When there’s a fork in the trail with one branch leading off to the side and the other branch going straight, mushers will call “ON BY” to the leaders telling them to go straight. That’s exactly what is happening at Kaltag. Normally, teams would take the trail heading to the west to Old Woman Cabin and then the coast but in this Ultra Iditarod, mushers are directing their teams to “ON BY” and go straight south down the Yukon.
More than one musher has said they’d like to be taking that turn out of Kaltag rather than running another 330 to 350 miles before returning to Kaltag and heading to the coast. More than one musher has commented on how rough the trail was between Kaltag and Eagle Island. But there’s some good news – it’s snowing on the Yukon. Snow will help to smooth that trail out for the run back up to Kaltag.
Jessie Holmes was the first musher to the designated half-way point, Grayling at mile 582. GCI Commercial Sales Manager, Adam Washburn was in Grayling to present the award. Holmes arrived in Grayling at 21:53 with 14 dogs. Adam presented Jessie with a trophy made of Alaskan Birch and Marble along with his choice of either a smart phone and service for a year or $3,000 in gold nuggets. There was no pause for Jessie when Adam presented the option, he chose the gold nuggets. Washburn will re-present the award in Nome. Jessie appreciated handing the gold back over as it would have been easy, in a sleep deprived state, to confuse those little gold nuggets with canine vitamin supplements.
GCI has been presenting the Half-way award since 1994. It’s an award given in honor of the late Dorothy G. Page who is considered to be the “Mother of the Iditarod.” After arriving in Knik in 1960, Page became the president of the Knik Centennial Committee to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the purchase of Alaska. Page, a history buff, dreamed up a spectacular dog race to bring attention to what mushers and their dogs had done for Alaska. Joe Redington, SR. joined the effort and in 1966 fifty-eight dog teams competed in the 25 mile race for a purse of $25,000. The race was cancelled in ’67 for lack of snow but ran once more in ’68 with a purse of only $1,000. Page was instrumental in forming the Iditarod Trail Committee and the Musher’s Hall of Fame in Knik.
Up front, the musher markers have changed colors for the run back up the Yukon River from Shageluk to Kaltag. Running mushers going north have a black marker and resting mushers have a pale orange marker. At this point, Jessie Homes has reached Shageluk and is running to Grayling 2. Paige Drobny is resting in Shageluk. Matt Hall is out of Anvik and close to Shageluk. Michelle Phillips has departed Anvik. The checkpoint of Anvik is empty at the moment but will soon be welcoming Bailey Vitello, Nicolas Petit and Mitch Seavey.
Ryan Redington Is taking his 8hr Yukon River rest in Grayling. He told Insider it’s a good spot to rest and works for his team, especially after the rough trail going to Eagle Island. Redington arrived in Grayling with 12 dogs in harness but says his team will be smaller leaving so he’ll be going one run at a time.
Mitch Seavey is in Grayling and talked with Insider. He, like others, said the trail to Eagle Island was tough. Seavey said he didn’t have a coach or a strategy and is far off his original plan so for now he says, I’m doing the work I need to do when I get into a checkpoint then I take an hour for myself. Then I do the work I need to do so I can leave.” His son, Dallas, who is on the trail following his Dad told him to get more sleep. Mitch says he’ll try to follow that advice from the six time champion.
That’s the action from the southern most checkpoints of the 2025 trail. Back up north, Nulato is empty but Kaltag has 8 rookies parked in the checkpoint – Quince Mountain, Ebbe Pedersen, Dane Baker, Connor McMahon, Calvin Daugherty, Bryce Mumford, Justin Olnes and Sydnie Bahl. Quince Mountain is the sole musher who hasn’t completed his 24 hour rest. He arrived in Kaltag 1 at 04:18, now 8 hours later he’s sitting still so it would appear he and the dogs are enjoying the long break.
Jody Bailey of Insider talked with Keaton Loebrich In Kaltag. He said the run from Nulato was beautiful with the moon and the northern lights. His team has been getting faster and faster since the 24 hour rest so he’s on the drag to hold them at 9.3 miles per hour. Keaton thinks his team is moving well and thus far they haven’t shown any wrist or shoulder soreness. Loebrich, along with the other rookies, are getting to see parts of all three routes.
After reaching Eagle island on Sunday at 08:03, Veteran Gabe Dunham decided to scratch. She had 14 in harness and said the decision was made in the best interest of her team.
Remember the change in color of the GPS markers after teams leave Shageluk is because they are heading north. The color change makes it easy to differentiate who is going south on the river and who is heading north passing through Grayling 2, Eagle Island 2 and Kaltag 2. Running mushers are designated with a black flag. Resting mushers have a light orange flag.
