So you want to come to the Iditarod...

Kelly Maxiner celebrates during the Ceremonial Start of Iditarod 46.
March 3, 2018. Anchorage, AK.

For many a mushing fan, attending any part of the Iditarod is a bucket list item. The cost of travel, plus the unknown of what to expect detours a lot of fans from ever making the trek. So often when thinking of Iditarod people think of the cold, icy, remote parts of the trail that seem impossible to reach. While the vast majority of the race is like that, the Ceremonial and Official Starts are much more accessible, and close to the largest travel hub in the state.

In the coming weeks I'll give off tips, tricks, and answer frequently asked questions I've gotten over the years on how best to plan and prepare for a trip to the Last Great Race on Earth. So often, for me, it's hard to come up with answers because my experience is not one of travel and care - I've lived in Alaska my entire life. I have routines and being born and raised here I am used to the weather, the lack of sunlight, and other concerns "outsiders" typically have. I've reached out to others who have traveled to this great state for this race, and will share their tips along with my own.

All recommendations come without any kick back to myself or anyone else. I am not giving advice as a way to financially gain or get any sort of perks for sending anyone their way. All opinions are my own unless stated otherwise, and I can only go by what I have researched or experienced first hand.

When to come

This is the million dollar question. While the race runs about 2 weeks from start to finish, champion to red lantern, most fans cannot take off that kind of time, so the question becomes - when do you want to come and what do you want to see?

The start of the Iditarod is the first weekend of March - every year. It's tradition and there's no way they're going to change it any time soon. The entire mushing season in Alaska keeps the Iditarod tradition in mind when they schedule their races. The Ceremonial Start is Saturday and begins at 10am. Teams leave from the chute on 4th Avenue and D in Anchorage, AK and run roughly 11 miles through Anchorage to end at Campbell Airstrip where they load up the teams and head up the road to Willow, Alaska to prepare for the Re-Start (also called the official start). I plan on doing a blog post about the Ceremonial Start later on in this series, so for now we'll just work with the time and date.

Like most other sled dog races, the Iditarod has a staggered start. Each team leaves in bib draw order in two-minute intervals. The first musher out of the chute is typically the Jr Iditarod champion (Jr Iditarod takes place the weekend before Iditarod) and is carrying the Honorary Musher (or if that person was awarded the honor posthumously then a member of their family rides). They get Bib #1, so all racing teams get bib numbers 2 and up. Depending on how many teams sign up, you're looking at 2+ hours of watching teams take off in a celebration of pure Alaskan tradition.

But let's back up a couple of days. Before the ceremonial start, the mushers come together for a Musher's Banquet. Thursday before race weekend at 6pm the Dena'ina Center is filled with music, food, and lots of alcohol. This is where the mushers will thank their sponsors and draw their bib numbers. Their official media photos are taken for the Anchorage Daily News and Iditarod.com. They eat food and mingle. There is a silent auction as well as an outcry auction. And the best part? Fans can be a part of the action! As of 2018, autographs are no longer allowed during the banquet, however there is a Musher Meet and Greet prior to the banquet which begins at 4pm. Iditarod does not show a Meet and Greet on this year's calendar events, but when asked they would not confirm that it would or wouldn't be happening in 2019. All mushers must be in attendance at both the Meet and Greet as well as the Banquet. Both the Meet and Greet and Banquet are ticketed events, with the Meet and Greet being included with Banquet admission. Tickets go on sale by January.

In between Thursday's official events, and Saturday's Ceremonial start is Friday's "freebie day". This is a day that many mushers's sponsors host meet and greets with the mushers they support. Inlet Towers typically holds a meet and greet for Mitch Seavey and Jeff King. Comfort Inn/Matson host one with Aliy Zirkle and Allen Moore. Other meet and greets also happen. Most of these are not known about until the last minute unless you know where to look, or are on musher newsletter/emails/etc. A lot of mushers stay at the official hotel The Lakefront, and there are several book signings typically planned with different authors and mushers. If you have a few hours to kill you can hang out around the lobby and talk with other fans, eat food at one of two restaurants on property, or just people watch. There's also the official swag tables, and the registration desk for volunteers. (I'll have another blog about volunteer opportunities.)

