DAY #10 IDITAROD MONDAY MARCH 16, 2026 UNALAKLEET - ELIM

 DAY #10 IDITAROD MONDAY MARCH 16, 2026 UNALAKLEET - ELIM

JESSIE HOLMES is running a smart and fast race. The weather conditions are helping. The dogs love the cold weather, there is lots of snow which is packed down by the snowmobiles and conditions are fast. It's still very cold from 0 degrees to -16 at night. Not seeing those -40's which is good. 

A note about what snacks the mushers have for themselves: cheddar cheese packs (vacuum packed), meat snacks, trail mix, yogurt covered fruit snack packs,, mini granola bars for example. They will be frozen, due to the outside temps, so they can put a pack inside their parka ,close to their body, to defrost it if they are on their sled. 

MILLE PORSILD is at a shelter (many shelter cabins along the way)by SHAKTOOLIK (just after UNALAKLEET). She had to go UP Blueberry Hills which is steep and usually windy. She said it was good for her--no problems. Being a veteran, you anticipate the trail and seem to be able to handle difficulties better than a rookie never haven been on these trails before. MILLE is definitely a veteran. She tries to rest her team outside the checkpoints as she is not fond of chaos and there can be a bit of chaos when so many teams are in checkpoints. MILLE gets sad to know the end is coming up. She said you train for 8-9 months and then ITS OVER😢

ABOVE: PAIGE DROBNY is now on NORTON SOUND an inlet of the Bering Sea, above photo.The SOUND is 150 miles long and 125 miles wide and is typically ice free from June to October. NOME is on its north shore. This area is steeped in history of human settlements and subsistence activities . PAIGE crossing the SOUND. It's flat, snow clumps and windy (reason for the blurry pic), seems to go on  and on and......

Above: sun coming up in UNALAKLEET. Over those first hills pictured live a herd of musk-ox. Their fur is used in making hats, gloves etc etc. I have a hat and it is the lightest and warmest hat I have ever had. In ANCHORAGE you can see the natives making these products. They are for sale there.                

A sign of spring in the Arctic are the snow bunting birds, like our robins.
They are small and white and blend in very well. They turn brown in the summer. Hope you can see them. As I said, they blend in very well!!

Everyones strategies and strength are now tested trying to get to WHITE MOUNTAIN where they have their last mandatory rest --8 hours. This is testing their endurance as they are getting tired, sleep deprived and full of anticipation and some anxiety. 

SHATOOLIK to KOYUK is 50 miles, 7 of the mushers are here. I found KOYUK cemetery quite interesting. Pictured here. 

UNALAKLEET to SHATOOLIK is 40 miles and the weather during the day in both places approx. -5 degrees and nite temps are approx -17 they had a sunny day today.                                                                    SHATOOLIK to KOYUK is 50 miles  with day temps 0 to -4 and night temps -15. It was sunny here today as well.

JESSIE HOLMES is approx 46 miles to WHITE MOUNTAIN. 

3 mushers are in ELIM : JESSIE HOLMES, TRAVIS BEALS and WADE MARRS.                                    7 mushers are in KOYUK (48 miles from the front runner): PAIGE DROBNY, JEFF DEETER,                    MILE PORSILD, MATT HALL, RILEY DYCHE, MICHELLE PHILLIPS, LAURO EKLUND.                  There are 7 mushers in SHAKTOOLIK and 16 mushers in UNALAKLEET.                                             JODY POTTS-JOSEPH and GRAYSON BRUTON switch last place periodically.                                   There will be a big push to WHITE MOUNTAIN tomorrow so we can look forward to that.

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DAY #9 IDITAROD SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2026 NULATO - SHAKTOOLIK

       

 DAY #9 IDITAROD SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2026 NULATO - SHAKTOOLIK

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEEDEE LUMB (not JONDROW)💃. Can you believe that JESSIE HOLMES won yet another award. He well deserves these awards but I do wish he could share a bit of his speed with others. He was the first musher to KALTAG and won 25 lbs of fresh Bristol Bay salmon filets, $2,000 and a wood burned art piece of a sockeye salmon. Kaltag is home to the worlds largest sockeye salmon fishery.       Below: JESSIE accepting the beautiful art piece, made by a local.

