Dallas Seavey: "Please do not drink and drive this weekend"

Note: This story has details of massive injuries to dogs, dog death, and human trauma. 

Dallas Seavey at the restart of Iditarod 51. Seavey
released a statement today about a fatal incident
involving one of his dog teams and a snow machine
allegedly driven by a drunk driver on Saturday.

A trooper report spotted on Sunday morning reported a snowmachine accident involving a sled dog team outside of Cantwell, Alaska around 8:30pm on November 18. The dispatch gave little detail as to the event or the condition of those involved. All that was known was that no charges had been filed and the investigation was ongoing. Many within the mushing community and fandom alike wondered who it could be, and those in the know remained silent waiting for an official statement.

Wednesday morning, Dallas Seavey made a statement via his social media page indicating that a team from his kennel was the one involved. Handler Josiah and a team of nine Dallas Seavey Racing Kennel dogs were hit head on by a snow machine driven by someone who appeared heavily intoxicated. One dog died instantly, another succumbed to injuries an hour or so later. Three remain in critical condition. Seavey reported that four of the dogs as well as the musher, handler Josiah, had minor injuries.

"Josiah’s team was hit by a snowmachine traveling ~65mph in the opposite direction," Seavey wrote. "Of the nine dogs in the team one was killed instantly, one had several broken legs and died within an hour, three had compound fractures or limbs nearly amputated by the impact, and the remaining four had minor injuries (by comparison)."

Seavey detailed the injuries of the three dogs in critical condition. Two have already had surgery, one to amputate a leg, the other dog to hopefully save a leg. The third dog is so critical due to fluid on the lungs that they cannot operate on this time, but the dog needs to have its leg amputated as well. Seavey believes all three dogs will never run in harness again - even if the one's leg can be saved. 

Dallas Seavey closed his statement with a plea ahead of a holiday many over imbibe during - "Please do not drink and drive this weekend," he wrote. "And remember, there are other users on the trails."

This could have had an even more tragic story as not just dogs but humans were hit by a snow machine going 65-70 miles per hour. Josiah was thrown from the dogsled but still managed to tend to dogs as they bled. Had it not been for the fact that he was traveling with two other experienced dog mushers (Dallas ahead of him by at least half an hour, Isaac behind him) we may have had a very different outcome for most of the dog team. 

This evening Dallas Seavey was interviewed by Anchorage Television station and NBC affiliate, KTUU's Mike Ross. While the broadcasts shared snippets from that interview, Ross shared the interview in its entirety on his Facebook page after the broadcasts. WARNING: Dallas goes into great detail of the incident as he knows it, as well as the sometimes graphic detail of the carnage he found when he came to Josiah's aid. He mentions the help of fellow musher Paige Drobny (Squid Acres) to get him to the crash site. It's about 20 minutes long and it is a HEAVY listen. 

Neff speaks to fans about Iditarod decision

Never one to let things go, Hugh Neff hasn't stayed quiet after he announced yesterday the Iditarod Review Board denied his application for the 2023 race. The former Yukon Quest Champion posted more details to his Facebook account citing how he and Jim Lanier knew that Iditarod would not let him run months ago. Neff planned to run dogs from Lanier's kennel again this year, and used their win in the Kobuk 440 as proof that his "forced scratch" from Iditarod 2022 was a farce. 

To hear Hugh's side of things is to hear one conspiracy after the other for the last decade or so. The Quest was out to get him. The Iditarod was out to get him (and in one race he suggested that Iditarod wanted to kill him when they wouldn't send a rescue team out in the middle of a storm out onto the Norton Sound to find the wayward musher). Different mushing clubs/associations who chose to deny him membership due to the Quest's decision to bar him from the 2019 race because of his dog's death in 2018 was found to be caused by musher negligence. So then the vet teams of races were out to get him. Mark Nordman, the musher's hinted, dislikes him and is jealous of him. And don't get him started on all of those fake mushers with tv deals (Seavey? Redington? Holmes?) he's following in the traditions of Alaska and real mushers whereas they're just about money. 

Neff's statement last night cited mushers by description and not name siding with him, stating they won't speak publicly for fear of retribution. In an odd sort of twist it seems Neff is trying to take a few pages out of Dallas Seavey's book after Seavey had to deal with the fall out of the Musher X scandal, with a big difference being mushers spoke out publicly for the musher. Even rivals who had not great things to say about the youngest Iditarod Champion wrote letters of support for Dallas. So far, if Hugh does have supporters in the community, they aren't coming forward.

