Top 13 teams have finished

The 49th running of the running has had a third of its teams (that have not scratched or been withdrawn) finish today. Starting with Dallas Seavey's finish around 5am this morning, the day saw 12 teams behind the five-time champion. Dallas was able to meet his closest competitor in the race - Aaron Burmeister - to the finish before finally succumbing to his exhaustion (his parents drove him home). We probably won't hear from the champion for at least another 16 hours. If then.

Aaron Burmeister gave a very good post race interview where he cited that he had worked out to plans for Iditarod in the months leading up to the race. He had a "passive" race plan and an "aggressive" race plan. He chose the former, and ironically the latter was the exact schedule that Dallas had come up with. The veteran musher was jovial and excited to know he stuck it out with Dallas to the very end. He's also apparently announced that next year will be his final Iditarod (we've heard that before, though, Aaron). 

Brent Sass followed a little over an hour later with a strong team of 13 Alaskan Huskies that looked like they could keep going. Iditarod Insider's Bruce Lee said that in a normal race year Sass would've won with the team in this year's finish. It's definitely possible. That being said, both Burmeister and Seavey would've had different strategy if this was a normal year.

In a hard fought battle, Wade Marrs was able to keep Mille Porsild behind him to place fourth. Marrs came in 4th one other time - in 2016... the last time Dallas won the Iditarod before, well, this year... interesting - and came in wearing a sweatshirt, not his parka. Wade explained for at least the last 15 miles he was running with the sled to make sure Mille did not over take them. Wade was greeted at the finish by his wife Sophia and their baby boy (awww).

Mille Porsild rounds out the top five with an impressive finish. Her team is a mixture of many borrowed dogs from several kennels and she managed to bring them into the finish as a cohesive unit. Mille told Insider that when she started the race she believed her team to be a power team but then they decided to be a speed team (or did I get that backwards). She said the team amazed her and they are superstars. When asked what she would have done differently she said she would have slept more. (Same, Mille, same.)

Nicolas Petit flew down the trail in the last leg of the race picking off teams one by one and nearly caught up with Mille and Wade. Petit's team was another that did not seem ready to stop, even after gorging themselves on prime cuts of steak. (For real these Iditarod dogs eat better than I ever will.) According to his interview with the media Mille said there was no one she didn't want right behind her more than Petit and that she was constantly looking for her shoulder, Petit responded: "She wasn't just looking, I saw her footsteps." The sixth place for Team Petit is a welcome placement after several years of disappointing finishes and scratches.

Coming in with the smallest team so far, Ryan Redington improved his standings by one placement coming in 7th this year. Redington's in a rebuilding stage for his kennel after some professional and personal setbacks, so a top ten finish is a very good placement. Redington told the media that he spent the last several days already planning what to do better for next year as he looks forward to running the 50th. He enjoyed running with friends Nic Petit and Wade Marrs, and it was pretty cool to finish in Willow. 

Joar Liefseth Ulsom - the 2018 Iditarod Champion - was next in in another close finish for 8th. Joar was all smiles as he was greeted by his wife and they had quite a few moments for the camera to capture (ah, newlyweds). Joar's dogs did really well in the final leg, especially to keep Richie Diehl behind them. In a new race that was difficult to gauge ahead of time what would work, Joar was very happy with how things turned out.

Ten minutes after Joar, the 2021 Kuskokwim Champion Richie Diehl made his way to the finishline. The musher from Aniak said that he had hopes of catching Joar near Yentna, but it just didn't happen. He said he expected to run the first half of the race like he would in a normal year and hoped it would pay off. He said it did pay off but that this year was "hell of a fast race". He still managed to finish 9th in a highly competitive field where his best friend and rival Peter Kaiser had to end his race early. With some sleep Richie may be able to appreciate the accomplishment a little more. (He was very proud of his team.) 