Many of the mushers are seeing, and a few confronted by, moose on the trail. So far no accidents or incidents except for JODY POTTS-JOSEPH that I explained previously. I am trying to find the picture of JODY'S dogs with their handmade beautifully stitched coats on. They were given to JODY by the locals in her community in EAGLE RIVER,ALASKA

All the mushers have now had their 24 hour and 8 hour mandatory rest periods. The next mandatory rest is in WHITE MOUNTAIN ( resting up for their run to the finish in NOME!!)

JOEY SABIN from Grandville, Michigan has a 4th grade following-- below. JOEY went to this school and had this teacher. They are making blankets for the natives in Alaska and following JOEY in the race.      

                                          This is JOEY SABIN in Anchorage before the race began.  He said "follow your dreams because I'm LIVING mine". GO JOEY!! picture below.

JESSIE HOLMES has won yet another award. He was the 1st to UNALALEET. He was given  $2,500  in gold nuggets from the Bering Strait region, a carved loon by a local and a gold pan plaque commemorating his feat. 

Weather and mileage to checkpoints:  NULATO 0 degrees -16 at night with a few flurries.                       KALTAG -2 at night -14 and sunny. UNALAKLEET -6 at night -15 and sunny. SHAKTOOLIK -3         at night -10 sunny during the day. 

From NULATO to KALTAG 47 miles, KALTAG to UNALAKLEET 85 miles, UNALAKLEET  to         SHAKTOOLIK 40 miles.

As of midnight EST the standings are: 3 OUT OF UNALAKLEET, JESSIE HOLMES, TRAVIS BEALS, PAIGE DROBNY. IN UNALAKLEET MILLE PORSILD, RILEY DYCHE, WADE MARRS, JEFF DEETER, RYAN REDINGTON, MATT HALL, MICHELLE PHILLIPS of the top 10 plus 3 more in UNALAKLEET. 

KALTAG there are 11 mushers.

NULATO there are 8 mushers.  GRAYSON BRUTON is the last musher, at the moment. More excitement coming up.                                                                                                                                      

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DAY #8 IDITAROD SATURDAY MARCH 14, 2026 NULATO - KALTAG

 DAY # 8 IDITAROD SATURDAY MARVH 14, 2026 NULATO - KALTAG

Still very cold in the minus figures and not as windy with some sun. The distance between the musher in first JESSIE HOLMES to the musher last JODY POTTS-JOSEPH is approximately 170 miles (about a full days run). 

JASON MACKEY said he has seen bison and a few moose on or near the trail. They didn't bother him BUT JODY POTTS - JOSEPH, at the back of the pack and not for the reason of her encounter with a Bison. She rounded a corner on the trail and a Bison was coming at them . Bison have shorter legs than moose so it is difficult for them to move in the deep snow. They therefore enjoyed the packed down trail and thought it was theirs--NOT JODY'S!!! He was not giving up and lowered his head to charge towards the team then stopped short-twice! Jody had a pistol, part of the mandatory items, used only if threatened by animals. She tried firing some warning shots but click---click---nothing. May have been frozen?? She jumped out of the sled moving up to her leaders and took cover with them, behind a tree. She used sticks and branches to ward him off but it was a no go. She remember her Grandmother facing an aggressive grizzly bear and her children were in the yard. With courage and boldness she went up to the bear and started speaking her native language HanGWich'in and yelling "go away, have mercy, leave us alone AND.....the bear retreated!!! JODY thought would Grandma's tactics work here. She tried it and IT WORKED--why, how WHO KNEW!! Perhaps the bear and her Bison understood her native language!!!????? Another musher came along---after all this occurred--- and gave her another pistol for safety sake. They are huge animals. They stand up 6' tall and can weigh 2,000 pounds! WHEW!!! 

Below: picture of JODY POTTS-JOSEPH (the WARRIOR!!) Love her "markings", of her heritage, on her chin. 

                 

FINALLY some Northern Lights near RUBY and GALENA. 