Sunday is when the real race begins. The Re-Start takes place on the lake in Willow, Alaska. That's about a three hour drive from Anchorage - but don't worry! There are lots of options to get you there if you don't want to make the drive. I know I sound like a broken record, but there will be a blog in the coming weeks to give you a look at some ways to get there. The Re-Start is the official start of the Iditarod. It's what all of the mushers have waited for all year. For the rookies, it's the day they've dreamt about for years - some of them their entire lives. The teams take off starting with Bib #2 (remember earlier when I said Bib #1 was for the honorary musher? they only run in the Ceremonial Start), and leave in two-minute intervals. This will be made up later when teams take their mandatory rest along the trail. Teams hit the lake to start getting ready as early as 8:30am (maybe earlier, I never get there that soon). Spectators are allowed to walk around the chute that is "barricaded" by that lovely orange plastic fencing. You're able to take pictures, talk with the mushers and handlers, and see all the dogs. Most mushers don't get too chatty as they are in race mode, but there's a buzz like no other on race day. Spectators then line the chute on both sides all the way across the ice and into the woods. It continues for miles. It's a sporting tailgating party, a must do.

For the next 10 days the race is run through Alaska's rugged and most beautiful terrain. There are ways to get out onto the trail and watch teams come into different checkpoints. This is expensive, and I'll leave you to decide if you want to add it to your itinerary - there will be a blog for these options coming, but this blog is just about planning how long of a trip you want.

Like I said, it will take about 10 days for the teams to start coming in. If you're wanting to see the finish in Nome, most have to make the painful choice of attending either the start or the finish, otherwise you're looking at a lot of time off from work/home... and a huge credit card bill when all is said and done. Alaska is not cheap - and it gets significantly worse the further away from Anchorage you get. So keep that in mind when planning your trip. The top teams average finish is in 9 days, bringing them in on a Tuesday evening/Wednesday Morning. Mitch Seavey holds the fastest time in just over 8 days. There are only two flights into Nome a day during that time on a commercial airline (Alaska Airlines), the Sunday evening flight gets you in with typically a day, possibly two, to get your bearings and see the sights. There is A LOT to do during Iditarod week in Nome. If you can swing a week in Nome you have a good chance of seeing all of the mushers come in under the burled arch.

The sun shines bright over the burled arch in Nome, Alaska. March 2017.

The Finisher's Banquet in Nome takes place two weeks after the ReStart (Sunday). This is a pay at the door event and is where the mushers all come together and swap stories, mingle with friends, family, fans and the community of Nome. Sometimes the banquet happens before all of the teams come in - but lately the red lantern has come in in enough time to participate in the festivities. The Banquet begins at 4pm and tries to end in enough time for folks to make it to the airport should they be flying out on Sunday night. The final flight of the day leaves around 9:30pm, so you may miss a few of the awards, but for the most part you should be fine. You don't need to be at the airport 2 hours before hand. Their TSA is... interesting. But that's for another blog (yes, soon).

Suggested time-frame

So what do I recommend for a bucket list Iditarod trip? Well, I could just be cruel and say blow 3 weeks worth of savings and come from beginning to end. I mean, we're talking bucket list, right?! But, if you are like me and have a limited income and so time and money are precious, I can suggest a few ideas.

For the Starts:
Fly in Tuesday Evening, Spend Wednesday touring locales near Anchorage like Girdwood and Portage, Thursday Mushers Meet and Greet/Banquet, Friday tour Anchorage and check out some Meet & Greets or hang out at the Lakefront and people watch, Saturday attend the Ceremonial start, Sunday attend the restart (at some point in those two days make a trip to the official Iditarod HQ in Wasilla to get a pic with the Iditarod signs as well as Joe Redington's statue!), Monday fly home.

