Iditarod

Jessie Holmes wins Ryan Air Gold Coast Award

Veteran musher Jessie Holmes (bib #9), of Brushkana, Alaska, is  the first musher to reach the Unalakleet checkpoint at 12:33 p.m. with 11 dogs in harness, making him the recipient of the Ryan Air Gold Coast Award.    This award was first presented in 1987 and will be presented this year by Cheryl Johnson, Human …

Rookie Iditarod musher Erin Altemus scratches at the Ruby Checkpoint

  Rookie Iditarod musher, Erin Altemus (bib #23), of Grand Marais, Minnesota, scratched at 9:38 a.m. today at the Ruby checkpoint in the best interest of her team. Altemus had 10 dogs in harness when she arrived in Ruby, all in good health.  

Eye on the Trail: Unalakleet back to Ruby

As expected with the pace at the front of the pack picking up, the distance from leader to the final musher has lengthened.  Unalakleet (you-na-la-kleet) sits at mile 714 with teams about two-thirds of the way there from Kaltag.   Tracker shows seven top contenders resting at mile 676.  Tracker also shows  Erin Altemus and Bryce …

Eye on the Trail: Fish First to Beals in Kaltag

Veteran musher Travis Beals of Seward was the first musher to arrive in Kaltag.  Beals received the Bristol Bay Native Corporation Fish First Award from Carol Wren, BBNC’s Senior VP of Shareholder Development.  The award consists of 25 pounds of fresh Bristol Bay Salmon filets, $2,000 and a wood burned art piece created by artist …

Travis Beals receives the Bristol Bay Native Corporation Fish First Award

  Veteran Iditarod musher Travis Beals (bib #14), of Seward, Alaska, is the first musher to arrive at the Kaltag checkpoint at 3:03 p.m. with 12 dogs in harness.   In doing so, Beals claims the Bristol Bay Native Corporation Fish First Award. BBNC’s Senior Vice President of Shareholder Development, Carol Wren, traveled to Kaltag …

Eye on the Trail: Yukon River Ice Road

Cripple checkpoint population is down to volunteers – trail crew, vets, comms and a few returned dogs.  The final mushers – Benjamin Good, Jeff Reid, Connor McMahon, Lauro Ecklund, Bryce Mumford and Joshua Robbins are making their way out of the interior to the Yukon River village of  Ruby, located at mile 495.  Once they’re …

Eye on the Trail: Beals to Robbins = 157 miles

Travis Beals after taking his 8-hour Yukon rest in Galena has checked into Nulato at mile 582.  Back of the pack mushers, Bryce Mumford and Joshua Robbins have just departed Cripple at mile 425.  Like yesterday, roughly 150 miles separates the leaders from the wheel dogs.  Again, the rookies of 2024 are a very strong …

Eye on the Trail: Travis Beals Into Galena

Travis Beals is out of Ruby and soon to arrive in Galena.  Matt Hall and Dallas Seavey are following approximately 30 and 40 miles back respectively.  Travis is pondering where/when to take his 8-hour Yukon rest.  Wisdom says take it while the dogs are running well.  Nic Petit is the only racer that hasn’t completed …

Eye on the Trail: Tracker Tells All

You’re a serious race fan if you check tracker before email in the morning.  What you found this morning was a rather amazing sight.  There were mushers moving again so green versus orange flags AND they were all between Ophir and Ruby.  Roughly 143 miles separates the leader from the 38th team.  That’s right 38 …

Veteran Musher Nicolas Petit wins First Musher to the Yukon Award

  Veteran musher Nicolas Petit (bib #17), of Big Lake, Alaska is the first musher to arrive at the Ruby checkpoint on the Yukon River at 10:08 p.m. with 15 dogs in harness. In doing so, Petit claims the First Musher to the Yukon Award. The award consists of a gourmet dinner prepared by Top …