I am just now getting pictures of the gourmet dinner (below) JESSIE HOLMES had as first to RUBY.I can only see his salmon dip that convinced him to stay and have the rest of the 9 course meal. Also had white bean and bacon soup, beef bourguignon plus 6 other courses. You can include another person so JESSIE shared this meal with local BILLY HONEA. 

From NULATO to KALTAG is 47 miles. JESSIE HOLMES is on his way there now along with PAIGE DROBNY and MILLE PORSILD. The next 9 mushers are in NULATO: TRAVIS BEALS, RILEY DYCHE, WADE MARRS, MICHELLE PHILLIPS, MATT HALL, RYAN REDINGTON and JEFF DEETER of the top 10. Two others are in NULATO and 10 are in GALENA and 10 are in RUBY including JODY POTTS - JOSEPH pulling up the rear. Tomorrow more awards given out and perhaps it will get a little warmer. In most places today it was minus -20's and -30's. In one area there was ice fog and JESSE ROYER found it difficult to see even her dogs BUT the trail markers and the reflectors on the dogs coats helped a great deal. The lead dog isn't bothered by the weather. He, or she, keeps on the trail. They perhaps can smell the other dogs? or know the packed trail with the reflective markers. Somehow they know. 
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DAY #7 IDITAROD FRIDAY 13(oooh), 2026 CRIPPLE - NULATO. (fm Cripple - NULATO total of 157 miles)

 DAY #7 IDITAROD FRIDAY 13 (oooh), 2026 CRIPPLE -NULATO (total miles 157)

JESSIE HOLMES still leading the pack. He is almost to NULATO at 10 pm EST. Now to go back and recount the day. Below: good picture of TAKOTNA checkpoint. Little history of the check point.Two of the legendary icons ,who never ran the race ,were JAN and DICK NEWTON. When they moved to the area the Iditarod decided to stop here. They had very simple beginnings--moose stew and chili. As years passed JAN began making more meals and PIES!! The checkpoint became known for good hospitality and PIES. During the "fat" years of the IDITAROD 75-80 pies would be consumed. As the volume of mushers decreased about 30-40 pies are devoured. They also account for the pilots and volunteers that are lucky to have great meals and DESSERT!!! JAN died in 2012 (I met her in 2011) yet the legend       continues. 

      

JOEY SABIN was staying only 8 minutes so they prepared a to go sack lunch AND PIE for him--in TAKOTNA.

Dogs "waiting to run"in TAKOTNA.

 

 

From TAKOTNA to OPHIR its 23 miles. Below a picture of a team  passing by mining relics in OPHIR-a ghost town. OPHIR is mentioned in the Bible. Supposedly the rich King Solomon received shipments of gold and silver from the wealthy land of Biblical OPHIR. Ghost town or not ..there is ONE  cabin owned by the FORSGREN family. WHAT??? This is in the middle of no where. How do they get supplies, health care etc. etc. ? I would love to interview them. They must be loners!!! The checkpoint is by their cabin. 

                                                                                From OPHIR to CRIPPLE is 73 miles from CRIPPLE to RUBY is 70 miles, the long runs.                        JESSIE HOLMES was first into  RUBY with 16 dogs. He wins the DOROTHY PAGE (Mother of the IDITAROD), award. This is the halfway point in the race. He has the choice of either $3,000 in gold nuggets or a smartphone of his choosing with a year of mobile service. He also received a trophy made of Alaska birch and marble which will be on display at the IDITAROD HEADQUARTERS all year.     JESSIE said the trail from OPHIR to CRIPPLE was slow on the surface but wasn't punchy (whatever that means). There was a good firm base.                                                                                                         JESSIE also was the 1st to the YUKON (he is collecting trophies) where he enjoyed a gourmet dinner prepared by chefs from locally grown restaurants in ANCHORAGE. JESSIE was not going to stay here but after having the Salomon dip he couldn't pass this up---HE STAYED and enjoyed his meal.

The weather in most of the checkpoints today have been 0 degrees to 14 degrees and the night time temps are around -20's. It is cloudy with some sun early in the day.                                                                    

FYI: Groceries in Alaska are among the most expensive in the US. For ex. in Juneau it is $5 for a gallon of milk but in more remote areas it is up to $10 a gallon. 