Rounding out the top ten was Ramey Smyth. Long time race fans were hardly shocked to see Ramey come charging down the trail and pick off at least a dozen teams to make 10th place. Smyth is known for his strong closing runs. If Ramey's behind you (especially seemingly out of nowhere) worry. The veteran musher had few words instead telling the interviewer asking if he learned anything in the race to "keep it on the trail." And with that he was headed with his team to load up and go home. It was great to see him make another top 10. 

Just outside the top ten was Michelle Phillips. The 51 year old Canadian musher held onto 10th for much of the race only to have it lost in the last leg. Still she was all smiles as she was met at the finish by family and friends including fellow musher Jodi Bailey (whose husband is still out on the trail) who immediately threw a boa around Michelle's neck as is their tradition. She didn't give much of an interview either, instead choosing to focus on her dogs and make sure they knew just what a great job they did and make sure they got all the best snacks (including fatty snacks!) 

Jeff Deeter held off Jessie Royer to come in 12th place after a harrowing night dealing with a moose who would not give up the trail. (Okay he didn't make a big deal about it, but moose on Iditarod Trails don't always end well.) Jeff told insider that he enjoyed the going back through the Alaska Range and stated that running up the gorge was "so cool." During his interview he looked over to Race Marshall Mark Nordman saying that he wanted to do that again and that he was putting in a vote to do it again. Nordman gave a very hesitant "uhhhh" to which Deeter said "for like every 10 years." Mark then said that was fine because he wouldn't be around for the next one (what?! no!) While Deeter was hoping for top 10 this year, he is very happy with 12 as the race was a very fast and competitive one.

Jessie Royer came in soon after in 13th and was greeted by Jeff Deeter. The veteran musher was very animated and happy with finishing. She said she really enjoyed running back up the gorge saying that it was actually a really beautiful trail when you aren't having to hang on for dear life. "Going up the gorge it's like 'oh wow, this is actually kinda nice, oh look a squirrel!'... going down it though you're like 'AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'" While fans may worry this seems like a step back for Jessie, it's just another race she'll use to build an even better team for next year. She was very excited about the dogs in front of her and I'd say watch out for them next year.

Several teams are on the trail headed into Deshka Landing tonight, but if today's finishes are any indication, the runs will be slow and we may not see another finish until midnight (or really really really late tonight, depending on how fast Aaron Peck can go the next 22 miles). There are 23 teams out on the trail, most have made it to Rohn with just three not yet in that checkpoint. We should see a close to the 49th Iditarod by Thursday. 

It's a three way race

Fans followed through the night (I passed out around midnight. I'm too old for this, man! lol), others woke up to the early morning news to see that Aaron Burmeister and Brent Sass had caught and passed Dallas Seavey in Nikolai. The race leader to that point made the decision to rest a few hours in the checkpoint before continuing down the trail. In a pre-race recorded video on his youtube channel that dropped today, Dallas explained his strategy for this part of the race. Essentially, Dallas is planning to break up the run to Rainy Pass with just a quick pass through Rohn (cuz, you know, checkpoints). In his video he expected that most teams would do the same. So far he's right.

While Burmeister and Sass left Dallas in Nikolai they both chose to stop just a few miles out to camp. Dallas overtook them and now has about a 17 mile lead (if we can trust the trackers). While Sass is technically still right there with Seavey and Burmeister, he has allowed Ryan Redington to get with him. It's honestly surprising to see Ryan keep up as his dogs just seem not as peppy. It could be more than Brent is still healing from a broken collar bone suffered about 7 weeks ago. This section of trail is painful in the best of health, and it could be that this is where we leave Sass to the chase pack. It will really depend on just how healthy Brent is and if there's any significant pain going on.

This is also a section of trail that the trackers aren't always pinging so it'll be up to Iditarod checkers to get the info to the comms quickly so we can know just how teh teams look against each other.

The chase pack has a few familiar faces we haven't seen in a while (Joar has made a move and it looks like Diehl is also trying to make a play). Pete Kaiser pulled back last night and has now reportedly decided to scratch in the best interest of his team. His team posted earlier today that his dogs were feeling under the weather, so his decision truly was in the best interest of the team. The 2019 Iditarod Champion really is one of the best.

