Jr. Iditarod
The thrill is not in victory but in the courage to join the race! Nowhere could this be more evident than at the Junior Iditarod banquet. These young mushers dreamed one day of running dogs. Later they dreamed of camping with their dogs. Even later these juniors dreamed of racing. They DARED to dream and …
From the Yentna Station end of the Junior Iditarod, it was clear that the race would come down to the wire and it did. Conway Seavey left the layover stop two-minutes ahead of Ben Harper, his closest competitor. IAF planes aren’t air born before daylight so there was little chance that I’d see the winners …
With ninety-four sled dogs parked at the Yentna Station Roadhouse on the big bend of the Yentna River, the bush country was not silent. Likened to a slumber party or teenage lock in for canine athletes, there was lots of barking and howling. First the dogs greeted each new team that arrived then there were …
Conway Seavey drove a smart looking team off the Yentna River into the checkpoint at 4 minutes before four o’clock this afternoon. Right on the tails of his sled runners was Jimmy Lanier arriving at 2 minutes past 4:00. Ben Harper was in at 16:10 followed by younger brother Kevin at 16:19. Do some quick …
Junior Iditarod started this morning in nearly picture perfect conditions! Buser’s Happy Trails Kennel graciously offered their facility and it was a perfect setting for the start. The dog trucks arrived and parked in a circle a hundred or so yards from the start banner. From there the teams took off over Gretsky Lake to …
Junior Iditarod mushers attended the mandatory musher meeting on race eve at Iditarod Headquarters. Ten Teen mushers has no evolved into nine Teen mushers as Joan Klejka from Bethel has withdrawn from the race. Carl Brooke explained the Spot Trackers to the Teens. The two units, one being a back up, each fit into a …
Rookie Junior Iditarod mushers attended a clinic at Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla on Thursday evening sponsored by the Junior Iditarod Board of Directors. Speakers shared information with the young mushers based on their own experiences and expertise. While all in attendance ate pizza, veteran Junior Iditarod musher, Ben Harper, shared his perspectives on the race. …
Snow woes have caused officials to reroute the Junior Iditarod set to start Saturday morning, Feb 22nd at 10:00. Much of the traditional trail the juniors follow out to the Yentna Station Roadhouse is ice covered and slippery, not surprising being that it runs on the area’s winter roadways – frozen rivers. By relocating both …
[wpvideo KivsaNI9] My year as 2013 Teacher on the Trail™ is coming to a close and I have yet to wrap my brain around the fact that it actually happened. I can’t finish this adventure without a few thank yous. Thank you Andrea Aufder Heyde (Finney) for having the tenacity to pursue bringing the Iditarod …
Mushers, parents, friends, supporters and volunteers gathered to celebrate the 2013 Junior Iditarod about 100 yards from the finish line at the Willow Community Center on Sunday evening. The banquet was a celebration of the accomplishments of the thirteen contestants who ran the 150 mile route from Knik Lake to Yentna Station to Willow Lake. …