In his statement on facebook the musher promised he is not going anywhere and plans to continue mushing in "Alaska's Greatland". A quick scan of mid distance race rosters does not show Hugh with any future races lined up.

Neff denied Iditarod entry

Hugh Neff navigates a turn in
Anchorage during the ceremonial 
start of Iditarod 50. March 6, 2022.

In a series of Facebook posts Friday night, Yukon Quest Champion Hugh Neff reported that his Iditarod Registration was rejected by the Race Board. The musher did not mince words and hinted at conspiracy against him as well as the kennel he plans to runs dogs out of - Jim Lanier's Northern Whites Kennel.

All entries for the Iditarod are reviewed by a committee which determines if a team meets the requirements - regardless of past experience on the trail. These decisions are not typically made public by the race other than approvals being posted to the roster. The committee takes in consideration kennel conditions, current races, as well as past Iditarods (when applicable).

Neff has had a string of concerns in the last few years stemming from the Yukon Quest barring him from racing the thousand mile race until he could requalify after they found him negligent in the death of his dog Boppy in the 2018 race. Other races, including Iditarod, followed suit in denying Hugh's entries in the 2019 season. 

Neff ran in the 2022 Iditarod but had to scratch in Ruby due to concern for his dogs. Controversy surrounded his scratch as the musher and the race differ on what happened with Neff accusing Mark Nordman of having a vendetta against him. 

This is a developing story.

Lance Mackey gives update on health

The mushing community and fandom heard from one of its greatest legends this past weekend when four-time Iditarod and Yukon Quest champion Lance Mackey spoke with Iditarod Insider's Greg Heister to give an update on the former champion's health. You may remember last year Mackey announced that his cancer had returned, but that didn't seem to slow Mackey down. Lance leased/sold his team to give the dogs a chance to run throughout the winter, and then focused on his health, family, and car racing. 

Fans didn't hear much from the musher himself, though every once in a while a friend posted pictures hanging out with the larger than life personality. Still, not much was being shared outside of his circle and as the mushing season of 2022 got underway many let it slip their mind that Lance was in another fight for his life. 

Rumblings of Lance's condition started to circulate in June as fans gathered at the Iditarod picnic. Whispers saying that Lance was "not doing well" was the worry no one seemed to want to say too loudly for fear of making it true. But true it seems to be as Lance Mackey would tell Greg Heister on August 4, 2022 that he'd been taken to first the MatSu Regional Hospital in Wasilla before being transferred to Providence Hospital in Anchorage right after Memorial Day weekend. 

By the end of June through the first part of August Mackey reported he had been in "hospitals or hospital like environments" sharing that when he wasn't in the hospital he was essentially bed ridden. While the two original "dark shadows" from his original diagnosis have been "taken care of" and are "gone," "other issues" have come up and "progressed rapidly." Lance also confessed that he does not want to know what his prognosis is, and that he feels like he has a lot of life left. He's on oxygen but says he can still walk - though he isn't getting around much right now - and says that he's lost at least thirty pounds and is "a rack of bones."

"I'm not scared of nothin'," Mackey told Heister, "It is what it is, and I ain't any more important than the rest of the people on this planet. When it's my stop, I'll get off the bus." He continued, "I'm more scared for my kids, you know, they've been a little traumatized," referring to the loss of their mother in 2020. Mackey's youngest son and daughter are staying with family while their dad is in the hospital. He's kept them away from most doctor visits, and they've only seen him a couple of times in the hospital. With their being so young he doesn't want them to be scared, and he doesn't want only negative feelings to be associated with doctors and hospitals. 

"It sucks, man, it sucks. I ain't gonna lie to you, it hurts, and it's a little bit emotional. But, it's reality, and you can't change that, ya know."

The interview runs just over 13 minutes with Heister, and the Iditarod chose to share the interview audio in full on their facebook page. You can listen to the full interview here.

After the interview was released, Lance Mackey took to his facebook page to share a condensed update saying much of the same as what the interview shared. 