Don't expect to do much else but watch the trackers for the next 24-36 hours. This race is going to be nailbiting for those wanting any number of outcomes... and pretty soon we'll see just how the Gorge factors in to all of this (will they all wish for "the Blowhole" on the coast).

Seven teams headed for Nikolai

Dallas may have a strong lead ahead of the chase pack, but he can't rest easy yet. With 250+ miles left in his race there's still enough time for one mistake to cost him the race. Behind him are some decent looking teams, some of which have admitted to holding back until the final third to be able to have the power and energy to run down the leader - whoever it is.

We're already seeing some who were in the front falter. Petit and Buser were the first two to be overtaken in the first few days of the race, and now it seens Ryan Redington's team is fading. While he did give his team 5 hours of rest in McGrath the dogs seemed a tad reluctant to stop napping and start running. By the time they headed down the trail, though, they perked up. But as of about 10:40pm Aaron Burmeister, who left 39 minutes after Ryan, had overtaken the team dressed in lime green. This could be the first of many passings Redington will endure in the next two days.

Sass is running in fourth at the moment and of the teams chasing has the strongest looking team to the minds of many analysts (why are they counting out Burmeister?). His team does look really good, and it seems he's learned a thing or two about team management. They looked good coming into McGrath and leaving.

Wade Marrs left McGrath an hour after Brent and it doesn't look like he's gaining anything on the Yukon Quest champion. And just a short while ago Travis Beals and Mille Porsild left McGrath just minutes apart. Mille is posting some of the fastest times against all of the front runners and she's really made it clear she wants to be not just top lady but top dog. 

Dallas is about 12 miles away from Nikolai. It'll be interesting to see what he does in that checkpoint. Will he drop his trailer? Will he stay long in the checkpoint?  

And will anyone really push to challenge the four-time champion?

Dallas Seavey leads out of McGrath

 Dallas Seavey left McGrath and headed towards Nikolai today at 5:32pm after taking his mandatory 8 hour rest in the checkpoint. Brent Sass, who was second into McGrath today, also declared his 8. Brent came in at 12:42pm and won't be able to leave until 8:42pm if he takes that full 8 (if he doesn't he'll have two more checkpoints to take it in). Dallas has just under 3 hours over Sass at this point. 

Third in was Wade Marrs. Wade's been sitting back in the chase pack for most of the race. According to his social media team on facebook, Wade's said that he planned to start pushing once he left the checkpoint of Iditarod, and clearly it's worked. He's caught up and managed to come into McGrath 59 minutes behind Sass. Marrs also needs to take his mandatory 8, so if that's what he does here, he'll be leaving McGrath at 9:41pm.

The former leader on paper Ryan Redington came in just under 2 hours after Marrs. Redington took his 8 fairly early in the race as well as his 24. When speaking with Iditarod Insider on his return to Ophir this morning Redington all but conceded the race stating that both Seavey and Sass had great looking teams and that his team can't catch them - he spent quite a bit of time resting in Ophir before giving chase. Redington is down to 9 dogs, which isn't too small a team, but it sounds like they're showing signs that they aren't up for the big push at the end. With his mandatory rest completed Ryan and team can leave whenever he feels they are ready.

As Dallas was pulling out of McGrath, Travis Beals was pulling in. Beals had already completed his 24 and his 8 and it was speculated he would try to blow through. Beals has -imo wisely- chosen to bed his dogs down for a rest in McGrath before giving chase. It will be interesting to see how long Beals and Redington stay in the checkpoint before challenging the leader.

In other news, Larry Daugherty's tracker has been glitching for over 24 hours and it's finally been replaced and he is once again shown as moving. So if you thought his name jumped significantly on the map, he was not perpetually in McGrath. It was the aliens, and they have finally released their hold on the signal. He currently sits in the checkpoint of Iditarod and will no doubt be headed back soon. Hal Hanson seems a solid Red Lantern at this point. I got curious last night and asked Dallas Seavey if a team of Seavey dogs had ever won the red lantern. He couldn't verify one did in Iditarod (he says it sounds right, though) but he did point out Dallas got the red lantern during the 2005 Knik 200. My how times change.

