Final mushers are into Nome

The Final Four have made it to Nome! After what seemed like the most dramatic finish ever for the back of the pack, the Final Four made quick time into the finish. An always bittersweet moment as we celebrate the final teams crossing the finish line and watching the final team extinguish the Widow's Lamp because we know this means no more Iditarod for a whole year. Still, the accomplishment will be celebrated and to top it off ALL TEAMS ARE OFF THE TRAIL in time for the Finisher's Banquet on Sunday!

First in of the Final Four was Eric Kelly at 9:11pm followed a few minutes later at 9:49pm by Kailyn Davis. Then it was over an hours wait before Yuka Honda came charging into the chute. Red Lantern followed soon after as Apayauq Reitan completed her journey once again on the Iditarod Trail.

With the extinguishing of the Lantern signifying all teams were off the trail, the 50th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race officially came to a close. 

Forty-Nine teams started the race in Anchorage/Willow. Of those were thirteen rookies, and thirty six veterans. There were Americans, a Swede, a South African. The first transgender woman completed the race this year. They battled deep snow, no snow, overflow, and insane winds. Though this race may not have looked like the races of old with its NASCAR like speeds, technology, and-well-sponsor logos everywhere you turn... over all I think ol' Joe Senior would be proud to see his race continue for so long after him (over twenty years without our Joe). 

Thirty seven mushers completed Iditarod 50.

Tomorrow night is the Finisher's Banquet where stories will be shared, they'll all say never again... but come summer they'll all place their names in the ring (so to speak) once again to run the Last Great Race On Earth. This one was for Joe, they may call it the Iditarod Trail but it's truly Redington's Run.

Mushing Radio - Iditarod 50: Trackers and Rescues

Borges, Deeters scratch from Iditarod 50

We finally have confirmation of what many believed would be the case hours ago. Jeff Deeter and rookies KattiJo Deeter and Sebastien Dos Santos Borges have scratched from Iditarod 50. The three received Search and Rescue assistance to get to the shelter cabin last night and that is considered outside assistance. There's no doubt that the mushers all knew what the help would ultimately mean, still it's a sad end to their race.

You can read the Iditarod's press release in full:

"Iditarod mushers Sebastien Dos Santos Borges, KattiJo Deeter and Jeff Deeter scratch between White Mountain and Safety checkpoints 

Anchorage, Alaska –– Iditarod mushers Sebastien Dos Santos Borges (bib #44, rookie), KattiJo Deeter (bib #19, rookie) and Jeff Deeter (bib #34, veteran) have scratched from the Iditarod between the checkpoints of White Mountain and Safety. 

In the late evening on March 18, 2022, Iditarod Race Marshal Mark Nordman was notified that all three teams had accepted assistance between the checkpoints of White Mountain and Safety. Due to the ground storm and high winds, all three teams received snowmachine assistance by White Mountain search and rescue to the Nome Kennel Club shelter cabin, where they stayed until improved weather conditions allowed for Iditarod volunteers to assist with transporting the mushers and their teams to Nome. 

The mushers have been in direct communication with the race marshal while at the shelter cabin and the race teams are reportedly in good health. Upon arrival in Nome, the race teams will be given a full veterinary check."

Borges' facebook page confirmed the scratch, as well, as say that once the musher returns to Nome the focus will go fully towards finding missing dog Leon in Ruby. So far Black Spruce Kennel's social media remain silent on the scratch. I'm sure once the mushers and their teams are safely into Nome and better rested/recovered we'll get more of the story.

This leaves the Final Four out on the trail. Two are nearing the checkpoint of Safety, while the other two are coming up on the shelter cabin. All look to be on schedule to come into Nome before the musher banquet Sunday evening. 

Kailyn Davis first to leave White Mountain

Iditarod Rookie Kailyn Davis popped the snowhook at 10:50am Alaska Time on Saturday to head out on the final 77 miles to Nome. The musher and her team of eight dogs will soon enter the treacherous trail in the Topkok Hills. Just yesterday this section of trail claimed three mushers - forcing scratches and a couple trips to the medical clinic. Today the weather has improved - winds aren't quite as strong - and race officials have deemed the trail safe to travel.