When asked by Greg Heister if Lance had anything he wished to relay to his fans, Mackey spent a good deal of time apologizing for his "letting his supporters down" after 2020 when he tested positive for meth at the conclusion of the 2020 Iditarod. Lance acknowledged this was the first time he really had time to speak on it as he went from "the embarrassment" to going into rehab on the East Coast, to coming home and losing his partner-the mother of his children-Jenne. From there he was diagnosed with the return of his cancer. He hasn't fully spoken out about how sorry he was for letting everyone down.

Knowing Lances supportive fanbase, however, he need not worry about apologizing. Most who have followed his career know that he's been dealt a far crappier hand than most and they continue to encourage and pull for the king of comebacks. 

The entire mushing community is joining in pulling for Lance to make yet another comeback. 

Yukon Board responds to Alaskan Board's 2023 Quest Press Release

Yesterday a press release was issued that caused a stir in the long-distance mushing community when the Alaskan Board of Directors for the Yukon Quest announced that the race as we have come to know it is no more. As with most splits, the reasons are all he said she said, but the reason given last night was that the Yukon Board "would not budge" on their proposed rule changes. Now that board is coming out saying that's simply not the case. You can read the Anchorage Daily News article shared last night here. Below is the statement posted on Facebook today by Yukon Board President Susan Rogan:

The Yukon board became aware of this Alaskan board press release this morning when our ED received a phone call from the Fairbanks News Miner. They were gracious enough to send us a copy so we could discuss the contents of it for their news article. The press release was created and sent out unilaterally by the Alaskan Board and ED with zero knowledge of it or involvement on behalf of the Yukon board. 

There is a false statement that needs to be dealt. That being that the Yukon Board refuses to have a race without significant changes. In fact, the Yukon Board agreed to support a 1000 mile Yukon Quest International Race in 2023, with exactly the same rules as in 2020. And this was what the Alaskan board wanted. 

We agreed to put the trail in to the border as usual, to organize the start banquet, start line, and checkpoints as per usual. We agreed to share the facebook page, website, etc. all as per usual. 

There were two items the Alaskans did not like. One was that the Yukon board stated that we would raise the purse for the shorter races, while the Alaskans would be responsible for the purse for the 1000 mile race. The other was that we wanted to run the shorter races according to our format with mandatory rest. It was the Yukon's turn to host the 300. Both boards had agreed with the idea of having 2 or 3 shorter races in order to involve more mushers and develop their skills with an eye to them being feeder races for the Yukon Quest. 

The Alaskan board however, decided that the Yukon would host a 300 mile race, according to the 2020 rules. 

The Alaskan board also announced in the meeting last Friday that they had held a meeting with the Rules Committee that day, without inviting the Yukon Board or letting us know about it. They said the Rules Committee had already passed a decree that there would be NO RULE CHANGES, for the 2023 race. (Even though we had discussed previously that both sides had a few housekeeping issues they'd like addressed.) FYI, the 'Rules Committee' has no Yukon members, and one of the RC members sits on the Alaskan board, in fact is one of the two board members on the negotiating team. Anyway, the Alaskan team said the Rules Committee had already ruled that they would not change any rules, so no changes would happen. And we as the board asking for changes, need 3 votes of four on the negotiating team to change anything, which we won't have, so no changes would happen through this route either. That my friends is how it went down. 

The Alaskan board concluded their negotiation by adding, 'the Yukon side pays for half of everything', (refering to the purse I presume), and the final insult, 'the Yukon Quest is an Alaskan race, originally organized by Alaskans, and will continue in Alaska...'

The Yukon delegation stated that the existing Yukon board would not agree to this proclamation by the Alaska board, and that it was a surprise to us but we were prepared for it. I said this was not a negotiation. It was 100% what the Alaskan Board wanted, not one inch was given toward the ideas of the Yukon Board. We added that this was not done in good faith. (secret meeting with the rules committee included.) The negotiations were concluded, there was nothing more to discuss. 

The Yukon delegation said we would have a special meeting on the Yukon side to ask our membership if they would like to work with Alaska in putting on the 2023 race according to their sole wishes. If our membership voted 'yes', then we would ask them to step forward to form a board and do the work. If they voted 'no' and therefore to have separate races, then we would have to talk about where to from here. (Just for this year? Permanently? Have a race at all? Dissolve the organization? Who gets what? name, logos etc.)

