Lex Treinen, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage
Lex Treinen is covering the state Legislature for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at ltreinen@gmail.com.
Dallas Seavey says ‘this is where I want to be’ as he chases Brent Sass
Seavey talked to reporters during his pause in Unalakleet early Sunday. Listen to the interview.
Brent Sass maintains Iditarod lead up Bering Sea coast as Dallas Seavey tries to close gap
Sass charged through the first coastal checkpoint in Unalakleet, with Dallas Seavey resting for a few hours there before pushing ahead.
Iditarod teams get some relief with ‘smooth and nice’ Yukon River trail
Mushers reported a hard and fast trail on the frozen Yukon River and temperatures below zero.
Hugh Neff scratches from Iditarod halfway into the race
Neff said he was given the choice of being disqualified or scratching because of concerns from veterinarians about his dogs.
Nala, the peppy cheerleader who’s a little afraid of bubble gum
What Nala lacks in leadership, she more than makes up for in personality.
Iditarod mushers look forward to fast river trail, ready to put the miles of moguls behind them
"We've been dealing with the moguls from the start," says Richie Diehl. "It'll be nice to be on the river."
Sherlock, just a big doofus
Sherlock doesn’t live up to his name. “He would not be a very good detective," says Olson.
Brent Sass leads Iditarod to Yukon River
The first musher to the Yukon River gets a $3,500 cash prize, plus a bottle of champagne and a gourmet meal, cooked up by chefs who fly in for the occasion. But Sass declined the meal when he arrived.
Top Iditarod teams swap laughs and stories during long rest at remote Cripple checkpoint
Then, it was back to racing.
Good luck charms? Some Iditarod mushers carry one. Others would never consider it.
“It's kind of just a physical reminder that it doesn't really matter if the travel is bad, you know?” said one musher about the importance of carrying his mom's keychain.
Tundra, an unpredictable captain
Alberta musher Aaron Peck has some contradictory things to say about Tundra, a 5-time Iditarod veteran and one of his main leaders.
“He's a leader, but I can't have him in lead too much because...
Wandering bison and bone-jarring moguls challenge back-of-the-pack Iditarod mushers
At least one musher was stopped by a half-dozen buffalo on the trail from Rohn to Nikolai.
Steve, who’s kind of a jerk
Fairbanks veteran Lisbet Norris doesn’t hesitate to say she has a favorite dog on her team of fluffy Siberian huskies.
Iditarod teams navigate rough, windblown trail into Nikolai
Hugh Neff said his 54-year-old arms were exhausted by the constant bumping. “I’ve taken a few Tylenols, let’s say,” he said.
Iditarod rookie describes trip down steep and twisty Dalzell Gorge as ‘just zip, zoom, zag, bing, bang, boom’
Teams must navigate the Dalzell Gorge on their way to Rohn. It's marked by a series of steep downhills and some very tight turns.
Iditarod teams met by ‘super good trail’ as they enter Alaska Range
At Rainy Pass Lodge, many mushers soaked up the mountain views and the love from a few excited tourists who arrived on charter planes.
Viva, the sled dog queen
Rookie Gerhardt Thiart has a very specific story for choosing Viva for his Iditarod team.
Last year, he was running an Iditarod qualifier when he got lost on a lake. There were snowmachine tracks headed...
Anchorage restaurant Mexico in Alaska celebrates 50 years
81-year-old owner Maria Elena Ball changed the Mexican food game in the young state of Alaska, and she’s got no plans to retire.
The race is on: Iditarod teams hit the trail in Willow under clear skies
Some mushers worried about the heat for their dogs as warm temperatures heated the snow.
Our favorite 30 photos from the snowy 2022 Iditarod ceremonial start
As one race fan put it, the Iditarod felt back to "normal-ish."