As of midnight EST the standings are: OUT OF RUBY to GALENA (50 miles) JESSIE HOLMES, PAIGE DROBNY, RILEY DYCHE, TRAVIS BEALS.                                                                               IN RUBY RESTING: MILLE PORSILD, RYAN REDINGTON, MICHELLE PHILLIPS and 17 others.  IN CRIPPLE: 9 mushers. JODY POTTS JOSEPH is pulling up the rear but still in good spirits and doing her very best--dogs too.                                                                                                                       Two mushers in the Expedition team are in NULATO one still in MCRATH. STEVE CURTIS in MCGRATH has been there for some time. No sure if there is a problem. Nothing has been said.                There is now more action and strategies are being planned. Exciting!!

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DAY #6 IDITAROD THURSDAY MARCH 12, 2026 MCGRATH - CRIPPLE

DAY #6 IDITAROD THURSDAY MARCH 12, 2026 MCGRATH - CRIPPLE

Mushers send extra sleds to MCGRATH to use if needed.

It is still very cold but not snowing today. JEFF DEETER had a thermometer on his sled. It was -30

At that temperature the dogs take on their own hue, yet this is dog weather. They much prefer the cold.One of JEFF'S dogs below.

I didn't get a picture of JESSIE'S prize--1st into MCGRATH. Here are his gloves--hat wasn't pictured.

An interview with MATT HALL: He said he realized he shouldn't have been so conservative with his team. They have the power and stamina so now he may increase their speed. They WANT TO RUN!! MATT lived in EAGLE, ALASKA in a very remote area--only a few people in his community. When the power lines started to come close to his area his family moved further into the wilderness!!! They lived without power. Yikes!! Imagine and they preferred that. He is in the top 10 so far.

There was an interview with KATE (never got her last name) a volunteer VET from Australia. She is in love with Alaska. She said the dogs are sweet and so well behaved and the people are so welcoming. Her feet were freezing and one of the volunteers took off her boots and gave KATE her socks. Another Alaskan gave her a pair of "bunny boots". They are the BIG white boots you see on the volunteers and the mushers. The are big, heavy and VERY WARM. With KATE'S accent she called the mushers--mooooshers!!

The weather and distances at todays checkpoints: MCGRATH: -2 tonight -23 cloudy.                               TAKOTNA: 0 and -19 tonight calm, OPHIR: 0 and -18 tonight. CRIPPLE: no report of the weather--too remote or just not hooked up yet, but cold and snowy.  From MCGRATH - TAKOTNA 18 miles. From TAKOTNA -OPHIR it is 23 miles. From OPHIR - CRIPPLE it is 73 miles. 

As of 11PM EST 23 are resting in CRIPPLE: PAIGE DROBNY, JESSIE HOLMES, MILLE PORSILD, RYAN REDINGTON, TRAVIS BEALS, MICHELLE PHILLIPS, RILEY DYCHE the top mushers. There are 7 in OPHIR resting and 2 in MCGRATH plus at the 3 expeditioners.

Tomorrow everyone will be rested and ready to run. 

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DAY #5 WEDNESDAY MARCH 11th, 2026 IDITAROD TAKOTNA - OPHIR

 DAY #5 WEDNESDAY MARCH 11th, 2026 IDITAROD  TAKOTNA - OPHIR

JESSIE HOLMES of Brushkana, Alaska, was the FIRST to reach MCGRATH with 16 dogs in harness and win Alaska Air Transit Spirit of Iditarod Award. The first one was given in 2019. MCGRATH community shares deep ties with IDITAROD and the award reflects the connection. He was given beaver fur musher mittens with Athabaskan beadwork on Moose hide and beaver fur hat all locally made. Below: JESSIE HOLMES. 

Above : MICHELLE PHILLIPS tending to her dogs.

Above: BRENDA MACKEY traveling within the beautiful Alaska wilderness. BRENDA started mushing at age 3--kid sprint Races. At age 19 she entered and finished the 1,000 mile Yukon Quest. The Mackey family has a storied Iditarod history. Since the race began in 1973, 54 years ago, there have been at least one Mackey racing in 48 of those 54 races. BRENDA previously scratched at NIKOLAI and TANANA so she is looking forward to seeing more than the first 300 miles of the race.

