Jessie Holmes first into Unalakleet

Tuesday evening the village of Unalakleet welcomed the first of many Iditarod to the coast of Western Alaska. Jessie Holmes and his team of eleven dogs loped into the checkpoint of Unalakleet just a little after 7pm. The musher was all fist pumps and smiles as his team expertly weaved through the crowd to get their check by the vets and the musher given his award and handshakes.

The first team to the coast is awarded gold nuggest and other swag from the village and the award sponsor. The musher and his team was surrounded by fans and villagers crowding in congratulating him as he accepted the award. The presenter will re-present the award at the finishers banquet in Nome on Sunday.

Jessie Holmes stayed in the checkpoint long enough to grab his supplies, accept the award, and pack another bale of straw before heading back out onto the trail. The musher remains running eleven dogs as he begins his final leg of Iditarod 53, bu has ditched his trailer behind his sled. It's all about efficency and light weight from here on out for these teams.

Jessie previously told Insider that he plans to camp on the trail and not stay in checkpoints for the rest of the race (except White Mountain, of course). Jessie and team will run over land, across the Blueberry Hills, and down onto a little spit of land into Shaktoolik. As always the wind will play a huge part in the next two days for the teams. Often teams who do not stop in Unalakleet will rest between the checkpoints and then begin their journey across the Norton Sound.

Behind Holmes are Matt Hall and Paige Drobny. Both mushers camped on the run from Kaltag and Hall is now about 8 miles from Unalakleet. Matt is within distance of catching Holmes - if Holmes makes a mistake or the wheels start to come off. Drobny, too, has a very good chance of catching both, but she is currently resting 10 miles away from Unalakleet. Both mushers are about to quickly run out of miles to catch and pass the leader, but it's doable.

In past year's we've seen what was believed to be a solid time falter on the crossing of the Norton Sound. Teams have gotten lost in the ground storms that most always pop up, the wind batters down the teams to where they stop while others continue, and some just full on run out of gas. We saw that with Holmes' team a smidge last year when he dropped back a few places trying to hold onto a lead he didn't really have (trying to keep Dallas behind him). It's just how this race goes.

Behind Hall and Drobny are the chase pack currently led by Mille Porsild. Michelle Phillips, Mitch Seavey, Nicolas Petit, and Bailey Vitello are also on the run from Kaltag to Unalakleet. The top six seems fairly secure in their placements, but the next two runs will no doubt play a huge factor.

At the back of the pack Quince Mountain is still running as the Red Lantern, resting currently in Grayling. Everyone else is either resting in Shageluk or on their way back through the loop. Several teams are on their mandatory 8 on the loop, others still jockeying for that "perfect" time to take it.

We are now solidly in race mode for the front pack. Still looking like Thursday for a champion finish (at the earliest).

Rookie Bryce Mumford scratches in Grayling

Iditarod released a statement Tuesday morning that second year Iditarod Rookie Bryce Mumford has scratched "in the best interest of his team." The musher was in Grayling when he chose to scratch. Some speculate due to someone in the Insider chat with supposed ties to the kennel that the musher didn't so much choose to scratch as the race judges told him to scratch or be withdrawn. 

Judges do not make those decisions lightly, they do everything they can not to have to, and there are a number of factors that bring them to said decision. Mumford has been running with eight dogs for several days now, and with only being at the halfway point that was most likely a concern by the judges. Teams must finish with no fewer than five dogs in Harness in Nome, and with still 500 miles to go, if some dogs were showing tiredness or soreness in Grayling, judges may have felt it was too much to ask. (This is just one possible explanation, this in no way is what is known to be the reason IF the musher was asked to scratch at all.)

Mumford was not the last musher on the trail, there were two other mushers behind him. Sydnie Bahl is currently in Grayling and Quince Mountain is on his way to the checkpoint. It's another thing race judges are looking at - if the "stragglers" get too far behind, they are encouraged to speed it up (suggesting dogs don't need 8 hours at every rest stop, for example). 

Mumford had eight dogs in harness all in good health, according to the statement.

Jessie Holmes first to Kaltag2

As predicted, Jessie Holmes was first into the final checkpoint of the Iditarod Loop. Holmes and his team of athletes ran up into the village of Kaltag around 9pm Monday. With his first into Kaltag, Jessie Holmes won the Fish First award which comes with a check for $2000 as well as 25 pounds of Bristol Bay salmon.

Jessie Holmes had full command of the loop over the last two days and has chosen to take his mandatory 8 in this final checkpoint of Kaltag 2. Iditarod Insider also reported that Jessie has elected to send one of his dogs home, leaving him with 12 dogs - which is more than enough dog power for the final leg of the race.

Behind Holmes is Matt Hall currently resting 33 miles from Kaltag. It would be a good assumption that the 2017 Yukon Quest champion plans to not stay long in Kaltag and hopefully leapfrog over the current leader. Hall chose to take his 8 several checkpoints back and is in the wildcard position of the top three to take the lead.

In third is Paige Drobny who rested earlier in the day on the trail and is now just 13 miles until she passes Hall. It's mused that Paige will also choose to not stay long in Kaltag and camp somewhere between Kaltag and Unalakleet.

From here on out the trail should be familiar for both veteran mushers and the fans. Most know that the run from Kaltag to Unalakleet is where the leaders are separated from the rest. Just last year, those that led for much of the second leg of the race were thwarted on their run to the coast. Some of those teams are now once again at the front of the race and staring at that same trail that derailed their run.