During yesterday's drama of scratches and stalls, those mushers already in Nome spoke on trail conditions. Both hardened trail veterans and past Iditarod Champions Mitch Seavey and Martin Buser (both of whom had puppy teams out in the storm - and would end up scratching by day's end) noted that the trail in the Topkok Hills had been the worst they remember seeing. No snow, just thick ice and wind gusts so strong they easily picked up a sled and dog team and threw them about the trail. With no way to pick in on the trail due to the ice the teams were at the mercy of it all.

In an interview/trail update given last night to Insider, Mark Nordman described the trail as the "worst possible conditions" and noted that teams currently in White Mountain would stay in White Mountain until he was assured they would be safe out on the trail. That basically meant until the winds died down (they were to reach 60mph overnight) everyone in the checkpoint was in stay put mode. That was lifted around 9:30am this morning.

It won't be long until she comes to the area that it all went wrong for teams yesterday. We're about to know if the trail truly has improved.

Teams in White Mountain prepare to leave

The final four are currently in the checkpoint of White Mountain packing up and prepping their teams to head back out on the trail. The teams have been held longer than their mandatory 8 as race officials determined when weather and trail conditions had improved enough to safely send teams down the trail. The mushers got the go ahead about an hour ago, and are taking their time making sure everything is set with their dogs and sleds before they head out.

Jeff and KattiJo Deeter and Sebastian Dos Santos Borges remain at the shelter cabin between White Mountain and Safety. The cabin provides shelter from the wind as well as a wood stove and the cabin was well stocked with firewood. After a harrowing 24 hours, you can't blame them wanting to take it easy. Perhaps they are also getting set to head out, just waiting to hear how Riley Dyche's run to Nome went. We won't know until someone contacts the outside world - or until they finish their race and tell their stories.

Speaking of Riley Dyche, he finished Iditarod at 10:30am Alaska time this morning after more than 35 hours after he left White Mountain. Talk about a crazy finish! 

Riley Dyche on his way to Nome

The first to stop during yesterday's windstorm looks to be the first one to make it to Nome. Riley Dyche ran in the early morning hours, making it to the checkpoint of Safety just before 8am Alaska time. Dyche is now climbing his final mountain of Iditarod 50 and it will hopefully be a straight shot and easy ride from there on out. 

Winds have died down a bit in Nome and Safety, but look to have picked up in White Mountain. Dyche's shelter cabin buddies are all still hunkered at the shelter, and it's anyone's guess when they decide to make their move. The three teams sat for most of Friday in the Topkok Hills in the wind and it could be that they need a little more time to recover from their ordeal. As we know, three teams scratched yesterday in the Topkok Hills. Gerhardt Thiart and Bridgett Watkins scratched due to injury, and Sean Williams tapped out several hours later deciding that with the winds set to pick up to a reported 60mph he did not want to risk injury or worse. All three are reportedly doing well and all of their dogs are happy and healthy in White Mountain (dogs do so much better in this stuff).

The four teams that made their way to White Mountain are still there even after completing their mandatory 8 hour rest. Mark Nordman announced last night that no teams would be allowed to continue until the race determined trail and weather conditions were safe to do so. At this time, winds are keeping everyone settled.

This may be the first time in a long while that the red lantern doesn't come in until after the banquet starts on Sunday. 

Mushing Radio - Iditarod 50: Red Lantern Award

Bridgett Watkins suffers frostbite and broken clavicle

Kennel on the Hill gave us a photo and an update tonight on Bridgett Watkins' condition after having to scratch due to musher injury today.

Thiart out with suspected broken foot

 Insider Fans got to watch some drama unfold as a helicopter touched down in White Mountain this afternoon and watched as several volunteers helped someone walk across the snow to the waiting lift. The person had their right leg extended out in front of them as they were hobbled/carried. The confirmation came soon after from the Insider cameraman saying it was Gerhardt Thiart who had to be airlifted to Nome.