The race is on

Sure this blog should have gone out much earlier today, you know, when Dallas Seavey decided to cut his rest in Iditarod short and head back down the trail towards the finish. We've still got -hopefully- a full three days until a champion is crowned, but this is when the RACE part of the race truly begins. Up until now, they were all jockeying for position. They all pretty much feel they still have it. Dallas is miles ahead, but he didn't take his 8 in Iditarod like he first planned, and so now those that already have have a few hours on him. Not enough to declare this not Dallas's year (and I'd argue a top 10 finish in this deep of a field after a three-year hiatus would be a win), but it's not as clear cut as some would like.

On paper when you look at rest, it appears Ryan Redington is leading the Iditarod. This is exciting because in 48 races, a Redington has never won. Iditarod 49 looks like it's trying to change that (and what a story a Redington winning on essentially the original trail Joe Sr. dreamed of). Ryan, however, has pushed from nearly the beginning and has had to send a few dogs home (at last look he was down to 10). With just under half way to go, he should be fine, but it's still really unknown what the teams will expect running back across the burn and through the gorge. 

Aaron Burmeister and Travis Beals have also taken both the 24 and the 8 hour rests and are within striking distance of either of the two frontrunners. Brent Sass is still capable though he still needs his 8 (as do the three amigos of Pete, Richie, and Joar). Mille has taken her 8 and is finishing up her 24 in Iditarod and could really play a spoiler. 

Currently Dallas is shown as resting just 30 miles from Ophir S. It's a good guess that he does not plan to take his 8 in Ophir, which means who the heck knows how this will all play out. Apparently Dallas has made mention that he's still rotating carrying dogs (as he has all race) in the sled bag while running, and he's "still building the monster". He's hardly not a front runner or even in the top spot, whatever the Iditamath suggests.

This field is incredibly talented and it's just mind boggling how many combinations there are to decide who is going to finish where... and we haven't even hit the big obstacles that everyone keeps saying they dread (well all but apparently Hal Hanson who WANTS to see the Gorge again). 

Speaking of the back of the pack, everyone is out of McGrath, though it looks like either Larry Daugherty's tracker never reset/died or he left it behind (uh oh) because he is clearly listed as OUT OF McGrath on the standings, but his tracker still shows him as resting. I do believe he was planning to swap sleds and it could have been the easy mistake of never taking the tracker off/out of the old sled to put it with the new one. Either way it probably won't be remedied until Ophir so just keep refreshing the current standings.

Our current red lantern is Will Troshynski who stated in an interview with Insider this morning about how he is just taking in every experience and his "mistakes" have been so excited to talk to people to gain knowledge that he's left out of checkpoints hours later than he was supposed to. Whoops! His energy in the interview was infectious (though I don't want to think how much caffeine or sugar may have been in his system at the time) and it was just so great that Insider gave the back of the pack so much attention throughout the day (keep it up Insider, you give me a glimmer of hope that you're listening!) 

This may be the last night that I get a decent amount of sleep. I suggest everyone do the same. It's gonna be a *WILD RIDE* (do not judge me in all of my years of writing out into the void I've never used that to talk about Iditarod).

John Beargrease sled dog races will happen this weekend

Sled Dog races have continually found ways to show Covid that it will not win this season - while some races have had to restructure or move their dates, the race season is still happening with some of the biggest races standing firm. The Beargrease is no exception. While the threat of Covid-19 numbers rising kept many wary of whether or not the premier marathon sled dog race in the Lower-48 would happen, here we are. The race begins this weekend with a strict Covid-19 Mitigation plan.

While this blogger remains focused on Alaska (and mainly the sled dog races run therein) it's time to give this race its due. Several familiar names associated with Alaska's big races choose to run the Beargrease as well. It's also the race chosen to be part of the "Mushing Grand Prix Series" being pushed by Qrill Pet Sports and the Iditarod's CEO. 