For the Finish:
Fly in Sunday settle in and take in Nome, Monday if possible take a tour to see musk ox or the tour of Nome (both spendy, but it's on my personal bucket list), Tuesday is a possible Iditarod Champion Finish day, Wednesday is a for sure finish day, fly out Thursday evening or Friday Morning... if you can swing a full week then stay through the Finisher's Banquet on Sunday and fly out Sunday evening.


One more (important) note

Now, not to throw a wrench into things but... well... Mother Nature has had the control of late and we've seen Fairbanks come into play for the restart. This has happened now three times in the last 15 years, most recently in 2015 and 2017. Should that happen forget everything I said about ReStart Day and pay attention. SHOULD the race's restart and trail be moved further north the FAIRBANKS RESTART will take place Monday following the Ceremonial Start. The Anchorage Start stays the same, but they need Sunday for travel time to get the teams up to Fairbanks. This is a 10-12 hour drive in the best weather, and if there's snow and ice and wind as there often times is, the drive can be longer. But, don't dispair, there are other travel options on how to get to the ReStart. Flights from Anchorage to Fairbanks are regular and have several airline options. The flight is about an hour and half long. There is also the option of the train, they have rides running but you're at the mercy of their schedule, and it is based on track and weather conditions. Air travel is your safest bet.

The Fairbanks ReStart would take place at 10am on Monday morning, so you would want to fly up the day before and snatch a room. The restart takes place right outside Pike's Landing (which is a fantastic hotel, btw) on the river. I'll talk more about the logistics and planning of a Fairbanks restart in a later blog, but just make sure that when planning your bucket list trip for the start that you are aware of the possibility of things changing. These changes are typically announced TWO WEEKS before the start of the event - so there's not a lot of time to change plans, but if you have a contingency plan and budget in place it's doable.



Hopefully this gives you a basic blueprint to plan your trip for Iditarod - as the weeks go on I hope to have more information on all aspects of trip planning, but this gives you an idea of the timeline you're looking at. Do you have any questions on this or other topics in planning your trip? Comment below or shoot me a note on social media ( @tonichelleak on twitter ) and I'll give you the best info I can. Are you planning a trip? Let me know in the comments when you're hoping to make it, I'd love to know how your planning is going!



*Note: I am not an official travel planner or guide. All advice is from my own experience/knowledge.*

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.

Mushing News Weekly Roundup (Oct 8)

Sorry for the lateness of the round up. I've been tied up with work and will be again next weekend so I am working on a little bit of a different schedule than what I've had before. I've also probably missed a lot of news as I haven't been able to be able to keep an eye on news as it breaks like normal. This week did see a lot of excitement as several races opened up registration for their events. A dryland race event took place this weekend as well, and there was (of course) a lot of talk from the different kennels as training continues.


Probably one of my favorite things on social media this week was when Quince Mountain shared a thread on twitter of a Mushers Panel he attended. It was a great play by play of a panel that featured Jake Berkowitz, Mike Ellis, and Laura Neese. Some of their ideas on the state of long distance mushing, kennels, and use of social media was quite interesting.

This mushing panel is about to get HEATED I can feel it. #mushertwitter pic.twitter.com/wfS5T47wQO

— Rugged Art Cowboy (@QuinceMountain) September 29, 2018

Jodi Bailey of Dew Claw Kennel shared this adorable puppy photo. I've taken my share of puppies asleep where they eat, but this one is just too great to pass up.


Fall is a good time for mushers to finish up building projects like dog kennels, fencing... and dog boxes. Sometimes it's more dramatic than you want it to be.


There was a bit of a shake up for Montana's Race to the Sky sled dog race as their race manager of 5 (going on 6) years stepped down earlier this fall. They have already named a replacement, and the previous manager will be at hand to help with the transition and getting the new management up to speed. You can read the official statement below:


Team trading doesn't just happen in professional human sports like Football and Basketball, it also happens in sled dog racing. Sometimes a Kennel needs some "new blood" in the mix - mainly for continuing their kennel's race lines - and so dogs that show their metal on one team are valued by another and when they come up for "trading" other teams jump at the chance.


