Well I guess it is time to talk about the 3 mandatory rests.
They are: 1) a 24-hour rest at a checkpoint of their choice, 2) an 8-hour stop on the Yukon River and 3) an 8-hour stop at White Mountain
The mantra for the 24hr mandatory rest is:
Take care of the dogs, sleep, eat and repeat.
Where is the best place to take the 24 hr rest is topic of great debate for some mushers. But most take it near the middle of the race. For the Northern Route the "official" half-way checkpoint is Cripple, Mile 425, eventhough mile-wise Ruby, Mile 495, is closer to halfway.
Some mushers have taken their 24 as early as McGrath, Mile 311. But that seems to be a risky strategy. The more "competitive" strategy seems to be Ophir, Mile 352, Cripple or Ruby.
However, a real favorite spot to 24 for many mushers is Takotna, Mile 339. They are known for their hospitality and awesome food: hamburgers, soup, stew, enchiladas, pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, bacon and a revolving variety of their legendary, homemade pies.
Plus, there’s plenty of room inside to sleep and to dry clothes and outside near the dog lot, there's a wood-fired boiler providing a constant supply of hot water, which saves time in preparing meals for the dogs.
Mushers such as Pete Kaiser and Jessie Royer "always" take their 24 in Takotna.
1 Riley Dyche MILE 337 On his way to Ophir (Mile 352)
The following are all resting in Takotna (Mile 329)
2 Jessie Holmes
3 Paige Drobny
4 Mille Porsild
5 Ryan Redington
6 Travis Beals
7 Michelle Phillips
8 Jessie Royer
9 Peter Kaiser
10 Wade Marrs
All four of our most promising women mushers to win this year are currently in the top 10!!
:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:
I do not know if all those currently in Takotna plan to stay for their 24 hr mandatory rest. But I'm guessing most will. Yesterday, Jessie Holmes told the Insider that he planned to 24 in Takotna ... but you never really know what he'll do. He was the first to arrive in Takotna.
Jessie Holmes was the first musher to reach the McGrath checkpoint yesterday at 8:03 p.m. with 16 dogs in harness, winning the Alaska Air Transit Spirit of Iditarod Award.
:applause: :applause: :applause:
Quote:
From Iditarod.com
First presented in 2019 and given to the first musher to reach the McGrath checkpoint, this award is presented by Lead Dog partner, Alaska Air Transit. First introduced in 2019, this award honors the first musher to arrive at the McGrath Checkpoint. The McGrath community shares deep ties to the Iditarod, and the award reflects that connection, featuring beaver fur mushers mitts with Athabaskan beadwork on moose hide, handcrafted by Loretta Maillelle of McGrath, along with a beaver fur hat made by Rosalie Egrass of McGrath. The award was presented to Holmes by Jessica Beans-Vaeao, Charter Coordinator for Alaska Air Transit
Biography
Steve Curtis is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and adventurer who has spent his life treating the impossible as a starting point. After being diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer at 24, he refused to accept the prognosis — and summited Everest instead. That same mindset has shaped everything he has built since: businesses and nonprofits spanning multiple industries and continents, and a venture capital firm focused on deploying capital into innovative technology and healthcare solutions with the potential to solve large-scale societal challenges. With a support team including four-time Iditarod Champion Jeff King, veterinarian Jessica Klejka, DVM, and a team of sled dogs that are incredibly well taken care of, we will see if Steve still has what it takes to successfully achieve the impossible.
Steve started in last place and continues to run in last place.
In a interview with him yesterday, he told the Insider that Jeff King is setting the pace, which is much slower than he'd prefer. But since Jeff is a 4 time Iditarod champion, he's just going to trust him.
Today Steve and his team will leave Rainy Pass checkpoint and head to Rohn. So they must travel through the dreaded Dalzell Gorge!
I wonder if Steve has ever seen this 2014 video of Jeff King going through the Dalzell Gorge?? :animated laughing: :rof laughing:
No dogs were injured during this video. Everyone was okay (except maybe Jeff's pride )
I just read a piece from Mille Porsild's blog. She slid her of trees getting sled into "the river" (Dalzell Creek, I think) and soaked everything, which then froze as it is -50 deg, then it slid into a grove stuck and requiring 45 min to get it back on the trail. Another musher (Yay!) gave her a dry pair of mittens before she continued on to Nikolai.
it's been one thing after another this race....lots of problems. and at negative 50 U DON'T NEED PROBLEMS...
Here's this morning's top 11 as of 3:50 am AKDT
Elapsed race time: 3d 13h 50m
On their way to Cripple (Mile 425)
1 Jessie Holmes MILE 365
2 Paige Drobny MILE 355
In Ophir (Mile 352)
3 Riley Dyche
4 Matt Hall
5 Lauro Eklund
6 Josi (Thyr) Shelley
7 Jesse Terry
8 Keaton Loebrich
9 Mille Porsild
On their way to Ophir
10 Ryan Redington MILE 348
11 Michelle Phillips MILE 348
Jessie Holmes is not breaking trail right now. Kjell Rokke & Thomas Waerner are out ahead of Jessie by ~50 miles also heading to Cripple. As Expedition mushers Kjell & Thomas are not required to adhere to the mandatory rest stops.
IT WAS SO GOOD TO SEE SUSAN BUTCHER'S FACE.....THE MATRIARCH OF THE RACE.
read an article that said, when Butcher's dogs give birth,she takes the newborn pup and blows softly into their face...her scent (essence) is imprinted and from then on,they KNOW love.
Last edit: 12 Mar 2026 10:23 by homeagain. Reason: add
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