Gerhardt was stopped in the Topkok Hills when he managed to crash with his sled and injure his right foot. The musher suspected his ankle was broken. Thankfully someone came up on a snowmachine and stopped to see how he was doing. Gerhardt told him he needed help so they went a half mile back to where Bridgett Watkins was camped to have her take a look. It was decided Gerhardt was definitely in need of help so they left him with her dogs and they went back to get his. 

Once they got back with the dogs, Gerhardt reported he was feeling hypothermic. The SOS button was at some point hit, but the snowmachine carried the musher back while search and rescue assembled to meet up with Watkins. 

Gerhardt was running Mitch Seavey's puppy team.

BREAKING: Bridgett Watkins has also returned to White Mountain via snowmachine and was taken to the local clinic. No other information on her condition is known. Search and Rescue are with the dog team.

Gerhardt Thiart's race is probably over

As expected, it looks like the rookie from South Africa's time on the Iditarod Trail has ended prematurely. Fans watched most of Friday as his tracker rested with several other teams in the Topkok Hills waiting out a massive windstorm, and then Thiart's tracker started moving backward with speeds that typically mean snowmachine "rescue". 

The trackers weren't straightforward, however, as it bounced around the trail with sometimes normal dog team speeds and other time snowmachine speed. However, at last look, his tracker shows in White Mountain going at a speed of 377mph (which signifies air travel). His race is most certainly over, we just need to wait for the official announcement.

BREAKING: (AK 2:32pm) reports are now coming out of Nome that a helicopter was dispatched to rescue a musher off of the trail who has suffered broken leg(s). Judging by the speed of Gerhardt's tracker is a good assumption we know which musher it was that needed the medical support.

Winds stall teams out of White Mountain

Just when we all thought the winds would play nice after what they put the top twenty through, well... we were wrong. Currently, seven teams are hunkered down on the Topkok hills buried into the local topography and in shelter cabins hoping they can start moving in short lulls promised to them by weather reports being texted to them from Nome. Behind White Mountain the final four are still able to move, but judging by their speeds being so inconsistent it's easy to assume that the wind gusts are hitting along Golovin Bay as well.

Riley Dyche was out first of White Mountain and is currently holed up in the shelter cabin at the top of the blowhole (where winds are typically even worse than the hills). He's been there most of the morning and it doesn't look like he's moving any time soon. There is some talk that he'd lost his GPS tracker and that he would be coming into Nome any moment... but those moments have turned into hours and there's no indication that he's ever checked into Safety.

And, as if watching trackers not move at all for over 12 hours isnt enough stress, let's throw in a few wonky what the heck is going on trackers into the mix. Gerhardt Thiart's tracker keeps jumping back and forth to where he had been resting with several other teams out of White Mountain to zooming backwards down the trail, only to bounce back. It would suggest that Thiart's race is done just 70 miles from the finish, but right now his tracker sits at yellow in a very random spot.

And in the back of the pack we have to wayward souls running the wrong trail out of Golovin. Eric Kelly and Yuka Honda show as way off course and it's a 50/50 right now if they are truly off course or if Aliens are just really enjoying messing with our technology today. 

No matter what the final 11 teams will all have some wild stories to share if they ever make it to Nome. Could this be our new Elim 11?

Mushing Radio - Iditarod 50: Fancy Sweaters

Buser minutes away from completing his 39th Iditarod

Martin Buser is currently on the home stretch of his 39th Iditarod. The musher has never scratched from a race and has been a constant of this race for nearly 4 decades. Always a fan favorite, the four-time Iditarod champion hasn't challenged often for a top placement, but it's clear he runs Iditarod for the love of the race and the dogs. More often than not Buser becomes a mentor out on the trail and an encourager to the rookies he runs with during the thousand mile race.

He's about to come off the beach and onto Front Street in the next few minutes where he will be greeted by his wife Kathy and many friends under the burled arch. Congrats on another fantastic Iditarod, Martin.

Lisbet Norris scratches in Unalakleet

As many guessed, Norris' Iditarod ended prematurely in Unalakleet. The all Siberian team struggled to maintain a speed that kept them in with the back of the pack, and most fans knew it was just a matter of time before she would be asked to withdraw. While her stats show scratch and not withdrawal, it was circulated earlier in the week that the musher had been put on notice to get caught up or face a withdrawl. While not information from official sources, it came as no surprise and most speculated she would end her race where she did.