The premiere mid-distance sled dog race in Western Alaska - the Kuskokwim 300 - opened registration this week. Some top names are in the mix, among them the four-time Kusko Champion Pete Kaiser. Kaiser is a local area musher who seems to dominate the race in an incredibly strong fasion. Also signed up are two Iditarod Champions - Jeff King, and Joar Leifseth Ulsom. The most exciting name for mushing fans, however, is Paul Gebhardt's name on the roster. Gebhardt was sidelined from racing two years ago with a cancer diagnosis. Last year during race season Paul was undergoing stem cell transplant to help in the fight of his life, that transplant was successful and his recovery seems to be going well. Teams sometime sign up but have a handler run the dogs and not the musher the team is registered under, but it seems like Gebhardt is, in fact, planning to run this one. There are currently 10 teams signed up, with the possibility of 20 more teams being added.


Jeff Deeter reported on the never-ending drama most mushers know all too well of ATV repair. If one part isn't breaking it's another...


Jeff King has some very good looking dogs, not just in the athletic department, but the eyes. One of his most popular dogs is a female named Zig. She has piercing ice blue eyes... and now this little pup Otto is giving her a run for her money in the best looking King dog department. Wow. The markings and those eyes. He is going to be a very handsome dog.


Not wanting to jump into the political quagmire that is our Nation right now, but the approaching November election had several mushers in the news this past week. This weekend, President Donald Trump came out in support of Iditarod Finisher Steve Watkins on his run for Kansas Senator. Watkins is a war veteran and adventure enthusiast. Several years ago he made his rookie run to Nome claiming it was a one and done deal as part of his goal to run the Iditarod and climb Everest in the same year. Watkins was an outside chance at winning the Republican Primary in Kansas, but has now been on the fast track of the political scene as it looks like the GOP believes he is one of the seats that could somehow turn from blue to red. Iditarod Champion Jeff King and fellow Iditarod musher Tara Cicatello (who ran last year with a team out of Bacon Acres which is closely linked with Jeff King's kennel) went public this week as well stating that Watkins was a hair shy of being a fraud. King is very outspoken in his political views - and his dislike of President Trump - and so it really came as no surprise to those who pay attention. King has also spoken out about the Supreme Court Justice Nominee (who is now appointed) Brett Kavanaugh, having participated in a rally in front of Senator Lisa Murkowski's office prior to the vote.

Enough politics, let's get back to mushing! The Copper Basin 300 (CB 300) opened up registration Saturday. The CB 300 is probably the most popular mid distance race in Alaska. Its timing and trail seem to be the perfect combination. Unlike other races along the road system, the CB 300 hasn't had to cancel in years of poor winter conditions. The race typically sees a whirlwind of sign ups when registration opens, and a long waiting list. This year mushers took to social media to praise how easy online registration was this year, and were happy to sign up. And, sure enough, over thirty mushers signed up by the end of the day!

The newer Willow 300 race also announced that their race was on again this winter, and registration was open. There are currently 20 teams signed up, and it won't be surprising to see more names pop up as they miss out on registration for other races.

With race registrations in full swing, pups and top athletes alike are preparing... by... napping?


Mushers took to the trails this weekend for some dryland racing. With training seasons starting later and later due to warmer than normal temperatures, mushers are finding other ways to get out and stretch their teams into racing shape. It was a muddy weekend, but it seems to have made that much more fun. The event is growing as more recreational mushers and "professionals" alike come together and the Chugiak Mushers Association are hoping for continued growth and success.


Lance Mackey is on his way to Texas to be the guest speaker of a fundraising event for a drug rehab program. Mackey will be speaking on perseverance and survival as well as his own struggles with addiction. The ticketed event takes place on October 18th beginning at 5:30pm in Belton, TX.

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 21)

Martin Buser and team at the ReStart of the 46th running of the Iditarod.
March 4, 2018 - Willow, Alaska.

Just going to share a few fun items today as well as some movie news - there is now a website (that I'm not involved with) that is working on "mushing news" and it's run by someone a little more dialed into the politics of the sport than I am. I don't want to step on toes, but I'll continue to do the round up of social media finds and big news.

