IT'S MARCH...MARK THE DATE,IDITAROD

Iditarod rookie Jesse Terry, of Ontario, Canada, won Rookie of the Year, finishing in 14th place!!!
:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

Here's the line up as of 6:08 am AKDT

In Nome
1 Jessie Holmes
2 Travis Beals
3 Jeff Deeter
4 Paige Drobny
5 Wade Marrs
6 Matt Hall
7 Riley Dyche
8 Lauro Eklund
9 Peter Kaiser
10 Michelle Phillips
11 Hanna Lyrek
12 Jessie Royer
13 Ryan Redington
14 Jesse Terry

Mushing towards Nome
15 Sam Martin MILE 967
16 Josi (Thyr) Shelley MILE 967
17 Bailey Vitello MILE 967
18 Gabe Dunham MILE 958

Mushing towards Safety (Mile 953)
19 Rohn Buser MILE 950
20 Chad Stoddard MILE 946 TO FINISH

In White Mountain (Mile 898)
21 Kevin Hansen
22 Keaton Loebrich
23 Jason Mackey
24 Brenda Mackey
25 Sydnie Bahl
26 Sadie Lindquist
27 Joseph Sabin
28 Richie Beattie
29 Sam Paperman

Mushing towards Golovin (Mile 880)
30 Adam Lindenmuth MILE 858

it ain't over until the last musher hits the "arches" or scratches .....it's called STAMINA or stubborn

Rookie Iditarod musher Adam Lindenmuth of Willow, Alaska, scratched from Iditarod 54 yesterday after activating his help button at 4:49 p.m., just miles outside of the White Mountain checkpoint. Race officials on snowmachine helped guide Lindenmuth and his team to the White Mountain checkpoint where he officially scratched. Lindenmuth had 12 in harness when he arrived at the checkpoint, all in good health.

No new finishers since last post.

There is a wind storm happening from White Mountain to Nome. So the back of the pack has all hunkered down in White Mountain. This is not a mandatory hold by Iditarod Race officials, but rather a smart decision by all of the teams, so as to prioritize the safety of both themselves and their canine athletes. The wind storm is expected to continue through Friday morning.

Finally, some official info regarding Expedition Musher, Steve Curtis

Quote:

Iditarod Staff wrote:

The 2026 Iditarod Expedition has come to a close for Steve Curtis after an extraordinary journey through some of the most beautiful, demanding, and humbling terrain on Earth.

“This has been one of the most amazing and inspiring experiences of my life,” said Curtis. “It brought exhilaration, fear, joy, and awe–-and an unbelievably deep connection between human and animal. To travel through Alaska in this way is to touch something ancient, powerful, and almost impossible to describe.”

From the beginning, the expedition was guided by four non-negotiable principles: no dogs hurt, no people hurt, and no interference with the race, and no movement forward powered by anything other than Steve and the dogs. Curtis and his team stayed true to those principles throughout the journey, covering roughly 300 miles while remaining committed to safety, respect, and the spirit of the trail.

While other expedition dynamics unfolded differently, Curtis and his team made the deliberate choice to stay behind the racers and avoid interfering with the competitive field. That approach came with consequences. The team encountered rougher, more deteriorated trail conditions after the main race had already passed through, which slowed progress and ultimately contributed to missing the weather window needed to safely enter one of the most isolated sections of the trail during some of the coldest Interior temperatures in decades.

“Based on our team’s dog-first judgment, veterinary guidance, and the operational realities in front of us, we made the decision to end the mission,” Curtis said. “That is never easy. But leadership is not just about pushing forward — it is also about knowing when protecting dogs and people matters more than pride.”

“Forty years of my life has been dedicated to sled dogs and racing,” said Jeff King. “I care about the ITC and applaud Steve’s courage to endeavor on pioneering a new category in Iditarod. Despite very limited training aside on the trail, I was very impressed by his courage, character, and capability.”

Curtis leaves Alaska with enormous respect for the Iditarod, for the mushers who race it, and for the sport of sled dog mushing itself.

“I am leaving Alaska with an overwhelming passion to do this again,” he said. “I learned more than I could have imagined. If the Iditarod and Alaska will have me, I expect to be back next year — wiser, better prepared, and a greater appreciation for what this trail demands.”