Seventeen names are on the roster for the 300mile marathon race set to start on Sunday, January 31. Several top teams are back this year and more strong teams I'm probably not even aware of being top teams. Normally, we'd look at the top teams in the race, but I honestly don't follow enough of the lower-48 teams/races to have a real clue beyond watch the Frekings and watch Ryan Redington. Both kennels have been top teams and have won the race several times between them. 

Sorry, maybe the more I pay attention to these races the more prepared I'll feel to make any pre-race judgement. Maybe 2022? I know, that doesn't help your Fantasy Mushing team selection for this year, though.

How to Follow

As with most races this season, the race does not want spectators at the start, finish, or at checkpoints due to Covid-19 concerns. They are working with media outlets to make sure fans are able to watch the race in video form. Local news outlet WDIO will livefeed the start, and you can find the link on the race's website. Qrill PAWS has also announced they will report on the race. 

GPS Tracker

As we saw with last year's race, it looks like the Beargrease will again have two GPS tracker systems in place to follow the race. Race fans will be happy to know that the more familiar TrackLeaders trackers are still in play, but there is also the high tech looking QrillPet trackers linked to the race website. Both offer some interesting bits, and if one tracker goes out the other one typically keeps running so there's that. If nothing else it's back up!

Social Media

As with most sled dog races, the Beargrease is fairly active on their facebook page and they do have a twitter account though it isn't very active. And for a few pics check them out on Instagram. WDIO's Sports Director is also a good follow on Twitter to keep up with all of their headlines about the race. 

Schedule of Events

Saturday, January 30

8am-2:30pm Vet Checks

**There will be no Meet and Greet/Opening Ceremony this year due to Covid protocols**

3pm-ish? Handler & Musher Meetings (Bib Draw)

Sunday, January 31

9am - Live Stream of Race Start Begins

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 (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.

Mushing News Weekly Round Up (Dec 22)

Merry Christmas weekend! Not sure if why one of the reasons there wasn't a whole lot of news the last couple of weeks is because it's the Holiday season, or because the weather's been less than ideal and so not a lot of excitement has surrounded mushing because of it. Either way, makes it hard to do one of these but I'll do my best. Oh, and MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)



The Nome Nugget is reporting that of several structures approved for demolish, on the chopping block is a house that has ties to famed musher Leonard Seppala. If you aren't familiar with that name, Seppala was the original Jeff King of mushing (aka the most winningest musher). Seppala's dog lines are still going strong in kennels, with many of Iditarod kennels sharing in at least partial bloodlines. If you're at all familiar with the Balto legend of the Nome Serum Run you know of the musher named Gunar - well, he was actually one of Seppala's "handlers" and it was only after Seppala and team (lead by Togo) drove over 100 miles that Balto and Gunnar were tagged to take the cargo into town (Balto was actually HIS dog). Seppala is synonymous with mushing in this state and world wide. Personally, I would hope that someone could buy the property and restore it and preserve history.




The Yukon Quest is revamping their education program adding features much like Iditarod's teacher on the trail. They will be on the trail answering questions of students all over the globe who are watching the race in their classrooms.

Lance Mackey took to facebook this week to update fans on his racing plans for the season. Mackey will no longer be traveling to the states, but noted that he's still planing to run races in Alaska.
I thought I'd mentioned that a photo of mind was published in a Wisconsin newspaper last week, but I can't seem to find that, so I apologize if this is a repeat. Ryan Redington is down in Wisconsin for the winter and last week hosted rides for the local kids free of charge. Like most of his family he's a dog man and a great ambassador for the sport.

MERRY PUGMAS!!!

Merry Christmas to all of my readers. I am not sure how much I will be on in the next week. I'll try to get another round up together for next Friday, but as I'll be getting ready for my trip outside I make no promises.



Have a safe weekend and a very happy time with friends and family!