If you've been around the Iditarod mushing scene for any length of time you know that the mushers all typically get along even when there are fierce rivalries and intense differences of opinion. Dogs, though, bring all of these personalities together and they get along more than they don't. Two old dogs who have rival kennels and tour businesses seem to have a lot of fun at each other's expense. Jeff King and Mitch Seavey shared a good laugh this week.


Yukon Quest champion Matt Hall shared some puppy sweetness on facebook today. Who wants to cuddle? I volunteer as tribute!

Squid Acres took to the interwebs to find a handler, interested in working with one of the top female mushers in the sport right now? Head on over and apply. (This is not an endorsement, simply informational.)


The Kusko 300 is doing something right when it comes to filling its purse for the race. They announced their breakdown online for their three race classes, a full breakdown will be available closer to race time. The numbers are impressive considering the Iditarod can't seem to keep the numbers steady... unless you count the steady decline. Iditarod powers that be have blamed loss of sponsors and monies on the animal rights groups, but other races seem to be thriving and get just as much flack from the terror groups. Just an interesting observation.


The Finnmarkslopet has opened up registration for all of its race classes. So far 57 teams total will run the 500, 1200, and junior races. No Americans or Canadians appear on the roster, and of the 57 teams that are signed up, 30 of them are rookies. There's still time to enter, and with Dallas Seavey having had such a good time in this year's race, it wouldn't be surprising to see another team try their luck. Seavey said after the race this year that he would be back, but that they'd probably not be able to make the trek back so soon. Seavey is not signed up for Iditarod which runs during the same time frame, and has not really spoken publicly of his race plans for the coming season. His name has yet to appear on any roster in Alaska.

Dallas Seavey has racked up a few airmiles lately, having made several trips over to Norway to give talks and run dogs over the summer and fall. He finished up an event earlier this month with current Iditarod Champion Joar Liefseth Ulsom that apparently was well received. If you attended, comment below and let me know how it went.


I found out about a neat opportunity for troubled youth in the Fairbanks area. Had no idea that this organization existed. I wish there was a program down on the Peninsula. Our kids could really use something like this.

So I just found out about @noble_paws organization that helps promote confidence and positive mental health to those in need by teaching them how to run a dog team. How cool?! https://t.co/4OI0ofElSu#MusherTwitter pic.twitter.com/3ws4ijCasN

— Toni Reitter (@tonichelleak) September 16, 2018

Lisbet Norris' kennel had a great training run today. Gotta love those happy, muddy faces.


Iditarod rookie (come March) Blair Braverman came up with a brilliant grading system on sled dog softness this week. She graded most of her dogs in her dog yard. It's very scientific. If you have time, read her twitter thread on the subject (or even if you just like pictures of happy sled dogs, she's got lots).

We all know that the sled dogs are super-athletes with a keen sense of adventure, family loyalty, and courage beyond belief.

But did you know they’re also soft? pic.twitter.com/H9V97ZMYg5

— Blair Braverman (@BlairBraverman) September 20, 2018

Last, but not least, Disney is currently in production for a new film about Leonhard Seppala and Togo and the story of the Serum Run. Willem Dafoe stars as Seppala. It's currently filming in Alberta, Canada (cheaper than coming to Alaska now that we no longer have tax incentives for Hollywood big budget movies, don't get me started). Martin Buser announced via facebook this week that he has been called upon to be the expert on set. His race team will be brought to him later this year so that he can continue to train for Iditarod 2019. He does not, at this time, plan to not run the 47th running of the Last Great Race. The movie is set to premiere on Disney's new streaming service they plan to have up and running next year. The movie does not have a release date yet. Here's hoping this is better than Spielberg/Dreamworks' animated film Balto which had so many historical inaccuracies it makes you cry. Then again, Disney did no better around the same time with their version of Pocahontas' history, so... we'll have to wait and see which version of Togo we get.


