Jessie Holmes departed Elim after a 3 hour rest. Then 6 hours and 44 minutes later at 03:10, he was the first musher to sign in at White Mountain. His average speed over the 46 mile trek was 6.8 mph. The White Mountain checker conducted a mandatory gear check – Sleeping bag, Axe, Booties, Snow Shoes, Cooker, fuel, Vet Book, insulated dogs coats and ITC promo material. Holmes had everything, signed in and was parked.
After serving his 8 hour required rest, Holmes departed for the burled arch at 11:26. Considering his run from White Mountain to Nome in 2025 took 9 hours and 59 minutes, a reasonable estimate for finish time would be between 20:00 and 21:00. In more general terms, Holmes will complete his run to Nome a little before sunset.
For being first to White Mountain, Holmes received the Northrim Bank Achieve More Award. The award consists of a $2,500 check and a special trophy the reside at Iditarod headquarters year-round. President Mike Huston says, “Northrim proudly celebrates the teamwork, determination and commitment it takes to truly ‘Achieve More’ on the Iditarod Trail. The Alaska grown bank with deep roots in the state, has a strong appreciation for the grit and resilience needed to face both the challenges of the Last Frontier and the demanding Iditarod Trail.” The award will be presented at the finisher’s banquet.
The route from Elim followed the old Elim Mail Trail before climbing the Kwiktalik Mountains to the summit at Little McKinley (1,000 ft). There are a series of long hard grades to the summit in contrast to the gradual ascent at Rainy Pass many miles ago. The trail drops back to sea level and continues across Golovin Bay then up the Fish River to the White Mountain checkpoint.
Chasing but realizing there is too little time and not enough miles to catch Holmes, Travis Beals arrived in White Mountain at 07:07. He can leave for Nome at 15:07. He covered the distance in 7 hours and 43 minutes at 5.96 mph. Beals Made a big move along the portage trail out of Kaltag. From Sunday noon to Monday noon, he moved from 6thplace to 2nd place to follow Jessie Holmes out of Unalakleet. From there all the way to White Mountain he’s been Holmes’ shadow. Beals is 11/11 in his Iditarod career with 5 top ten finishes including a best of 5th place in 2019. He completed his most recent northern route run in 2024 in 9 days, 14 hours and 39 minutes for 6th place. Beals began mushing even before he was born as his mother ran dogs while expecting. She passed recently. Yesterday in Koyuk, Travis told Insider Bruce Lee that he knows his Mom is very proud of the race he’s run. It looks like Travis could runner up to claim his highest Iditarod finish to date.
Beals and the mushers chasing him, Wade Marrs, Paige Drobny and Jeff Deeter are close enough to pounce if the unexpected happens. Back in 2014, Jeff King left White Mountain with a 57 minute lead over Aliy Zirkle. King and Zirkle found themselves in a horrendous ground blizzard after Topkok. Unknowingly, Zirkle passed King who was stuck in drift wood close to the Bering Sea. She made Safety and decided to wait out the storm. Dallas Seavey left White Mountain nearly three hours after King and like Zirkle passed on by King and his stranded team. By the time Seavey reached Safety, the storm had diminished but only slightly, so he kept on going. He had no idea Zirkle was inside the checkpoint. Dallas arrived at the burled arch, wondering at the grand celebration, only to realize he was the champion.
The mushers who are close behind Holmes, know how unpredictable the race is, how mother nature can derail the best plans of humans and most importantly they know the race isn’t over until it’s over. Beals and the others will be in position to take advantage of any opportunity that comes their way.
The musher population at White Mountain has increased since Jessie Holmes left at 11:26. Beals remained in White Mountain then Jeff Deeter arrived just a minute or two before Holmes headed up the Fish River. Fourteen minutes Later, Paige Drobny checked in followed by Wade Marrs at 12:03. The race for those last spots in the top five appears to between Deeter, Drobny and Marrs.
Deeter and his wife Katti Jo operate Black Spruce Kennel. They are both Iditarod veterans. Jeff ran his first Iditarod at the age of 19. He took some time off for life things then came back to Iditarod ten years later in 2018. He finished the 2024 race in 4th place with a time of 9 days, 11 hours, 52 minutes.
Jeff is known for his ever present smile on the trail. He’s also known for what’s written on his gloves, Gee on the right and Haw on the left. Katti Jo explains that the practice has nothing to do with knowing right from left. It’s all about knowing his gloves from someone else’s gloves. Most mushers wear the same kind of gloves. They’re all the same color – buckskin and black. Jeff or may by Katti Jo came up with the idea of using Gee and Haw rather than a name. When you have more than one pair of the same glove, you’re also guaranteed to have a pair if you head out the door with Gee/Haw gloves in hand.
Paige Drobny has been at the very front of the pack for the entire race except for leaving the 24. She drew bib 10 so had to stay for the 24 hours plus differential at Takotna which put her as the 8th musher out of Takotna. Otherwise, she’s held on to the 2nd position behind Jessie Holmes for many miles of the trail. Travis Beals slipped out in second place from UNK. Paige went out of Shaktoolik in 5th place behind Holmes, Beals, Porsild and Marrs. She moved up a position at Koyuk and stayed at fourth departing Elim. She arrived in White Mountain behind Holmes, Travis Beals and Jeff Deeter. Paige is 10/10 in her Iditarod career with her best finish being 5th in 2024. Her elapsed time was 9 days, 13 hours and 12 minutes. How did Paige get into mushing? Husband and sled builder, Cody Strathe built her a sled. The rest is history!
Wade Marrs has made a steady climb into the top five and has been bouncing between 5th and 3rd position ever since he left Unalakleet at mile 711. He’s poised to be the 5th team to check out of White Mountain. Wade is 10/12 in his Iditarod career. He has earned 5 top ten finishes including 4th place finishes in 2016 and 2021. His elapsed time on the northern route in 2016 was 8 days, 20 hours and 22 minutes. Wade came up through the ranks of the Jr. Iditarod. He got into mushing through his uncle. Growing up in Knik, he also had close ties to the Redington family. Wade and his family lived in Solon Springs, Wisconsin prior to moving back to Alaska. While living in the lower 48 he participated in the John Beargrease, UP 200 and Can-Am Crown.
