the only team out of Galena. Seavey is normally not the team being chased this early in the race. Past Iditarods Mitch has stayed with the pack, but never wanted to jump out in lead. However, Mitch is a man with a plan and he revealed he'd planned to take his 24 in Huslia, and that his team had given no indication that they needed to alter that plan. So now he's half way there and the rest of the teams are sitting in Ruby and Galena taking at least one of their mandatory rests. Just took a gander and Mitch is now resting on the trail, guess that answers if he took straw or not.

Meanwhile Wade Marrs is hanging out in Ruby taking his 24. He led the way into the checkpoint last night and his team looked peppy and strong. Wade had insiders scratching their heads as he was doing long runs on what is considered short rest. It didn't seem to affect his team too terribly, and now he's looking at charging up the trail and chasing the leaders just before 7pm Alaska time. Dallas will follow nearly an hour behind. Then it's onto Galena before they head to Huslia.

It's taking me too long to write up this blog post - both Michelle Phillips and Jessie Royer are now headed for Huslia as well. Michelle, you will remember, won the Yukon Quest 300 beating out Aliy Zirkle. Jessie Royer was on fire on this trail two years ago.

Dallas told insider that he's a little concerned that Ruby is too early to take his 24 - Mitch took it in Ruby in 2015 and lamented the rest of the race that he'd made a mistake - but Dallas seems to think this is best for his dogs. He is planning to drop two dogs (that means leave them in the good hands of the volunteers and vets in the checkpoint so they can be flown home), but that he may drop a third who has "questionable stool". This is concerning, we don't normally hear Dallas worry about his team (ever, but certainly not this early in the race). I wondered last night when he declared his 24 if there might be "trouble". It could be I'm just reading into things, but something just seems off, but as always Dallas isn't giving anything away.

With everyone taking their 8s and 24s, it's a good time to get other things done. I'm home sick with a cold (I know, right before I head to Nome!) but I do need to do a bit of packing to feel prepared for my first time at the finish! Just a couple more days since I head out! Yikes!

First to the Yukon!

Nicolas Petit at the finish of the
Tustumena 200. January 29, 2017

Just over 32 hours into the race, we have the First to the Yukon award winner - Nicolas Petit of Girdwood ran his team into the checkpoint of Tanana at 6:44pm. Several other teams have followed, including Martin Buser, with Mackey and the elder Seavey unofficially also into the checkpoint. As part of the "winnings" for the First to the Yukon, Petit will reportedly dine on King Crab, clams, shrimp, smoked duck, lamb chops, mango sorbet & Dom Perignon. Hopefully the musher isn't allergic to anything.

Further down in the race, there are plenty of teams just miles from the the Yukon. It's about -15 below tonight, but it looks like for the next few days the cold will pass and while still not the balmy temps they're more used to in the first couple of days of Iditarod racing, it's closer to it than what it's been the last 30+ hours. (Seriously, -35 at the start?! Who does that?!)

There are only 3 teams who haven't made it to Manley Hot Springs. Ellen Halverson is not the current red lantern so if she keeps up her pace and can keep the other two at bay (and they aren't DQed/Withdrawn) she should finish this year.

So where do the teams go from here? This is where the strategies will begin to take shape. The Yukon trip is broken up on the Fairbanks route when it detours further north to the Mushing equivilent of the Holy Land known as the village of Huslia. We saw the run from Tanana to Huslia (yes there are checkpoints in there, but I'm just talking this section) really separate the teams. Strategies blew to pieces, others allowed themselves to second guess and they lost just enough ground. In 2015 the Huslia trail was completely new. Not used in 2003. This time it's fresh in the memories of most of the front runners. They've got their plans in place. They know what they did wrong and what they did right last time.

