Musher Details

2005 Iditarod » Mushers » Eric Butcher

Eric Butcher

Bib Number: 69
Hometown: Fairbanks, Alaska


Biography

Eric Butcher, 35, was born in Oklahoma. Before moving to Alaska from New Mexico, he had also lived in Alabama and California.

He received his B.S. at the University of Oklahoma and his M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Auburn University. Since coming to Alaska in 1998, he has been an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

He began mushing in 1997 in Albuquerque and says he’s “mostly a self-taught musher, although he’s read mushing books and talked with a few other mushers.” He did not handle for any other musher and “learned the ropes on my own.” He said he has raised and trained most of his dogs himself. The core of his team finished the Yukon Quest with him last year and had done many mid-distance races before that.

“It is always a juggling act to train my team each year around a full-time job, but I’m anxious to try the Iditarod and see some country that I have just read about.”

Eric is married to Melanie and they have two sons, Sky, 9, and Dakota, 6. He is a member of the Two Rivers Dog Mushers and the Yukon Quest. He says he enjoys mushing, hiking climbing, reading and listening to music.

Sponsors

Dan and Lori Michels
Biehl & Okano Family Dentistry
Midnight Sun Crafts

Holy Angels Thrift Store
Paul Finch
Rexam Containers, MO


2005 Standings

Checkpoint Time In Dogs In Time Out Dogs Out Rest Time Previous Layover Status Distance
Enroute Time Speed (mph) 8hr 24hr
Anchorage 3/05 10:00:00 12 3/05 12:29:00 12 2h 29m
Campbell Airstrip 3/05 13:36:00 12 1h 7m
Willow 3/06 14:00:00 16 3/06 16:14:00 16 2h 14m 59
Yentna 3/06 19:56:00 16 3/06 23:00:00 16 3h 4m 3h 42m 12.16 45
Skwentna 3/07 02:03:00 16 3/07 02:22:00 16 0h 19m 3h 3m 11.15 34
Finger Lake 3/07 13:05:00 16 3/07 19:05:00 14 6h 0m 10h 43m 4.20 45
Rainy Pass 3/07 22:56:00 14 3/08 05:50:00 14 6h 54m 3h 51m 7.79 30
Rohn 3/08 11:06:00 14 3/08 11:24:00 14 0h 18m 5h 16m 9.11 48
Nikolai 3/09 11:31:00 14 3/09 17:43:00 14 6h 12m 24h 7m 3.86 93
McGrath 3/09 23:55:00 14 3/09 23:55:00 14 0h 0m 6h 12m 7.74 48
Takotna 3/10 02:14:00 14 3/11 02:39:00 14 24h 25m 2h 19m 9.93 ✔ 23
Ophir 3/11 05:07:00 14 3/11 05:15:00 13 0h 8m 2h 28m 15.41 ✔ 38
Iditarod 3/11 23:02:00 13 3/12 06:14:00 13 7h 12m 17h 47m 5.06 ✔ 90
Shageluk 3/12 22:28:00 13 3/13 07:15:00 12 8h 47m 16h 14m 4.00 ✔ ✔ 65
Anvik 3/13 10:52:00 12 3/13 11:01:00 10 0h 9m 3h 37m 6.91 ✔ ✔ 25
Grayling 3/13 14:00:00 10 3/13 18:55:00 10 4h 55m 2h 59m 6.03 ✔ ✔ 18
Eagle Island 3/14 09:28:00 10 3/14 09:35:00 10 0h 7m 14h 33m 4.12 ✔ ✔ 60
Kaltag 3/14 23:38:00 10 3/15 06:10:00 10 6h 32m 14h 3m 4.98 ✔ ✔ 70
Unalakleet 3/15 23:26:00 10 3/16 07:54:00 9 8h 28m 17h 16m 5.21 ✔ ✔ 90
Shaktoolik 3/16 14:17:00 9 3/16 20:11:00 8 5h 54m 6h 23m 6.27 ✔ ✔ 40
Koyuk 3/17 02:54:00 8 3/17 08:30:00 8 5h 36m 6h 43m 8.64 ✔ ✔ 58
Elim 3/17 14:52:00 8 3/17 21:40:00 7 6h 48m 6h 22m 7.54 ✔ ✔ 48
White Mountain 3/18 04:32:00 7 3/18 12:35:00 7 8h 3m 6h 52m 6.70 ✔ ✔ 46
Safety 3/18 20:48:00 7 3/18 21:01:00 7 0h 13m 8h 13m 6.69 ✔ ✔ 55
Nome 3/19 00:42:10 7 3h 41m 5.97 ✔ ✔ 22