Her team of 10 dogs at the time of the scratch will fly back to Anchorage in the next day or so. The musher was met with 4 gifted Pizzas in the checkpoint. Better luck next time, Lisbet.

Mushing Radio - Iditarod 50: Mushergrams and Sportsmanship

Top 20 are into Nome

It's been a busy day on Front Street in Nome. Teams have come in two and three at a time since Tuesday afternoon. Stories from each musher shared over loudspeakers as they were checked in. Well known names mixed with new. Some surprises, some expected.

Dan Kaduce, the fourty place finisher, made it to Nome with a full team of fourteen dogs. This is not common for top teams and the only other time someone in the top five managed a finish with a full team was Jessie Royer in 2017 when she finished fifth with all sixteen dogs. Dan credited luck, but the argument could be made that Kaduce is an excellent dog musher who did everything right by his team. He should be at the top of the list of nominees for the Humanitarian award.

Peter Kaiser, the fifth place finisher traveled the Iditarod with Dick Wilmarth's ashes. Wilmarth was the first ever Iditarod Champion in 1973. Kaiser was asked to carry some of the legend's ashes to Nome and he obliged. Wilmarth was from the Kotzebue area of Alaska, and Kaiser was a very deserving of the honor.

Chad Stoddard was a somewhat surprising seventh place finisher running Dallas Seavey's B-team. The musher ran a team split 50/50 between veteran dogs and "puppies". Chad benefitted not only from a really great line of sled dogs, but also from a wind storm that clustered the 3rd-15th places in Shaktoolik. Chad was one of the last of those teams to reach the Sound, but also one of the first to go out into it (right on schedule). It helped sling shot him into a top ten placement. He may end up winning most improved musher jumping 16 places from last year's 23rd.

Aaron Burmeister ran a master class in mushing in this race and managed eighth after running in third for most of the race (dang ground storm on the sea ice). Burmeister announced after last year's Iditarod that this race was going to be his last. This year he's added "for a while" to the end of that statement. He's been running a very emotional last leg of the race as he meets with fans and friends at each checkpoint. He loves this race, and it shows. That the crowd in Nome chanted "one more year" as he spoke shows just how important he is to everyone.

Mille Porsild and Michelle Phillips spent a long time in a shelter cabin outside of Koyuk. Before that Porsild dealt for a ridiculous amounts of miles with a very broken and unrepairable sled until Mitch Seavey offered his to her in Unalakleet. In her post race Q&A Mille said she wouldn't be at the finish without Mitch's help, but that she also believed he was secretly trying to kill her. Apparently Mitch's sled had a steep learning curve (sounds like a mushing version of a Batmobile?) Mille sounds very happy to have managed fourteenth place.

Mitch Seavey came in happy and chatty in sixteenth place. He wasn't sure (and this blogger isn't either) but he thinks he's the only musher in the field that was also at the first one. Granted he didn't run it, but he was there to see his dad run the first one. He helped Dan train that first Seavey Iditarod team and was immediately hooked on the spirit of Iditarod. Mitch was running an advanced puppy team of sorts and after having a difficult first leg decided to take it easy and make sure his team was preserved for next year. He stated in Nome that "I found out this year that as much as I love racing, and I love running the Iditarod, I just love mushing dogs even more." Mitch also answered a question about what he thinks about being here at the 50th after being at the first, "I think it means we're getting really old."

Hanna Lyrek locked in her Rookie of the Year status with her nineteenth finish. She came in just ahead of Paige Drobny who rounds out the top twenty. Drobny conceded a competitive race back in Ruby, and met up with Hanna around Shaktoolik. Hanna confided in Paige that she was afraid to run across the sea ice in the wind thinking she could get blown out to sea. Paige offered to run with the rookie and then they continued all the way into Nome. 

These are just some of the stories already coming out of Iditarod 50. More will no doubt come as mushers catch up on sleep and come back to the land of fast internet. We're about halfway through the race. Many more will be headed in late tonight and tomorrow. Our current red lantern is almost into Unalakleet. Keep watching those trackers, more stories are about to be made and shared.