And that's a basic rundown of what was interesting in the world of mushing this week. Let me know what you think about this and whatever else is on your mind by leaving a comment or two.

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!


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Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Sept 7)

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

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

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




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

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


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


Cindy Abbott shared her booty haul.

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


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

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Aug 31)

Aside from a sunny warm spell on the Kenai Peninsula - training season temps have hit Alaska, and teams are hooking up and running down their trails working to get into race form by December. The last litters of the year have been born, and in another couple of weeks the first litters will start learning about being "big dogs". Yearlings will be harness broken this fall, and will work to become sled dogs like their parents and grandparents. Mushers will pull away from the civilized world and become increasingly focused on dogs. It's the most wonderful time of the year for mushing!

If you're interested in taking part in it yourself, there are several teams still looking for a handler for at least part of the 2018-19 season. Squid Acres are looking for someone just for the fall months.


National Dog Day was celebrated by many mushers last week - though, really, when you're a dog person EVERY day is National Dog Day!



Training vids and pictures have been shared more than any other type of post this past week.








Until the snow flies, training is done hitched to atvs running in neutral or very low speeds. It allows mushers to run and control larger teams.

The end of touring season is still ongoing, with most every glacier tour closed for the season by September.


Seeing Double Kennel (run by twins Kristy and Anna Berginton) are expanding their training regimine to include bike-joring. Kristy's husband, who ran his rookie Iditarod this year, Andy Pohl has taken to using a few of the dogs to do some dryland runs with his bike. Pohl and Berington met when Kristy was running the Iditarod with dogs, and he was biking the trail (brrr).

Iditarod musher Rick Castillo works hard year round not only as a musher, but he works with combat veterans who suffer from PTSD and other issues as a result to their service for their country. Battle Dogs has been praised Nationwide for their work. And now they're being recognized by the Combat Veteran Motorcycle Group! Congratulations, Rick and team!

Several dog teams in Nome were let loose earlier this week. One dog died as a result, others injured, and another dog is still missing. Mike Owens, Chrystie Salesky, and Janet Balice all have dogs in a secure dog lot outside of town. There has been no information as to who or why the dogs were let loose, but it's caused a major stir in the community of Nome and the larger dog mushing community.
Sixty dogs were let loose, from three of the four kennels who park their dogs there. For some unknown reason, the fourth kennel's dogs were not bothered. Many speculate that the vandals responsible ran out of time to release all of the canines.


Iditarod roster is up to 32 name with a rookie from France joining the mix. The roster now stands at 32 names, tying the roster of the very first Iditarod with the smallest list of names in race history. Still no Marrs or Seavey on the list.

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Aug 24)

I intentionally skipped last week's round up. There wasn't much in the way of new news, and what was new was kind of the same ol' same ol'... plus, I was just not feeling it. I'll admit it, I was lazy... but there were a few shake ups this week (many being released within the last few hours of August 24) so I guess I best get to sharing what's going on.

Breaking today (Friday, August 24) is the news out of the Iditarod Trail Committee (ITC) - Board President Andy Baker, brother of 2011 Iditarod Champion John Baker, announced that he has stepped down from the position and has resigned from the board of directors. Baker plans to be a spectator and continued supporter of the Last Great Race (which at this point means just a spectator who may pay dues every year if they want to, but they no longer get a vote... but hey we still get a discount on their merchandise!) Succeeding Baker as president is newly appointed board member Mike Mills. The change comes seven months after an independent study produced by the Foreaker Group recommended an entire overhaul of the ITC board due to mushers and fans alike having no faith in the leadership of the race. To further support that claim, many well known mushers chose not to sign up for the 2019 race, and many still are not on the roster as of today. It will be interesting to see in the coming days and weeks to see if this is the change that will get more mushers to sign up. Currently Wade Marrs, Mitch Seavey, Dallas Seavey, Ray Redington, and Robert Redington are leading the boycott until changes to the race leadership is made.

In less dramatic news, Jodi Bailey of Dew Claw Kennel announced the arrival of six new pups! Mama dog and babies are doing well.