It's still far too soon to tell who will win (if we're lucky we'll see the winner a week from tonight), it's still too soon to predict the winning strategy, but we're starting to see statements made. Will it be another "perfect schedule" from the teams like the Seaveys, where a monster is built and released at the opportune moment? Or will we see a more throwback winner in someone like Nicolas Petit who makes it up as they go along? Waiting in the wings and making sure they aren't forgotten are King, Buser, and Zirkle. Familiar names - two, like Dallas, are gunning for the fifth title... the other trying desperately not to be runner up yet again.

Most teams will bed down for 6 hours or so. Get some sleep. It'll probably be the last day before the 24s that we can sleep and not miss something important.



*since starting typing this blog, the top 10 are all into (or just about into) Tanana*

How much do the first days matter on Iditarod?

Ray Redington Jr's dogs at the Ceremonial
Start of Iditarod 45. March 4, 2017

You'll hear it often: the REAL race doesn't start until after the front runners take their 24s. The REAL race doesn't start until they hit the Coast. So if it doesn't start until then, what can fans learn from the start of the race? Is it important at all in deciphering how the teams will shake out when all is said and done?

While it is WAY too early to tell who is going to win in the first 24 hours of the race, you can begin to gauge what teams are ready and have their routines down. You can also drive yourself crazy wanting to know what's happening in between checkpoints and refreshing the tracker. Slow down, take a breath. There's still 7 or so days of race to go before it becomes a nail biter. 

The teams have made it through the first checkpoint of Nenana. The only Iditarod checkpoint on "the road system" it's different than any of the others as it's easily accessible to everyone. This is the only checkpoint teams can get help from family and handlers. Last time the race came through here it was disorganized and chaotic, they got it right this time, though. No sleds backed into by dog trucks. 

Trail reports from teams coming in all agreed on one thing - the trail was better than what they thought it would be. Deep, punchy snow for the later teams seemed to be the theme of the reports, which is not surprising. The further back one is this early in the race, the more chewed up the trail becomes. The first day of racing mushers ride the brake which means a once packed trail can become just deep nasty snow by the time 30 or so teams churn it up. That means another 40 or so teams are essentially breaking trail all the while churning it up for the next team because of the brake.

An interesting note is that the Seaveys are leading the race early. Like Martin Buser, they've headed out ahead of the rest and are not taking it easy like in years past. A lot of theories go into the reasoning. Anything from it being a River trail this year so the running is a little less taxing than running up and over mountains like the traditional route would be. My theory is they planned to get out ahead of teams because of the reports of a lot of snow on the trail. Trail breakers go ahead of the race to lay down a trail using snow machines (on the traditional route most of this is done by the Iron Dog). The trail wouldn't be very nice once 30 or so teams went over it, my guess is they'd rather churn up the trail than run in it.

The most attention has gone to Dallas Seavey's new carbon fiber and kevlar sled bag. It looks like one of those old fashioned Olympic Bobsleds. I'm waiting for the 1988 Jamaican Bobsled team to pop out of it. Most fans have said they don't like where the race is headed if this is the direction he's taking it. It remains to be seen if this sled gives him any advantage. Dallas needed a way to carry dogs and rest them (another strategy some fans are complaining about) and this is what he's come up with. There's no mistaking it's not your average sled. It makes enough noise to scare even the most seasoned moose away that's for sure. There's no way he can play a successful cat and mouse game with that racket. 

Also leading the pack in the first day of the race are Martin Buser, Nicolas Petit, and Wade Marrs. Not overly surprising. Not overly troubling. It's the first day. The race won't really start for another 4.

Iditarod 45: My Top Ten

It's that time again, time for me to pretend I know what I'm talking about and choose the top 10 teams that I think have a shot of winning. I'm going to try and keep it alphabetical again. These choices are strictly my own, I had no outside influence or help. I rarely choose the correct top ten, but have come pretty close.

Aliy Zirkle - She's been knocking at the door for the last few years, and we won't count last year against her. Aliy went through an ordeal that no one should have to go through, and if you aren't cheering for her this year I don't know what your problem is. Aliy's running her kennel's A team once again, and they just came in third on the Yukon Quest (driven by her husband Allen Moore). Zirkle's team looks strong, but she will once again be the weaker link of the team. One has to wonder about her mental toughness returning to the race that nearly cost her everything last year. Perhaps the reroute will be a blessing in disguise for the SPKennel leader.

