by Terrie Hanke

Aliy Zirkle was the first 2012 musher to reach McGrath.  PenAir executive, Danny Seybert, along with a throng of villagers and volunteers awaited her arrival.  The evening was mild, at times northern lights drifted across the sky, and at times snow fell.  Aliy’s brief stay and the PenAir presentation was illuminated by a hazy full moon – really a perfect night.

Danny Seybert explained the meaning of the beautiful spirit mask presented to the first musher to reach McGrath.  Every being has a spirit.  In Iditarod, the spirit of the dog and the spirit of the musher are joined at one.  Artist Orville Lund of Bristol Bay created the mask to portray the union of the spirits.

Zirkle arrive in McGrath at 2032 covering the 48 miles from Nicolai at a speed of 7.15 miles per hour.  Zirkle’s dogs looked energetic as they trotted into the checkpoint on the luminary lined trail next to the Kuskokwim River.  Aliy was met by spectators as well as the checker, vet team and Seybert of PenAir.  Her time in the checkpoint was very brief as she was intent on resting long at Takotna.

Seybert said Zirkle is the first woman to receive the PenAir Spirit of Alaska Award that was created in 1995.