Iditarod veteran Cindy Abbott posted about a recent showing at the Founders Day Parade in the MatSu Valley. She and dogs were supporting another musher from Dream a Dream kennel, and a legendary musher in his own right Vern Halter. Vern is mayor of the MatSu and so it's fitting his two passions pull together to better the community.


Iditarod Champions Dallas Seavey and Joar Leifseth Ulsom are headlining a symposium over in Norway in September. I wish I could tell you more about it - but I can't read the language. Still, if you're over on the other side of the Atlantic, look it up. Norway knows how to celebrate the sport of mushing and its stars (dogs and humans alike). It's almost like a rock concert at the start of some of these races. I can only guess that this is a mushing equivalent to ComicCon. (There should BE a MusherCon in Alaska! Let's make that happen!)


ACE Race (Alpine Creek Excursion) is happening again this year and have announced the date. It's a race out of Cantwell. 64 miles round trip, so not a qualifier, but fun none-the-less.


Pedigree Stage Stop Race announced this week that their roster had been set for the 2019 race (seems so early to me!). Only one Alaskan team is participating, but the roster looks to be very strong and should be a very exciting race to follow.


The end of August typically marks the end of Glacier dog sled tours, Glaciers deteriorate over summer and it become dangerous to be on them, plus weather is worse and it's harder to transport to and from the glaciers. So that means a lot of dogs are returning back to their kennels to begin the fall training. September is so close, and the weather has cooled some in Alaska, so training has begun for a lot of team.


Squid Acres is looking for a short term part time handler to help with the fall training season - contact them if you're interested. They're a competitive kennel for both the Yukon Quest and Iditarod.

Don't be surprised if the next couple of weeks if there's a lot of training related posts from different teams. And keep fingers and paws crossed that Iditarod's changes move the race in a positive direction.

Beads of Courage

I haven't shared on my blog, but if you're following me on social media you may have picked up on the fact that my cousin's daughter is fighting for her life. Baby Ella was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). In her short life she's had multiple surgeries and has spent more time in the hospital than she has at home. She is a fighter, and has the best - most amazing - parents any child could have. It's been hard being so far away unable to do anything but pray (even if prayer is probably the best thing at this point to do). Mom and I have come close to booking flights down a couple of times as it looked like we were going to lose Ella Rae...

...but then Ella pulls through by the grace of God! It's been an incredible roller coaster of emotions, and I'm just the cousin who sees the family once in a blue moon! I can only imagine what my cousin, her husband, and their families are going through.

This past week, though, my cousin's world and mine collided when Ella received a "bead of courage" from the Iditarod Trail. Since 2011, The Iditarod has partnered with Beads of Courage to have mushers, veterinarians, and the teacher on the trail carry beads that are then sent to children nationally who are facing medical hurdles. The beads are collected by the child and used to tell their story of how they've overcome the obstacles thrown in their path. The beads are sent with a card signed by the person who carried it, with a little note of encouragement. Some also carry an extra glass bead that is later auctioned off by the program to fund their work.

This week my cousin sent me two photos with a message saying that she knew I'd probably enjoy knowing about the gift Ella'd gotten this week. Ella got a bead from Iditarod musher Becca Moore from when she ran in 2016 (the last time she's run). Becca is married to Iditarod Veteran Ramey Smyth who is signed up to run again this year. When Becca was carrying Ella's bead she was also carrying something a little more - she was pregnant with their daughter!

I don't know if I'm just wishing it, but I kinda feel like that was God's way of saying that even though "all I'm doing" is praying, that I am with my California family during this fight. It is a special connection that really made me stop and smile. Ella still has a long battle ahead of her, and she's slow and steady and I believe will win this "race". She is Ella strong. Please, if you so believe, pray for little Ella and her mom and dad and big brother Eli. Pray for wisdom and skill for the doctors, wisdom and peace for her family, and strength for baby Ella. Thank you to all who have encouraged and prayed and loved on them.

Thank you and our best to Ella! #beadstrong

— Beads of Courage (@beadsofcourage) August 9, 2018