This morning, before becoming aware of the Alaskan 'press release', we sent an email to the Alaskan board asking them to confirm 'what we heard' - and we itemized the contents of the meeting. We asked them to correct anything we got wrong. We went on to say we should work together in a spirit if dignity, honesty and respect, to honour the Yukon Quest and all of our stakeholders past and present. Having a public feud serves no one. And yet, here we are. 

To be clear: The Yukon Board agreed to support the 2023, 1000 mile race according to the 2020 / existing rules. We AGREED to the rules and structure that the Alaskan board wanted. We never pulled an ultimatum. We said the existing board members would resign. We said we did not have the power to make a decision not to have a 1000 mile race, we would have to put it to our membership in a special meeting. 

The only point of disagreement was the Alaskan board insisted that we would run the shorter races that we alone were hosting, the way the Alaskan board wanted it run. And they probably still had the feeling that we should pay half the purse for the 1000 as is normal, though that did not specifically come up. 

These are the facts. I have the 'sent messages' to the Alaskan board to prove it if necessary.

The Yukon board has still not had a single phone call or email from the Alaskan board, not even a copy of the press release. It was given out to everyone BUT the Yukon board.

The Yukon Board objects to the way this 'press release' was handled. The reputation of the Yukon Quest and our stakeholders, deserved better. We do however feel that at this point, it is important to be clear about what the Yukon board said. 

Susie Rogan, President of the YQIA (Yukon Board) 

Bonnie Michaudville

Executive Director

It remains to be seen just what this will mean come February for "the other" premiere long distance race in Alaska, but by the looks of it, the Yukon Quest as we know it is gone for good. 

Wade Marrs releases statement on Iditarod withdrawal

Former Iditarod Finishers president and mushing fan favorite, Wade Marrs' name moved to the withdrawn list last month creating quite the buzz among armchair mushers. Marrs took the time to respond in a statement released today stating that yes he has withdrawn from this historic race year due to the vaccination requirements of all participants. Instead of quoting bits and pieces, his whole statement is posted here: 

In a week in sports marred by athletes dancing around the issue with inelegant word game tactics, Marrs stands out among those that acknowledged their decision and accepted any heat they may receive. Wade received support from many in the mushing community, including some of the races in the lower 48 he plans to participate in this coming season. 

Mushing News Round Up: Iditarod Picnic Edition

What better way to try and bring back the weekly mushing social media/news dumb posts than by doing a special edition specific to the Iditarod Picnic this weekend? With more and more kennels choosing the jump into social media, fans have a plethora of goodies from their favorite teams. Here are some of the highlights from kennel pages documenting teams at the picnic and signing up for the 50th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. 

From Ryan Redington's kennel:

From rookie Eric Kelly's kennel:

From Riley Dyche's kennel:

From rookie Julie Ahnen (running with Jessie Holmes' dogs):

From Rookie Bridget Watkin's kennel:

From rookie Amanda Otto (running out of Jeff King's Kennel):

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Amanda Otto (@otto.upnorth)

From rookie Joe Taylor's kennel:

From Aaron Burmeister:

From the dogs at Rob Cooke's Kennel:

From Mats Pettersson:

From Michelle Phillips' Kennel:

From Meredith Mapes:

Time off work officially approved for Iditarod 2022! It’s getting real ❤️

— Meredith Mapes (@alaskandoggirl) June 23, 2021

Willow 300 needs volunteers

September into October often sees many sled dog races start to amp up their social media presence (if they have one at all) with updates on race dates and registration links. It's not often that a race starts asking for volunteers to commit to shifts so soon, but that's what the Willow 300 did on Tuesday. The Willow 300 is a fairly new race in Alaska - having started in 2017, but having to cancel in 2019 due to weather. The race returned in 2020, but has always struggled for man power. 2020 saw a small field of volunteers having multiple duties all at once. There was talk of burn out, but the love of the dogs and sport kept them in the trenches. 

Wanting to improve the quality of the volunteer experience, as well as address burn out and safety concerns, the Willow 300's 2021 race is contingent on volunteer sign ups. The teams to run the race are there, but they need the infrastructure to successfully continue one of the few races in South Central Alaska used as an Iditarod and Yukon Quest qualifier. 

