Iditarod 2012

Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod Iditarod 201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012

Valley veterans, rookies line up.

Page 4

MEET THE MUSHERSIditarod runs through

generations.Page 6

FAMILy AFFAIRRace moves forward

with trail change.Page 5

STEPPING OUT

Page 2 Iditarod 2012 February 24, 2012

®

“Get your own great ride at the Offi cial Iditarod®

Trail Sale”Only at Offi cial Race Sponsor

“Choose from one of the largest inventories in the Northwest U.S.A.”

276-1331Starts 3/1/12

1-800-770-1330Ends 3/31/12

ACROSS FROM MERRILL FIELD

ON EAST 5TH AVE. www.anchoragechryslercenter.com

Alaska’s Best Prices

Guaranteed!

Ram 2500

Wrangler Patriot

Ram 1500

February 24, 2012 Iditarod 2012 Page 3

Alaska:W 12-1-4-69979 (HRT/SSD/AWC/TLB/AXR)

For supporting One-Stop Shopping for 37 years

Thanks, Alaska!

With your support since 1975, we’ve grown to 11 stores employing over 2,800 Alaskans.

Here’s to an exciting race and many more years of serving you!

Honored to be a sponsor of Iditarod 40


The 2012 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race features a full stable of Valley mushers. Here are their official bios, courtesy of Iditarod.com.

Kelley Griffin, Wasilla

Kelley Griffin, 52, was born in Minnesota and raised in Alaska. She gradu-ated from West Anchorage High School and began mushing more than 30 years ago. She moved to Knik in 1992 to run dogs.

Griffin has run the Yukon Quest nearly every year

since 2002, and the Iditarod in 2005, 2008 and 2011 with dogs from her small kennel.

“It is exciting to be the support crew for such an amazing group of athletes,” Griffin said. “We train for thousands of miles dur-ing the darkest part of the winter to race in the Iditarod. Then with nearly 12 hours of daylight in March, I finally see the incred-ible country we travel.”

Martin Buser, Big Lake

Born in Win-terthur, Swit-zerland, in 1958, Martin Buser came to Alaska in 1979 to enhance his knowledge about the care and training of sled dogs. He began working and training with longtime Alaska mushers Earl and Natalie Nor-ris and ran his

first Iditarod in 1980. Martin, wife Kathy Chapoton, a retired teacher, and sons Nikolai and Rohn (both named after Idi-tarod checkpoints), formally reside in Big Lake, where the family owns and manages

Happy Trails Kennel. Buser spends a large percentage of his

personal time speaking with youth on the humanitarian care of animals and the spirit of the Iditarod.

“I run the Iditarod to prove that my dogs — bred, trained and raced by Happy Trails Kennels — are the best amongst the world’s long distance athletes,” he said.

He has proven to be the best four times, winning the race in 1992, 1994, 1997 and 2002. Buser also holds the distinction of having the most consecutive Iditarod fin-ishes, 26.

“We are looking forward to many more and working diligently toward a fifth Iditarod win,” he said. “While the race is always the final exam, the year-round interaction and relationship with the dogs is the most valuable aspect of this lifestyle.”

DeeDee Jonrowe, Willow

DeeDee Jon-rowe, 58, was born in Frankfort, Germany, while her father was in the military. The family moved to Alaska in 1971, where her dad was stationed at Ft. Richardson. Jonrowe has a bachelor’s degree in biological sci-ences and renew-

able resources and lists her occupation as kennel owner and dog racer.

She began mushing in 1979 while liv-ing in Bethel, and her mother was excited about the early Iditarod races.

“The Iditarod has become my lifestyle choice that permitted me a chance to cel-ebrate Alaska’s history and the partnership that dogs have had in it,” Jonrowe said. “I have had a chance to experience this relationship and to bond with the Alaskan culture that I admire. God has blessed me with the health to once again travel through his most beautiful handiwork, experiencing a reflection of his uncondi-tional love through the bond I have with my team. The volunteers and residents of rural Alaska are an important element of the experience for me, and I am blessed to

continue participating in this race.” Jonrowe is a member of Big Lake Baptist

Church and is involved in co-ed softball. She says in her spare time she enjoys Lab-rador retrievers and Pekingeses, and she is an advocate of in-state cancer care and treatment. She is a triathlete and bike racer.

Travis Cooper, Big Lake

Travis Cooper, 25, was born and raised in Kansas. He has been a handler for Mad Stork Kennel (Kelly Maixner) since 2010. This will be his first Idi-tarod.

Dallas Seavey, Willow

Dallas Seavey, 25, was born in Virginia and his family moved to Seward when he was 5. He is a third-generation musher who grew up helping his dad, Mitch, the 2004 Iditarod champion, train his racing teams. He ran the Junior Iditarod four times, and in 2005,

Dallas became the youngest musher in his-tory to run the Iditarod. He also wrestled for Skyview High School in Soldotna, where he was state and junior national champion. He also spent one year training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center and was on the 2005 Junior World team.

