Musher Details

2015 Iditarod » Mushers » Travis Beals

Travis Beals

Bib Number: 56
Hometown: Seward, Alaska
Website:


Biography

I grew up in Seward, Alaska. When I was young, my mom had a small sprint team on 2nd avenue right in the thick of town. As a toddler, I ran one-dog races and was often found curled up sleeping with my dogs in their houses outside. My parents divorced when I was young and shortly after we sold the dogs. I wanted to get back into dogs and even as a young boy felt that dog mushing was my calling.

I was fourteen when my mom said if I could pay for them, I was welcome to get my own dog team. I got my first job, working at a summer dog sled tour operation and shortly after got my first dogs. I’ve been racing and training my own dogs ever since.

In 2009 I ran Jr. Iditarod at 17 years old with a team of dogs I trained on my own. That year I finished in 2nd, behind Cain Carter who was racing Lance Mackey’s A-team that went on to win the full 1,000-mile race two weeks later.

In 2011, I met my partner Sarah. In 2012, we turned our kennel into a successful summer tour operation where we give summer dog sled rides. The following year we took over Seward Helicopter Tours and began offering glacier dog sledding tours — allowing summertime visitors the opportunity to dog sled on snow. I’m blessed to be able to do what I love for work.

I’ve raced ten Iditarods and each year have brought a competitive team to the event. For the past several years, we’ve spent winters in dry cabins and had to move our team around every 6 months. Sarah and I welcomed our son, Elias and being a father has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Because we welcomed a son, the dry cabin life style was no longer going to cut it. This year we bought a house in Knik with trail access and it’s been a game changer. I’ve always dreamed of winning Iditarod and, although I’ve always brought a competitive team, I’m starting to get to a point where the things in my life outside of mushing are in order to truly help make that happen.

I’ve received a sportsmanship award every year for four years from various races including the 2022 Iditarod. These have been truly meaningful awards for me and I’m proud to be recognized by my peers in this capacity.

I’m fired up for a great run in Iditarod 2025 and couldn’t be more grateful to my dogs and my family.

Sponsors

Seward Helicopter Tours
Turning Heads Kennel
Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association
Resurrection Bay Seafoods
Icicle Seafoods
The Campbell Family
Pollux Aviation

Greg Gulbransen
Oyster Bay Pediatrics
Chugach Express Dog Sledding
Dan/Madeleine Walker;
Barbra Chamberlain
Everyone in Seward who has helped cheer us on or brought us fish!
With Special Thanks to our 2014-2015 handlers: Justin Steilstra & Wyatt Suchecki

Awards

Most Improved Musher — Sponsored by Horizon Lines

2015 Standings

Checkpoint Time In Dogs In Time Out Dogs Out Rest Time Previous Layover Status Distance
Enroute Time Speed (mph) 8hr 24hr
Anchorage 3/07 11:58:00 12
Fairbanks 3/09 11:48:00 16
Nenana 3/09 17:23:00 16 3/09 17:24:00 16 0h 1m 5h 35m 10.75 60
Manley Hot Springs 3/10 11:11:00 16 3/10 16:35:00 15 5h 24m 17h 47m 5.06 90
Tanana 3/10 23:39:00 15 3/11 07:39:00 14 8h 0m 7h 4m 9.34 ✔ 66
Ruby 3/12 03:47:00 14 3/12 08:12:00 14 4h 25m 20h 8m 5.91 ✔ 119
Galena 3/12 15:02:00 14 3/13 15:57:00 14 24h 55m 6h 50m 7.32 ✔ ✔ 50
Huslia 3/14 06:35:00 14 3/14 13:14:00 13 6h 39m 14h 38m 5.60 ✔ ✔ 82
Koyukuk 3/15 03:06:00 13 3/15 04:19:00 12 1h 13m 13h 52m 6.20 ✔ ✔ 86
Nulato 3/15 06:40:00 12 3/15 08:22:00 12 1h 42m 2h 21m 9.36 ✔ ✔ 22
Kaltag 3/15 12:52:00 12 3/15 17:10:00 10 4h 18m 4h 30m 10.44 ✔ ✔ 47
Unalakleet 3/16 10:32:00 10 3/16 14:07:00 10 3h 35m 17h 22m 4.89 ✔ ✔ 85
Shaktoolik 3/16 20:29:00 10 3/17 02:41:00 9 6h 12m 6h 22m 6.28 ✔ ✔ 40
Koyuk 3/17 09:08:00 9 3/17 09:22:00 9 0h 14m 6h 27m 7.75 ✔ ✔ 50
Elim 3/17 19:30:00 9 3/17 21:27:00 9 1h 57m 10h 8m 4.74 ✔ ✔ 48
White Mountain 3/18 05:05:00 9 3/18 13:05:00 8 8h 0m 7h 38m 6.03 ✔ ✔ 46
Safety 3/18 20:14:00 8 3/18 20:15:00 8 0h 1m 7h 9m 7.69 ✔ ✔ 55
Nome 3/18 23:18:45 8 3h 3m 7.21 ✔ ✔ 22