People, Places, or Dogs

Eye on the Trail: Telephoto Story – Making History

It’s Unalakleet in 2011.  This musher is preparing to depart the checkpoint to cover the remaining 300 miles to Nome. As he booted his team, he didn’t know he was on course for setting not one but two Iditarod records.  What he hoped was that his strategy of “racing” once he got to the Yukon …

Eye on the Trail: 40th Jr. Iditarod has Early Entries

The 40th Jr. Iditarod has its first entrants. The Jr. event began accepting registrations on the same day registration opened for Iditarod. At the end of the day, three junior mushers had indicated their intention to compete in the 150-mile race that begins on February 25, 2017. The first Jr. Musher to turn her registration in …

Eye on the Trail: Chapter One of Iditarod XLV

It was a busy day at Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska. Yes, at one time there were three tour busses in the parking lot but the real hustle and bustle was about the Musher Sign-up and Volunteer Picnic. It’s the event that thanks volunteers from the previous race and records the first mushers to sign-up …

Eye on the Trail: Teachers Visit Iditarod Artist

Iditarod artist Jon Van Zyle and his wife Jona welcomed the teachers into their kennel, studio and home. Jon creates a print and poster to commemorate each Iditarod. His works are intricate and beautiful. Jon has raced in The Last Great Race and is a member of the Iditarod Hall of Fame for his generous …

Eye on the Trail: Telephoto Story – Jeff Schultz

F8 and be there.  Jeff Schultz, Official Iditarod Photographer, lives by the mantra.  He even sports the idea on his vehicle license plate.  Schultz has photographed thirty-six iditarod races.  He’s seen all sorts of weather conditions, all sorts of trail conditions and has even survived a plane crash on the trail.  Jeff shared his thoughts …

Eye on the Trail: Telephoto Story – Teachers at Camp

Teachers attending the 2016 Iditarod Summer Teacher’s Camp experience their first contact with sled dogs at Iditarod Headquarters on Saturday June 18th.  Raymie Redington brings a dog team to Headquarters everyday of the week to provide rides for tourists.  The teachers took advantage of the ride on the wheeled cart pulled by the Redington sled …

Eye on the Trail: Telephoto Story – Annie Kelley in Anchorage

The 2017 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail, Annie Kelley, arrived in Anchorage June 17th for Iditarod Summer Teacher’s Camp. Annie is a fourth grade teacher from the Chicago area. The question I asked Annie today after she arrived in Anchorage was, “When did being the 2017 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail become real for you?” …

Eye on the Trail: Telephoto Story – Yentna Station Roadhouse

Call it roadhouse, call it lodge, call it checkpoint or call it home like the Gabryszak family, Yentna Station Roadhouse is the epitome of Alaska’s backcountry friendliness.  Ask any Iditarod musher, Jr. Iditarod musher or volunteer who’s descended upon the wilderness oasis in late February and early March, they’ll all share different stories praising the …

Eye on the Trail: Telephoto Story – Paper Collage

Pictured above is a unique piece of art. Click and enlarge.  Take a close look.  It’s a paper collage. Everything that’s depicted is torn from paper, assembled and glued to the background to create the finished product. Note the artist’s attention to detail in the mittens,  mitten keeper, headlamp, light beam, sled bag, dogs and …

Eye on the Trail: Telephoto Story – First Class Athletes

No roads to Nome and no roads home after Iditarod.  Sled dog athletes are being loaded onto an Alaska Air Boeing 737 Combi for their journey to the road system and eventually home.   As you can see, freight is located in the front half of the aircraft while passengers fly coach in the back half. This shot was …