Four-time Iditarod champion Dallas Seavey was the first musher into the McGrath checkpoint late Tuesday afternoon.
He and his 14-dog team pulled in at 4 p.m.
McGrath is about 300 miles into the 850-mile race.
For Seavey’s first-place arrival, he won mittens made of beaver fur and moose hide, plus a beaver-fur hat. Both were made by local residents.
Seavey, 34, opted to stop and rest in McGrath.
Mushers are also getting swabbed for COVID-19 at the race checkpoint.
Behind Seavey on the trail were Pete Kaiser, Richie Diehl, Joar Leifseth Ulsom and Travis Beals. Both Kaiser and Leifseth Ulsom are former Iditarod champions, and Diehl is this year’s Kuskokwim 300 winner.
Kaiser, Diehl, Leifseth Ulsom and Beals all bedded down their dogs at McGrath Tuesday evening, while Brent Sass and his 14-dog team blew through the checkpoint around 6:30 p.m. and rested further down the trail.
The 2021 Iditarod started on Sunday, and 44 teams remained in the competition by Tuesday evening.
Iditarod fan favorite Aliy Zirkle dropped out of the race Monday night, after suffering a concussion and other injuries while racing.
RELATED: Musher Aliy Zirkle is injured on Iditarod trail, flown to Anchorage for care
Iditarod Race Director Mark Nordman said the trail conditions beyond McGrath are very snowy.
“I mean a lot of snow,” he said. “A lot of light powdery snow with no base.”
He said a trail crew was out Tuesday working on the route.
Reach reporter Tegan Hanlon at thanlon@alaskapublic.org or 907-550-8447.
Tegan Hanlon is the digital managing editor at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at thanlon@alaskapublic.org or 907-550-8447. Read more about Tegan here.