"Urgent: Please spread the word.
We want more than anything to hold the Willow 300 Sled Dog Race this year, but if we can be frank, we need more volunteers to make it happen. Experience, no experience, all are welcome.
The last few years we have managed on fewer volunteers than we really should have. We never jeopardized safety, and we never will, but this year, due to not only Covid but the strain of everything else that is ongoing, many of our regular volunteers may not be able to assist. Due to travel constraints, essential employees needed where they are and economic reasons, many volunteers will have to sit out this race.
If you can help, in any capacity, we need a firm commitment of the day or days, hours you can give us. We can take it from there once we have people who are willing to commit. We will see where you can be placed and work with you to make it happen.
We can't stress enough the urgency of our need. Will you help keep a tradition alive?
If so, please contact us by pm or contact Marshall at 907-707-9254. Call or text is fine.
If you are a musher and have friends or family that can volunteer, we appreciate you sharing our call for help. 🙂
The dates of the Willow 300 are Thursday, February 4 - Sunday, February 7, 2021. Volunteers are also needed the day before and after the race dates.
Thank you in advance for helping us keep a wonderful tradition alive." - W300 Facebook

The volunteer positions will mainly fall to Alaskans with the pandemic still hanging over the race season. While the Willow 300 has not stated what - if any - special accommodations they have planned depending the state of Covid by February, several other races have given details into how they will keep contamination to a minimum. The Yukon Quest has cancelled their Canadian version of the 300 - which originally was going to be in place of the 1,000 mile race - and on the Alaskan side they've renamed the 300 race to the Summit Quest. Iditarod put out a statement this weekend saying that they are planning for several options dependent on the severity of the Covid-19 Pandemic by March and how villages feel. The Kuskokwim 300 gave the most detailed plan this week on how they plan to allow teams and volunteers to travel into the Western Alaska town and villages. 

With travel still limited, it may be a great way to encourage Alaskans to stop thinking of Hawaii and instead take up some volunteering with the state's official sport. If you are interested in volunteering for the Willow 300 contact Marshall at 907.707.9254 for info. 

Tustumena 200 cancelled for 2020, future of race unknown

Hal Hanson's team charges down the trail at the start of the Tustumena 200.
Caribou Hills, January 26, 2019.

Rumors are all but officially confirmed today as reigning Tustumena 200 champion Dave Turner took to social media to share an email he received from the event organizers:

"The Tustumena 200 Sled Dog Race Association Board of Directors has decided that we will not have a race in 2020. The current board will take some time to reevaluate the future of the T200. We encourage you to support all the amazing sled dog races in Alaska.

Thank you for your support, we hope to reorganize and come back with something in 2021. Our Facebook and website will stay active, please check back for additional information."

The race had its share of problems in the last few years. Poor winter conditions lead to several races being cancelled due to warm weather and lack of snow for a trail. The race saw a significant change in course to counteract the effects of global warming, with the start and finish moving from Kasilof to the Caribou Hills where snow pack stayed relatively unaffected while in the lower parts of the trail were rained on. Freddie's Roadhouse became the hub, hosting the start, finish, and half way checkpoint in last year's race, and all seemed good to go for the 2020 season.

Then things took a wonky turn when Freddie packed up and left the Hills after a heated election cycle this spring for the Caribou Hills Cabin Hoppers. Freddie felt that his family and business were not respected by those in the area and decided to close his doors. With the closure of the roadhouse, the future of the Tustumena 200 was already a concern to fans and mushers alike. 

The Tustumena 200 started in 1984 when Dean Osmar decided to create a race to help his son, Tim, acquire the required number of miles needed to qualify for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race (which at that time was 500miles). Originally the "winner's purse" consisted of a case of beer. In 1994 the race was reorganized to become the race as mushers and fans know it today. It was a joint effort by Suzie Cook (Tustumena Lodge) and Evy Gebhardt (who was, at the time, married to local Iditarod musher Paul Gebhardt). 

For thirty years (several races were cancelled due to lack of trail due to weather) the Tustumena 200 was used as an Iditarod and Yukon Quest qualifier. Most mushers would claim the T200 as a great training run for the first part of the Iditarod with all of its miles in the Caribou Hills. It promised to be the hardest 200 mile race, and it rarely disappointed. Whenever it was discussed of making it a 250-300 mile race, mushers were often heard responding with "are you crazy?!"

Iditarod champions such as Jeff King and Lance Mackey were known to travel from their homes in Fairbanks/Denali to compete, and some near photo finishes happened a time or two. It was a premiere sporting event for the Kenai Peninsula for years. Fans followed the race as it changed the physical course, and mushers continued to come in record number - many years the race had a waiting list several teams deep.