Further back in Eagle Island is Mitch Seavey currently taking his mandatory 8. The three time Iditarod Champion has run in fourth position for most of the day, choosing short rests on the trail long enough to feed the dogs and give them some time off the trail. Knowing that he planned to take his 8 at the next checkpoint the veteran musher is banking on the rest he's built up in the team to help them bounce back from this long run and be ready to challenge and overtake anyone who stalls on their way to Unalakleet and Shaktoolik.

Michelle Phillips has used Seavey's mandatory to be able to slingshot ahead of him and is now the race's fourth place team. Phillips has quietly been in the mix of the chase pack and could play spoiler much like Seavey should one of the top three's wheels start to fall off.

For the back of the pack Quince Mountain - current Red Lantern - made it to Eagle Island as the sunset over the Yukon. The team looked well rested but also thankful to be getting a good bit of rest. The musher broke up the run from Kaltag to Eagle Island into two runs and will most likely rest six hours before continuing on. The next furthest back of the pack musher is Dream a Dream Kennel's Sydnie Bahl who is running a very conservative race with the goal of finishing not placement according to mentor Cindy Abbott.

Jessie's official time in shows at 9:28pm meaning he can leave the checkpoint at 5:28am Tuesday.

Holmes still commands lead into Eagle Island

As the sun rose over the Yukon River Monday morning, Jessie Holmes and team were seen trotting into the Eagle Island return checkpoint. The musher quickly went to work replenishing his supplies from his drop bags, grabbing straw and heet, and heading out around 9am. There's no more guessing over where the leader will be taking his mandatory 8. As he originally planned, Jessie will stop and rest in Kaltag2, the final checkpoint available for mushers to take their mandatory. 

Holmes hasn't had the perfect run leading up to this decision. As snow continued to fall Sunday the trail became slow and punchy. Teams slowed 1-2 mph from the speeds they've averaged so far. On Jessie's return on the loop, the veteran musher took an extra rest on the trail between checkpoints allowing the chase pack of Matt Hall and Paige Drobny to catch up a bit. Both Hall and Drobny have taken their mandatory 8.

Holmes admitted to Insider in Eagle Island that he was now feeling "pushed" by those behind him. This may play a factor into how the third leg goes for Jessie. We've seen him in past races start racing other teams and allowing their decisions effect his, and that is something he will have to be aware of as he continues to lead this race.

The back of the pack are all making their way to Eagle Island with most of them into the checkpoint with only Sydnie Bahl and Quince Mountain still to get to the checkpoint. Mountain has roughly 50 miles to Eagle Island (by the GPS) and is solidly our red lantern. It was good to see him continue as he is several hours behind the back of the pack group of rookies.

Your *unofficial* top ten (using the GPS tracker) currently are:

Jessie Holmes
Matt Hall
Paige Drobny
Mitch Seavey
Mille Porsild
Michelle Phillips
Nicolas Petit
Travis Beals
Ryan Redington
Bailey Vitello

Of the top ten, Mitch and Nic still need to take their 8. Redington and Vitello are on their way to Grayling the rest are inbetween Grayling and Eagle Island (except of course Jessie).

Jessie Holmes first to return to Grayling

Jessie Holmes and team were the first to return to Grayling Sunday afternoon after spending much of the day running along "the loop" from Grayling to Anvik to Shageluk back to Grayling. Upon his return he was awarded a fur hat and mitts originally intended for the first musher to McGrath. Because of the trail reroute the award was not able to be presented in McGrath as McGrath was not on the trail route this year.

Jessie was so excited and grateful for the gifts that he took his sealskin hat off his head and immediately put the new beaver lined hat on asking if it was okay to take it with him as he knew "this hat is going to be lucky." Not wanting to lose or ruin the mitts he handed them to fellow musher and this year's checkpoint manager Jessie Royer so he could put them in his return bag. 

Holmes is currently leading the Iditarod with no one hot on his heels to challenge him. The veteran musher has yet to take his mandatory 8 hours on the loop and fans and analysts have been busy speculating where Jessie plans to take it. Paige Drobny is reportedly on her 8 hour rest now in Shageluk but this section of trail has taken its toll on her team and she is managing sore muscles on many of the dogs. 

Matt Hall and Michelle Phillips are also into Shageluk but there's no word for sure what their game plans are.

Teams continue down the trail with the back of the pack resting in Kaltag. Only Quince Mountain has yet to complete his 24 mandatory, however with as much rest as he's taken so far in Kaltag it's a fairly safe bet the rookie musher is currently taking that rest. 

Gabe Dunham scratches in Eagle Island

Insiders got a head start on the news Sunday morning while watching the live feed from Eagle Island. Insider reporter Sean Underwood showed a dog team "waiting for a flight off the trail" and it was quickly revealed that Gabe Dunham had scratched. The official press release came a couple hours later. 

Gabe Dunham up to this point has run a great race, she stayed right with the leading half of the mushers and had put up some strong run times. There was no indication from the GPS tracker that anything was amiss, and no reports as to what may have happened to cause the scratch - we'll find out when Gabe is ready to tell us.

According to the release Gabe had 14 dogs in harness at the time of her scratch. With the current weather in Eagle Island (snow is coming down hard and there is low visibility) it may be a while before Gabe and her team can be flown off the trail.

Gross necropsy finished on Klein's dog

IDITAROD LIII MEDIA ADVISORY  

Date:   March 8, 2025
From: Warren Palfrey, Race Marshal, Iditarod Trail Committee  

Anchorage, Alaska – Two board-certified veterinary pathologists in Anchorage have completed the gross necropsy on Ventana from the race team of Daniel Klein (bib #19).  

At this time, the only unexpected finding was that Ventana was pregnant.  Further testing at the laboratory is being performed as per race protocol for thorough investigation to complete the necropsy study.  

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