DAY #12 IDITAROD WEDNESDAY MARCH 18, 2026 ELIM - NOME

DAY #12 IDITAROD WEDNESDAY MARCH 18, 2026 ELIM - NOME

TODAY 13 mushers will arrive in NOME under the burled arch. 

Sadly GRAYSON BRUTON scratched in UNALAKLEET for the good of the team. Haven't heard any more. GRAYSON started in ANCHORAGE next to last and remained in that position thru most of the race. When he scratched he was running in the last position. He is from TOK, Alaska. 

Then after 9 days, 7 hours, and 32 minutes JESSIE HOLMES guided his team across the finish line in NOME to win the 1,000 mile race for the second year in a row. Only 2 other mushers had completed that task of winning their second consecutive IDITAROD race--SUSAN BUTCHER and LANCE MACKEY. JESSIE's prize was $80,000!!! Not bad. JESSIES' comment- "This is the dogs race, I'm just here for the paperwork and drivin". JESSIE lives a very basic lifestyle. You can't drive to his home in the winter and it is just off the Denali Highway. When JESSIE came in it was -1 with a wind chill of -22 degrees. Didn't seem to bother him after experiencing -40 on the trail!!!Below: JESSIE coming into NOME on the frozen Bering Sea. 

JESSIE coming down the Main Street of NOME--at the end THE BURLED ARCH

JESSIE HOLMES winner of the 54th IDITAROD 2026                                            

 

 

Following JESSIE HOLMES to the finish and top 10 teams:

TRAVIS BEALS, JEFF DEETER, PAIGE DROBNY, WADE MARRS, MATT HALL, RILEY DYCHE, LAURO EKLUND, PETER KAISER, MICHELLE PHILLIPS and 3 more.                                                     There are 8 in WHITE MOUNTAIN and 9 in ELIM. ADAM LINDEMUTH is bringing up the rear

Most of the teams will be in tomorrow. The Banquet isn't until Sunday. Most will stay for that. 

TILL TOMORROW