Dallas Seavey - He broke Rick Swenson's record of being the youngest musher to win the Iditarod. He holds the record for fastest finish. If Dallas wins this year he TIES both Lance Mackey's 4 consecutive wins, AND Rick Swenson's five wins. However, Swenson hit that record in the early 90s, and there have been four 4-time champions since then that can't seem to break that fifth win. Dallas has youth and health on his side, and many armchair mushers pretty much have him winning without even starting the race. I'd actually be very surprised to see him win this year. There's something about that fifth win that is just so illusive. However, if anyone was to crack it, it'd be Dallas. He doesn't seem to believe in pressure.

Jeff King - Speaking of four timers trying to crack into that fifth win... King last won in 2006, but it wasn't from lack of trying. Jeff has come close many times to winning his fifth title. Had it not been for a freak windstorm that blew his team off course and became so violent King had to flag down help so that he could get his team to the safety of the checkpoint of Safety, he'd have won his fifth title in 2014 (Dallas won that one). King was poised to take control of the race last year before his team was viciously attacked by a drunk on a snowmachine. Jeff continued and finished the race, but momentum was lost and a win was out of reach (he did manage to stay in the top 10, however). Hopefully he can tear himself away from posting about how much he can't stand Trump to have another great run on Iditarod.

Jessie Royer - If Royer's not in your top ten, then you haven't been paying attention. The Montana-ite is eating up a lot of trail and gaining on the top contenders consistently year after year. Don't let the hiccup of 15th place last year fool you; Jessie is going to be in the mix. The last time the teams ran this trail (just two years ago) she came in 4th. She had some of the strongest, fastest runs in the Yukon Quest (though she was not the top woman finisher). She's learned tricks from a 4-time Iditarod Champion. Should she pull off a win, it'd be an upset, but she'd also become the first non-Alaskan woman to win. She's got the goods, she could pull it off.

Joar Leifseth Ulsom - Someone tell this dude that life is not a photoshoot! Doesn't matter what angle or who's shooting, chances are you get a nearly GQ photo of this guy on the back of his sled. But he's not just some wannabe pretty boy, he's got the goods. He has quickly made himself known on the Alaska mushing scene. He's serious about his dogs, and he seems to have it all together. His team looked strong in the races he's run this season, and he's consistently improving his standings. He was 6th last year, I expect he'll make a run to get a higher placement this year.

Mitch Seavey - "Da Man" Seavey. His motto is "just mush". When talking with Mitch all you'll ever get is "I'm just going to mush my dogs and see where we end up." That's like hearing a figure skater say "I'm just want to skate my best." It's a PR phrase. It's quoteable. And should the chips fall and you aren't first, well, at least you don't have to eat your words. That being said - do not let him fool you. Mitch is every bit as competitive as his son. He doesn't sit back and "let" anyone beat him. He does run his dogs to the best of THEIR ability, but they only get to the level they are because he is competitive in training and dog care. He's come in second to Dallas twice. He's won this thing twice. 2015 he was on a trail he was unfamiliar with. He knows it now. I don't expect him to not make that push to the front at the right time.

Nicolas Petit - Nicolas has run an aggressive race season this year. He's been aggressive in his race strategy. He nearly won the Tustumena 200, and had control of the Copper River Basin for most of the race before his dogs just had enough of breaking trail. I don't expect him to treat the Iditarod any differently. The question will be, will he push too fast and too hard too soon. He's done that in the past where his race looks very good only to have his team slow far too soon. Teams catch up and pass him. Nicolas seems to genuinely cares for his team, however, so they have yet to truly quit on him. They trust him. He trusts them. If they can make it come together, he can give those multi-champions a run for their money.