The sport of mushing has had a lot of hits recently with the pressure from Animal Rights Groups waging war with the races, sponsors pulling out, and global warming concerns. There are fewer mid-distance races every year, and those that continue often have last minute cancellations when the weather turns foul (or winter never comes). With fewer qualifying races, rookie mushers are having a harder time qualifying for the 1,000 mile sled dog races. The T200 is one of the longest running qualifying races, and this is a huge blow for the mushing and race community.

Keep checking back for more info as it becomes available.


ETA: Soon after Turner took to social media with the news, the Tustumena 200 took to their facebook page to announce the cancelled 2020 race.

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Oct 29)

Not going to lie, this week I'm kinda copping out. It's been a rough week. I wasn't really paying attention to social media for mushing tidbits like I wanted. Just didn't have it in me... but here are a few things I caught.




















Q&A: After five years in Alaska, Sweet Briar grad Alison Lifka gets ready for Iditarod

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.

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Sept 28)

Where did September go?! We're in the last couple of days of the month and then we'll be in full on Halloween mode! Termination dust has been reported on the mountains of South Central Alaska, which means we're only weeks away from the first real snow of the season. How is this even possible?! Time for the clock to slow down a smidge! Before we know it the racing season will be underway... okay, well, we still have about 3 months before we need to worry about that...

The Yukon Quest and Iditarod saw their rosters grow by one name (each) this week. Iditarod has until December to finalize their roster and numbers. They are still well below their average, whereas the Yukon Quest is looking at a stable number that is slowly climbing and it could be one of their largest rosters ever.

Veteran Nathaniel Hamlyn from Step Up Kennels has thrown his name in the ring today! He brings the 1,000-mile roster up to 26 mushers. Full bio: https://t.co/DV9yTs1DqY #YQ2019 pic.twitter.com/4qQOesUx2Y

— Yukon Quest (@theyukonquest) September 26, 2018

Ryan Redington shared a photo of a recent training run.


Apparently, Denmark has a new law that directly affects the mushing community in that country. I am still looking into it, but considering most of what I've found is not in English, it's hard to figure out just what the law is. It sounds like they are blocking teams from running near any "established road" but it's loosely worded so that basically anywhere is considered "near a road". It makes training and races nearly impossible - or so some of their mushers are saying.



Brent Sass also shared a photo of a recent training run, and it looks magical.


New England fans have a chance to bring their pups out to an event next weekend to learn about pulling/mushing sports and have a chance to listen to a few Iditarod veterans give talks. The New England Sled Dog Trade and Seminars event spans the course of two days and is a way to keep sled dogs active as well as educate others on the sports and the different ways you can be active with your pup. Your dog(s) does not have to be a husky to be welcome to participate, just has to have an inclination to pull. Guest Speakers are Justin and Jaime High, and Bruce Magnusson.



Pretty slow news week. There are a lot of training posts as well as the "please sponsor us" posts on social media. There were also a lot of dryland mushing events held last weekend around Alaska (and probably elsewhere).

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!


Make sure to follow me on Twitter!

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Aug. 3)

Rob Cooke's team of Siberian Huskies at the start of the 2018 Iditarod.

We've entered into August, the final month of summer for most of Alaska; the last hurrah before training season truly begins for many sled dog teams statewide. While the summer has been sparse with news out of kennels, there was a boom this week. The Yukon Quest sign ups begin tomorrow with a big kick off on both sides of the border, and that has the mushing community buzzing with excitement. Where the Iditarod sign up seemed quiet, and the roster is still just at 30 names, it is expected that the Quest will outshine in its hoopla this year.

Puppies continue to be the name of the game this week. Many of the summer litters are quickly turning to dogs, and mushers proudly show off their pups on social media. Sarah and Travis at Turning Heads Kennel are no exception.... and they have some good looking pups that will no doubt turn into good looking super stars in the next two to three years.

Matt Hall at Smokin' Aces Kennel is looking to sign up for the 2019 Yukon Quest tomorrow morning, but the last few weeks he's been focused on putting in a new dog yard. Matt shared some of his progress on social media over the weekend.


