Author: Jim (93 posts)


Flashback Photo(s) – Jim Deprez 2021/2022 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™

  Relationships.  For me that’s what this event is, and always has been about.   Whether it is the relationship between the mushers and the “true athletes” – the dogs (as most of the mushers would say).                        Relationships amongst fellow mushers…       …

“It’s Not Goodbye, It’s See You Later”…

There is a popular quote that states, “It’s not  goodbye, it’s see you later”. These words couldn’t be more relevant as I sit down to write my final post as Teacher on the Trail™. It’s hard to believe that it was during the Summer of 2019, when I started working on my application. Since then, …

Voices of the Volunteers: Martha Dobson

  For the final installment in this series of posts, the volunteer who I interviewed is a former Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™. Martha Dobson served as the teacher in 2011, and knew after her year was over, that her time with Iditarod was not ending, but rather, adjusting. She has volunteered in a couple …

Misconceptions and More: Dogs vs. Wolves

  One common misconception about sled dogs is also a question I frequently get from my students: “Why do the dogs look so much like wolves, are they part wolf?” This misconception is not helped by the 1995 Disney cartoon movie “Balto”, where it is falsely stated that Balto is half wolf and “can’t  be …

Voices of the Volunteers: Karin Hendrickson – Race Judge

  Karin Hendrickson is a familiar name and face in the current Iditarod scene. This year was her 10th Iditarod race as a musher since her rookie year in 2009. However, during her non-racing years, she has still been an important part of the race, serving as a Race Judge on a few occasions. This …

Classroom Connections: Trailbreakers – Dash & Dot Coding

    This lesson is a very fun STEM project created to relate to the job of the Iditarod trail breakers. Unlike some of the other STEM activities I have posted, this one is much quicker. It can be completed in one (longer) class session.    In this lesson, students work with a certain type of …

Voices of the Volunteers: Dan Harrelson

  Dan Harrelson has been a very big figure in the small community of White Mountain for decades. He is currently a member of the city council and is the VPSO (Village Public Safety Officer) in the community. However he had also been the mayor of White Mountain as well. But as he said, “ …

OFF the trail in Nome/Anchorage – Monday

  What an adventure… Last night was the musher banquet that formally wrapped up the 2022 Iditarod Sled Dog Race. It was a night to celebrate, for a variety of different reasons. Some for finishing their first Iditarod, some for taking a step back from the race for a bit, and still others for simply …

On the Trail in Nome – Sunday

  If you read my post from yesterday, this is really the continuation of my amazing day yesterday. Let’s attempt to do this in chronological order… After being taken to the airport yesterday with Kathy Chapoton and Sean William’s dad, I was actually able to hop on a flight with IAF pilot, Wes Erb. This …

On the Trail in Nome – Saturday

  I know I have said in the past that I have had some pretty amazing days, but today was probably the best day of this entire incredible adventure.  There were so many “never in my wildest dreams” moments that I can’t possibly get them all into one post, especially as it’s already way later …