Author: Terrie Hanke (861 posts)


Eye on the Trail: Remembering Stuart Nelson, Jr. DVM – It’s All About the Dogs!

Stu Nelson, a soft spoken man, but a giant in the world of sled dogs and adventure, passed away unexpectedly in late September near his home in northern Idaho.  Dr. Stu Nelson has served Iditarod – both sled dogs and mushers for 38 years.  Iditarod is all about the dogs and so was Nelson!  He’s …

Eye on the Trail: Serum Run Series – Serum Expired!

Dr. Curtis Welch had arrived in Alaska in 1907.  He was very familiar with the winters and rather enjoyed the isolation of the ice bound, blizzard swept town of Nome.  Nearly half  of Nome’s population shipped out  for the winter on the last vessels departing before the Bering Sea froze.  Being icebound November through June, …

Iditarod Welcomes EDU Co-Directors

Linda Fenton and Jim Deprez will be sharing the broad spectrum of duties that fall under the heading of Iditarod Education.  Coinciding with the beginning of a new school year, Iditarod announced the co-directorship effective the first of September.  Likely their names sound familiar.  They’ve both served as Teacher on the Trail™ and have taken …

Eye on the Trail: Iditarod Welcomes EDU Co-Directors

Linda Fenton and Jim Deprez will be sharing the broad spectrum of duties that fall under the heading of Iditarod Education.  Coinciding with the beginning of a new school year, Iditarod announced the co-directorship effective the first of September.  Likely their names sound familiar.  They’ve both served as Teacher on the Trail™ and have taken …

Eye on the Trail: Serum Run Series – Mushers and Diphtheria Survivor Honored

When the calendar pages reveal the arrival of January 2025, there’s an anniversary that begs to be celebrated.  January of 2025 will mark the 100th anniversary of the Serum Run, sometimes referred to as The Great Race of Mercy.  Twenty drivers and about 150 sled dogs carried the diphtheria antitoxin from Nenana to Nome in …

Eye on the Trail: New Twist for an Old Tradition

Maggie Hamilton, 2025 Teacher on the Trail, met up with Kate Newmyer, 2024 Teacher on the Trail, at Space Center Houston.  Topping their list of things to do that day was passing the Teacher on the Trail sleeping bag.  With mock shuttle Independence and shuttle carrier aircraft, NASA 905 in the back ground, Kate launched …

Eye on the Trail: Chapter 53!

Officially the first paragraphs  of the 53rd chapter of Iditarod were penned on Saturday, June 29th at Iditarod Headquarters during the Volunteer Appreciation Picnic and Musher Signup event.  It was a sunny, blue-bird day in Wasilla – perfect for honoring the volunteers who make the race possible and welcoming the next field of racers. Jr. …

Eye on the Trail: Recipients of 2024 Special Awards

Alaska Air Transit Spirit of Iditarod Award – Mille Porsild Beaver fur musher’s mitts with beadwork on moose hide (handmade by Loretta Maillelle), a beaver fur hat (handmade by Oline Petruska) as well as a Pendelton wool blanket from Alaska Air Transit is presented to the first musher who reaches the Nikolai checkpoint.   GCI …

Eye on the Trail: Awards – The Rest of the Story

Between the Musher Banquet in Anchorage where start order was determined and the Finisher’s Banquet in Nome where stories were shared and mushers were honored, many miles have passed under the sled runners.  While the line on the map is the same for every musher, the journey is entirely unique.  It was one of the …

Eye on the Trail: Siri Pics – Jason, Bailey, Gabe, Jessica & Mats

  Siri Raitto has shared photos of Jason Mackey, Bailey Vitello, Gabe Dunham, Jessica Klejka and Mats Pettersson arriving at the famed Burled Arch in Nome.  What do you notice in each of these images?  More of Siri’s images are available in the Iditarod Photo Gallery.  Enjoy these photos.