Iditarod musher Lev Shvarts took to social media on his Team Ollie page to place a want ad for a handler for the winter season. Many kennels need help to keep the teams conditioned - just because the snow flies it doesn't mean that mushers don't have lives/jobs outside the realm of dogs. They have to find a balance to make everything work, and that typically means opening up their kennel and home to handlers (think of them as glorified interns). Many get their start in this way and work their way up to having their own dogs and kennel and racing teams through handling for other established kennels. If you're interested, it looks like the job is still available.

Four-time Yukon Quest and (consecutive) Iditarod Champion Lance Mackey made headlines again, and it's positive. Lance, as you may know, has not given up the dog life, but he has increased his need for speed and has turned a lot of his attention to car racing. While he does plan to race this season in the sprint and mid distance sled dog races, Mackey also has plans for NASCAR. That's right NASCAR. The Daily News-Miner out of Fairbanks, Alaska reported on the mushing legend this week. At some point, Mackey may have to make the difficult decision to choose one passion over the other. In some ways he may have already made his move, as he's sold off a lot of his equipment and long-distance team dogs. That being said, Mackey has been very vocal in his fight against animal rights groups like PETA who want to see the sport of mushing destroyed.

Lance Mackey's team at the start of the 2018 Tustumena 200, January 27.

The Iditarod Trail Committee announced their fifth and final new board member on Monday. The ITC selected Alaska's chief of the National Transportation and Safety Board, Clint Johnson. Johnson runs the investigations of all plane crashes in Alaska among other duties. He is admittedly not familiar with the sport, other than having attended the starts of the Iditarod and Rondy races, but says he is willing to learn about the culture the sport entails. With Clint's experience one has to wonder if there aren't significant plans for changes within the Iditarod Air Force coming with this addition to the board. The Iditarod Air Force is the volunteer group of pilots that transport equipment, people, dogs, etc. to and from the check points. They are the ones who assist in returning dogs back to Anchorage to be handed off to the handlers (these were previously called dropped dogs, dogs who for whatever reason needed to stop racing and go home before the race is over, they are now designated as "returned dogs"). There have been a few mishaps in the last couple of years, one of which resulted in dog deaths, and in the Iditarod's history there have been several planes that have crashed (non-fatal, but no less terrifying). One has to think that he will be giving some guidance on how to improve a system that after 46 years may need fresh ideas to keep flying.

Black Spruce Kennels, owned by Jeff and KattiJo Deeter, made news this week via Penny Hoarder with their kennel being highlighted as an off grid haven. Jeff is one of the youngest mushers to run Iditarod, running his rookie year back in 2008 at the tender age of 19. After taking ten years off to find his calling, Deeter returned to Iditarod running this past March and doing rather well. Jeff is once again signed up for the Last Great Race, and was one of two mushers to win their entry fee back during the June 30 sign up BBQ.


Snow Owl Sled Dog Tours announced the names of their newest sled dog team members with some super cute photos of, you guessed it, PUPPIES! And this is doubly awesome because the litter names are inspired by the Addams Family. Uh, sign me up!


Iditarod musher Lisbet Norris is throwing her hat in the ring for the 2019 Yukon Quest, this will be her rookie run. She was excited not only to share that news with followers of her page but also to show off her awesome dog truck rig. Unlike the Iditarod, handlers are allowed to help their musher within certain check points on the Quest, and with her new rig, she's able to safely run "the other thousand mile" race.

Beckie Hacker - who dreams of one day running the Iditarod and is working towards that goal - proudly showed off her new leaders in a quick update on her social media pages.

Mary Helwig had a little bit of frustration this morning as she found that one of her retired pups had decided to go into landscaping.... in her newly landscaped yard. Needless to say the pup seems pretty dang proud of himself, and she is without a lot of nice flowers and veggies.

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (July 20)

Aliy Zirkle's lead dogs run through Anchorage during the
Ceremonial Start of Iditarod 46. March 3, 2018.

Another week in the books, another week closer to fall... which is another week closer to training season for the Alaska dog teams waiting for cooler temps and less busy mushers. The Sockeye are finally starting to show themselves in the river, meaning everyone is busy collecting food to fill the freezer. It's the height of the summer season, tourism at its peak for the next couple of weeks. The last hurrah before the fireweed are in full bloom...

But I digress, you aren't here for that. You're here for sled dog news. So let's get to it, shall we?

