Veteran musher Ryan Redington (bib #5), of Knik, Alaska, was the first musher to reach the McGrath checkpoint at 6:10 pm today with 12 dogs in harness, winning the Alaska Air Transit Spirit of Iditarod Award.  

The “2023 Spirit of the Iditarod Award” was presented to Redington in McGrath Checkpoint by Colette Goodman, Station Manager at Alaska Air Transit. Redington received a pair of musher’s mitts with Beaver and beaded leather by Loretta Maillelle of McGrath, as well as a beaver hat handmade by Rosalie Egrass, also of McGrath. 

This is Alaska Air Transit’s fifth year sponsoring the Iditarod and fifth year presenting the Spirit of Iditarod Award. Alaska Air Transit offers crucial flight support statewide via air charter and provides scheduled service to the Upper Kuskokwim communities of Nikolai, McGrath, Takotna and Tatalina as well as the Prince  William Sound communities of Tatitlek and Chenega.