Curtis expressed deep gratitude to the many people who made the expedition possible:

“Thank you to ITC for the courage to create a new category. Thank you to Jeff King for saying yes to an ambitious project with an impossible timeline. Thank you to Jessica, Sam, Andy, and Tara–who showed up with heart, skill, and total commitment to keeping every dog and every person safe and well cared for. And thank you to Alaska and to everyone who followed along and cheered us on. As a reflection of that gratitude, I am honored to fulfill my commitment of $50,000 to youth sports programs in the villages along the trail–communities whose spirit and hospitality make this journey possible.”

Curtis said the expedition left him with profound astonishment at the endurance and will of Iditarod racers, the beauty and toughness of Alaska, and the extraordinary bond between human beings and sled dogs.

“There are experiences that change how you see yourself, and this was one of them. I leave with deeper humility, deeper respect, and deeper love for the trail, the dogs, and the people who give themselves to this sport. This expedition did not end the way I hoped — but it gave me something far greater than comfort: perspective, reverence, and unfinished business.”


Those are some really nice sentiments.
Unfinished business?? Does this mean he'll be back to do it again!!!

BOLDED...AND THAT, MY FRIENDS , IS ALASKA.......UNMATCHED IN DEEP LOVE

The final 9, that were hunkered down in White Mountain, are starting to make their move. They have all been there for more than 24 hours, waiting for the windstorm to die down.

Sadie Lindquist is the first to leave. The other 8 all look to be very close to leaving. Most are putting booties on their dogs (typically one of the last things a musher does before leaving a checkpoint).






The last 9 teams have now left White Mountain and are headed to Nome.
:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

They left in the following order:

21 Sadie Lindquist
22 Kevin Hansen
23 Jason Mackey
24 Sam Paperman
25 Joseph Sabin
26 Keaton Loebrich
27 Sydnie Bahl
28 Richie Beattie
29 Brenda Mackey

SO-O-O SWEET...they get to finally mush

Current line up of the final 9, as of 4:21 pm AKDT

Mushing to Nome
21 Kevin Hansen MILE 964 (only 11 mile to go, estimated arrival: close 6pm AKDT at his current pace)
22 Sadie Lindquist MILE 961
23 Joseph Sabin MILE 959
24 Sam Paperman MILE 958
25 Sydnie Bahl MILE 956
26 Keaton Loebrich MILE 954

In Safety (Mile 953)
27 Brenda Mackey

Mushing towards Safety
28 Richie Beattie MILE 952
29 Jason Mackey MILE 925

this is such a joy to see...almost THERE AND STILL IN THE RACE

he final 9 arrived in Nome in the following order:

21 Kevin Hansen
22 Sadie Lindquist
23 Joseph Sabin
24 Sam Paperman
25 Sydnie Bahl
26 Jason Mackey
27 Brenda Mackey
28 Keaton Loebrich
29 Richie Beattie - winning the Red Lantern award!

:applause: :applause: to all 29 Mushers who finished the race!!! :applause: :applause:


Quote:
Iditarod staff wrote:
In its sixth year as a sponsor, Lynden proudly supports the “Committed Through the Last Mile” Red Lantern Award, presented to the final finisher in recognition of their perseverance and unwavering commitment to completing the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race® despite unexpected challenges. The tradition of awarding the Red Lantern to the race’s final finisher remains a cherished and enduring symbol of determination in Alaska’s sled dog racing heritage.

As the Red Lantern winner, Beattie receives $1,000 and has the honor of extinguishing the widow’s lamp on the burled arch in Nome. The symbol of the widow’s lamp dates back to when roadhouses were used in Alaska and extinguishing the lamp is a signal that no other mushers are out on the trail.



Quote:
Iditarod staff wrote:

It’s official—the final musher has crossed the finish line in Nome, bringing Iditarod 54 to a close. The Widow’s Lamp has been extinguished and the Red Lantern awarded, signaling the end of an extraordinary journey across Alaska.

From the moment each musher stepped up to the starting line, they committed to something far greater than a race. Every team—finisher and non-finisher alike—faced the unforgiving trail with grit, determination, and respect for the land, the elements, and the tradition of The Last Great Race. Each musher’s journey is a testament to resilience, perseverance, and the enduring spirit of Iditarod.

And at the heart of it all are the incredible canine athletes. These dogs are the true heroes of the trail—powerful, driven, and deeply bonded to their teams. Through storms, long miles, and challenging conditions, they continue to inspire with their strength, heart, and unwavering desire to run.

PER PROTOCOL for any dog's death

Update on Mille Porsild's dog Charley

According to the Iditarod, the necropsy did not identify any obvious traumatic or medical abnormalities to explain Charley's death. Further testing will be done to determine the cause of death. Iditarod officials state the secondary testing process will take 30–60 days.