The Redingtons had a GREAT start to their week with two of their own being inducted into the "Iditarod Hall of Fame". Though not associated with the race officially, the Knik based Hall of Fame acknowledges mushers, dogs, companies, volunteers, and others associated with Alaska's Last Great Race. Both Raymie and Joee Redington were awarded this year. Joee passed away last year due to complications in surgery, so it is a bittersweet moment for his family - but a proud one none-the-less.

Iditarod Musher Kristin Bacon, owner of Bacon's Acres Kennel, is hiring! Bacon is looking for a handler for the upcoming season. Housing and a stipend are some of the perks, plus you'll be working with an Iditarod kennel. Bacon is well connected within the mushing community, so you may rub elbows with some of the biggest names in the sport. Author note: I am not affiliated with Kristin in anyway and have no working experience with her or her kennel. This is not an endorsement, just sharing the info.

As reported by this blog (as well as many others), on Monday the Iditarod Trail Committee announced its newest board of directors members. Four new names join the remaining ITC board and will spend the next few weeks/months becoming educated on the race and the inner workings. The four newest BODs were not voted into their position by ITC members but by the current Board of Directors. The same board that was found to have lost the trust of mushers and members alike and were told that they should step aside. Only three of those members did so - others have made excuses for why they need to stay (among them Andy Baker, board president and brother of a now retired Iditarod champion). While most have been positive about the announcement, many are still in a wait and see pattern before they celebrate any changes.


If you follow Aliy Zirkle, you know she's been sharing videos she made while out on the Iditarod Trail this year. Little vlogs if you will, it's been a great way to break up the waiting as summer goes by. Aliy's team does a fantastic job of keeping fans involved while Allen and Aliy work to provide for their kennel.


I know I just shared puppy stuff from Jeff King's kennel last week, but I can't not share this. I mean... it's puppies. You can't go wrong with puppies!



Ryan Redington is the only Redington signed up for this year's Iditarod (still), and he's hard at work with summer tours before heading back to the lower 48 to race down there before heading back to Alaska for the race his family helped create 47 years ago. From time to time he gives us a glimpse into touring life.


The Yukon Quest announced yesterday that their purse for next year's race will be $115,000 USD. The purse will be divided among the top 15 teams. Sign ups for the 2019 Quest begin on August 4, just two weeks from now. The Quest may see a larger number of entries with the lack of mushers signed up for Iditarod - some may decide to try a new race where there typically is less drama from the powers that be.

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (July 13)

Happy Friday the Thirteenth! It's been a quiet week online for mushing news, but there are a few tidbits worth sharing, so let's get right to it, shall we?

Retired Iditarod Musher, Karen Ramstead was in the news in Calgary talking of her newest passion - border collies - the article details her life as a musher and how she went from recreational musher to Iditarod musher and back. Karen still has a kennel with a few Siberians and is still active in the mushing community having been a race official for Iditarod several times now.

Newly retired Iditarod musher Scott Janssen - aka the Mushin' Mortician - was awarded by the State of Alaska yesterday for his act of bravery during this year's race. You may remember that Janssen came accross fellow musher Jim Lanier in the infamous "Blow Hole" very close to the finish. Lanier and team were forced down and stuck due to high winds. Both Lanier and Janssen flirted with hypothermia, but Scott refused to leave his fellow musher. He ended his race to get help for his friend.

Mushing Legend and Alaskan hero, Leonhard Seppala's house has been a mainstay in Nome for decades. Seppala, of course, is long gone having moved to the lower 48 after many year's in the "frozen North" before passing away in 1967. The house has become run down and was set to be demolished until a group of mushing enthusiasts and historians came together to try and save the building. Headed by Jon Van Zyle - artist and former Iditarod musher - the house has been saved and the restoration is underway. The house will become a historic building housing a museum of mushing and the history of the serum run that Seppala and his famed dog Togo ran to save Nome from the Diptheria outbreak of 1925








There are still only 29 mushers signed up for Iditarod 2019. Iditarod officials and fans are all hopeful at least once Seavey will add their name to the list soon.

Like I said, it was a light news week... though I am sure I missed something - if there's some news I missed or you feel I should have included, please send me a note! Chances are I just didn't see it.

Disclaimer: all of my blog posts are my own opinion and do not reflect anyone else's viewpoints unless I share a direct quote. I am in no way related to, or employed by, any musher or member of their family/crew.