At 11PM EST most are taking their 24 hour mandatory rest. During that time they fix any broken parts, care for their dogs, rest, eat and dry all their wet clothing. They average about 5 hours sleep during this time.

Resting in TAKOTNA: JESSIE HOLMES, PAIGE DROBNY, MILLE PORSILD, RYAN REDINGTON, and 9 more mushers. Behind them there are 11 resting in MCGRATH and 4 in NIKOLAI (including the Expedition Class mushers). 

From MCGRATH to TAKOTNA it is 18 miles and from TAKOTNA to OPHIR it is 23 miles. 5 of the mushers went past TAKOTNA, traveled the 23 miles to OPHIR. Those 5 are: RILEY DYCHE, MATT HALL, LAURO EKLUND, JOSI SHELLEY and JESSIE TERRY. 

You really can't say who is "ahead" until they have had their 24 hour rest and get back on the trail. 

FYI: It is -3 in TAKOTNA low -31, crunchy snow with light winds. Let's see how it goes after everyone has their 24 hour rest.

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DAY #4 TUESDAY MARCH 10th, 2026 IDITAROD ROHN-TAKOTNA

 DAY #4 TUESDAY MARH 10th, 2026 IDITAROD ROHN-TAKOTNA

Sometimes photos come up a day late, reason for the pic of the cabin at FINGER LAKE. Looked interesting so here is a picture: Not the Hilton but sufficient.

The word is the trip from FINGER LAKE - RAINY PASS was brutal due to the winds and sugar snow. The BURN, TUNNELS and GORGE were not difficult as there was enough snow. Usually it is the other way round. Although a few mushers had problems in that area of the GORGE. One such:

MILLE PORSILD, pictured above, from Denmark. She is my son Henrys' favorite. She crashed off the side of a glacier and landed between two trees. Took her 45 minutes to right the team. Her sleeping bag got wet and the zippers on her tote froze so at -50 (she thought it was) she had a tough night. Her dry mittens were in her tote but she couldn't get to them. A musher passing by gave her a pair and she was SAVED!!!BUT....she does this as it is such beautiful land and she loves her dogs. She is now 263 miles into the race and resting at NIKOLAI.

Last night Jessie Holmes (the leader) camped by NIKOLAI. He said it was damp, windy and cold but he never had visions of luxury and as long as the dogs were comfortable, fed and warm he was ok. He was the first out of NIKOLAI and will take his mandatory 24 hr. rest in TAKOTNA.

The 24 hour mandatory rest can now be taken from MCGRATH to OPHIR. Many will go to TAKOTNA as they have a great set up there and are known for their great food!!!Hank and I volunteered there for 4 days. I was cooking and making pies. It was great as so many of the mushers stopped here. 

Rohn Buser (his Dad MARTIN a champ and a friend of mine) was in NIKOLAI. It was -4 and very windy. He said he was having a good run although he lost a brake part in the BURN. He was pleased he had 16 dogs still in tow. 

Not sure you can see the winds in this picture. This is around NIKOLAI and MCGRATH. 

This is the VET in MCGRATH waiting for the dogs to come in. He is holding on to the post so he won't blow over!!!!

As of 11PM EST these are the standings: JESSIE HOLMES,RILEY DYCHE, PAIGE DROBNY, BAILEY VITELLO, MILLE PORSILD, RYAN REDINGTON, MICHELLE PHILLIPS, MATT HALL, TRAVIS BEALS, WADE MARRS--top 10. They are all out of NIKOLAI. The rest of the pack are in ROHN including the Expedition mushers. l

From MCGRATH to TAKOTNA is 19 miles and where the race gets much more serious.

Sadly JAYE FOUCHER scratched at RAINY PASS. She hit a tree and got hung up  and never imagined the wind could be so fierce. She thought that would happen by the Bering Sea trail.Her dogs were fine--she was not. She suffers from PTSD after a traumatic accident while training. A truck hit her and her team, killing one of the dogs. Tragic the path something like that leaves.

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