Pete Kaiser - He's a three time Kusko Champion. He's got a solid list of race stats. His team does better with wind and cold than those who have been in the warmer temps of South Central. Fans have been waiting to see Pete take a run at the championship for a while now. He has the goods to do it, he just has to make that magic happen. The Kusko is a tough race, Iditarod's just longer.

Ramey Smyth - He's back! After playing Mr. Mom while his wife could run the race, this year Smyth is once again driving the family team to Nome. The Smyth teams are known for their speed, especially in the last leg of the race. In 2012 when Ramey came in third he came out of no where to get there. I was working for the Seavey's then and the family was on their way to Nome when he made his move. I get a call from Dallas' family to ask how the GPS was looking and I said Ramey'd made a move and was gaining. Dead silence on the other end of the line. That's how dangerous a Smyth is to your race. Smyth's brother Cim just won the Tustumena 200 last month doing the same thing. Waiting for that opportune moment. You can't not have a Smyth on your list. They're just too dangerous to forget.

Wade Marrs - Who doesn't love Wade? I mean really! He's another younger musher who has consistently improved over his career. Some "experts" have said this is his year to make a move. Some have even said he's the only one with a real chance to out Dallas, Dallas. I don't know about all that, but he is doing a bang up job of getting attention with his team and driving ability. He's one of my dark horses as I'm just not convinced it's his time just yet, but anything is possible. Anything, especially when one considers the Fairbanks trail is a more equal playing field as no one really has the advantage of having run it over and over and over again learning every bump and turn.



Honorable Mentions:

I nearly put Noah Burmeister on my list, and honestly he probably should be on my top 10. He's another one of those mushers who just knows how to kick it into gear, plus he's got a great family history in this race.

Scott Smith is another musher that's on the rise. He's gained ground in the last couple of years. He cracked the top 10 last year. It will be interesting to see how he does this year. He's another one to watch. It's exciting to see names I don't automatically recognize come to the forefront. Makes me feel like this race is alive and well. Which seeing as how it's the 45th run of the race, that's a good feeling.


Hopefully I get to see all of these faces and more while I'm in Nome!

Which mushers do YOU have in YOUR top 10? Who are you cheering for? Agree/Disagree with my picks? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and check back as I continue to blog about the 45th running of the Last Great Race!

Snowy finish of the Tustumena 200

A snow storm blew in as the leaders headed out of the Hills and towards the finish line. By the time Cim Smyth pulled in to win, the snow was coming down hard - and got even heavier by the time Nicolas Petit came in a few minutes later. Crazy stuff, made for some great photos, though!

More under the cut!

What a T200 Checkpoint looks like

Okay, I might as well just post the rest of the photos while I'm on my blog, right? These are just highlights. I took far more photos than I want to post here (because I just don't want to bog down the bandwidth). You can view all of them (and then some) on my galleries page ( click here ).

Freddie's Roadhouse is located in the heart of the Caribou Hills (outside of Ninilchik, Alaska). The hills are where the snowmachine (snowmobile for you outsiders) enthusiasts congregate all winter long. The Roadhouse feeds and houses many of these folks. It's central in the trail systems. This includes the mushing trails, and so it's the first and last checkpoint during the race. Good food, warm hospitality, just a great place to meet up and watch the dogs come in.

Mt Redoubt was huge and very visible from Freddies.

Iliamna was also very visible.

More under the cut!

More T200 photos

I apologize to the few readers of this blog who thought I'd have more content by this point in the year. I thought I would, too. I just can't seem to have enough brain power left after an 8 hour work day to sit down and focus on writing blog posts. SO much has happened in different races across the state, and I had all of these plans to at least comment with my own view of happenings. It just hasn't materialized. I was excited about the Quest and then I ended up sick, so I didn't blog (or do anything) last week.

To make up for it, I'm going to share a few more of my photos from the Tustumena 200 run back in January. I shared photos of the Vet Check last time, so this time let's go with the start of the race, shall we? I spent a lot of time photographing the dogs this time around. And, yes, there's once again a LOT of Seavey photos. I can't help myself.

More under the cut!