Transporting the Burled Arch to Front Street (Photo Courtesy of J. Westrich)
Earlier this week the Burled Arch was moved to Front Street in preparation for the finish of the 51st Iditarod. Leaders are out of White Mountain heading back to the Bering Sea Coast and eventually Front Street. The distance is 77 miles but what lies within those 77 miles has altered the outcome of many trips to Nome. So like they say, anything can and probably will happen. It’s not over till the fat lady sings.
Ryan Redington Checks is as First Musher to Koyuk (Photo: Siri Raitto)
Right now, the bookends of Iditarod 2023 are a couple of guys who call Knik, Alaska home. Leading the race, Ryan Redington grew up in Knik living by his grandparents Joe and Vi Redington’s homestead. Eric Kelly bringing up the rear of the race is a new arrival to Knik, having moved from Arizona after vacationing in Alaska in 2007.
Ryan Redington departed White Mountain early on March 14th at 00:15 with 6 dogs in harness. Peter Kaiser followed Ryan out 4 hours and 16 minutes later with 8 dogs in harness. Richie Diehl was hot on his runners departing 6 minutes later at 04:37 with 7 dogs on the line. Two hours later Matt Hall finished his 8-hour layover and hit the trail with 7 dogs in front of his sled.
Kelly Maixner Near Koyuk (Photo: Siri Raitto)
Waiting in White Mountain to be released before 13:00 are Kelly Maixner, Jessie Holmes, Matthew Failor, Mille Porsild and rookie Eddie Burke, Jr. This accounts for the top nine teams.
Mille Porsild in Koyuk (Photo: Siri Raitto)
Just posted in race standings, Ryan Redington has now departed Safety with six dogs on the line. He has 22 miles to the Burled Arch. The Iditarod nation anxiously awaits his arrive! A best guess would be shortly before noon. The fire siren will sound announcing that a musher is within 2 miles of the finish.
A trio of Wade Marrs, rookie Hunter Keefe and Dan Kaduce are on the trail heading to White Mountain having departed Elim during the wee hours of March 14th. The musher population at the Elim Checkpoint is zero but Jessie Royer, Aaron Peck, Christian Turner and rookie KattiJo Deeter will soon be arriving from Koyuk. Nicolas Petit and Riley Dyche are resting in Koyuk.
Ramey Smyth and Deke Naaktgeboren are out on the sea ice heading to Koyuk from Shaktoolik. They are running in 19th and 20th place respectively.
A trio running very tightly, Mike Williams, Jr. and the Berington Twins sit in Shaktoolik. Williams arrived in the village that sits on a spit of land at 02:15. Kristy arrived at 02:25 followed by Anna at 02:27. Gerhardt Thiart has just joined the trio and will likely rest a while before heading out across Norton Bay to Koyuk. They’ll be heading into a strong northerly wind for that run.
Musher population on the Unalakleet slough is zero. Jennifer Jagow and rookies Bridgett Watkins and Bailey Vitello are in a tight group as they tackle the Blueberry Hills on the way to Shaktoolik.
Teams running in 28th, 29th and 30th place – Jason Mackey, rookie Jed Stephensen and Eric Kelly have been camping along the Kaltag Portage are now approaching Unalakleet. They are all within 300 miles of the finish.
Eric Kelly in Anchorage (Photo: David Poyzer)