In 2009, he and his wife, Jen, also an Idi-tarod veteran, moved to Willow. In 2011, he not only had his best Iditarod finish — fourth — he was also the Yukon Quest champion.

Ramey Smyth, Willow

Ramey Smyth, 36, was born and raised in Alaska. His father, Bud Smyth, raced in the first Iditarod and his mother, Lolly Medley, raced in the sec-ond Iditarod. He has lived all over the state and says he moved to Wil-low to put down roots and build a

home for his family.Smyth ran the Junior Iditarod twice and

won both times. He ran his first Iditarod in 1994 and has only missed one year since. He is a log-home builder and dog musher.

“I am entering the Iditarod because I love sled dogs and I love the opportunity to race and travel with them. I love the challenge and want to win the Iditarod,” he said. “I am running under the banner of abstinence from drinking, smoking and drugs. My mother died of colon cancer and my father has cancer. I would like to raise awareness of cancer and encourage people to donate to research and treatment.”

Jake Berkowitz, Big Lake

Jake Berkowitz, 25, was born and raised in Minne-sota. He attended a local community college and then studied to be an EMT at the Uni-versity of Colo-rado. He is cur-rently earning his paramedic degree at the University of Alaska.

Berkowitz started mushing when he moved to Michi-gan in the fall of 2005 to work with Ed and Tasha Stielstra at Nature’s Kennel and raced Stielstra’s B team in the 2008 Idi-tarod. He remembers learning about the

MEET THE MUSHERS

Local veterans, rookies line up

Griffin

Buser

Jonrowe

Cooper

Seavey

Smyth

Berkowitz

See MUSHERS, Page 14


Iditarod®

• Expert Front End Alignment• Full Suspension Service• Engine Heaters, Shocks, and Struts• Trailer Repair

Your Team for Tires in the Valley!CUSTOM & STEEL WHEELS

IN STOCK 376-2700 • 2550 Palmer-Wasilla Hwy • Wasilla

~ Serving the Valley Since 1994 ~

DIVERSIFIED TIRE

PROUD SPONSOR of the

By ERIKA MOONFrontiersman.com

It’s been one of the most notorious obsta-cles in one of the most challenging and dan-gerous competitions known to man. But starting this year, the Happy River Steps will be omitted from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

The Steps are found fairly early into the Iditarod Trail, between the checkpoints of Finger Lake and Rainy Pass in the Alaska Range. A series of steep drops and sharp turns down to the Happy River, the Steps have a reputation for intimidating rookie mushers out of the race, or worse, being a prime location for wrecks and injuries. The new trail takes advantage of a mining road built last year that provides an opportunity to bypass the Steps altogether.

The change has been met with mixed emotions from local mushers.

Iditarod veteran Ray Redington Jr., who will be running his 11th Iditarod this year,

said he’s had an overall good experience on this part of the trail in the past.

“We talk about how bad (the Steps) are, but they aren’t always as bad as people make them out to be,” he said. “It’s like last year going through the Gorge — if you didn’t know any better, you wouldn’t even realize you were on it. There are definitely years like that.”

At the same time, Redington sees a posi-tive side of the change. “I think it’s good that we don’t have to worry about people getting hurt.”

2011 Yukon Quest Champion Dallas

Seavey, also an Iditarod veteran, said that, like Redington, his encounters with the Steps have been relatively successful. How-ever, for every year this part of the trail is passable, there are instances where it can become extremely dangerous.

Seavey used the 2007 Iditarod as an example; there was no safe way down the Steps.

“As a dog driver, you’re standing both feet on your brake as you start to descend,” he said. “It’s kind of an exciting ride.”

Even some of the most experienced mushers have suffered major injuries tra-

versing this part of the trail. Last year’s Idi-tarod saw five-time champ Rick Swenson crash his sled and break his collarbone at the bottom of the Steps.

“The Steps are a part of the Iditarod lure,” Seavey said. “But considering that there is a new alternative, I think we would be foolish not to (make the change). I’m going to miss the Steps, but I’m happy to have a safer trail for the dogs.”

Although critics of the trail change say it is evidence of the race “going soft,” Seavey says the endurance race is still a challenge. The distance from the restart in Willow to Nome is still a whopping 975 miles across rugged terrain under variable, and often extreme, conditions.

“You’re going to see a higher level of rook-ies finish the Iditarod without (the Steps),” Seavey predicted.

Even so, they are still going to have to endure a lot of hardship to finish the Idi-tarod, he said. “We still have the (Dalzell) Gorge — which is nothing to sneeze at.”

Race steps forward with trail change‘We talk about how bad (the Steps) are, but they aren’t always as bad as people make them out to be. It’s like last year going through the Gorge — if you didn’t know any better, you wouldn’t even realize you were on it. There are definitely years like that.’

—Ray Redington Jr.


Carrs Mall, Wasilla • 907.376.0123www.townsquareartgallery.com

Advance, email & phone orders welcomed.We gladly pack & ship!

Meet Iditarod Artist

Jon Van Zyle

Jon will be personalizing his posters, prints & children’s books

Grab your posters on the way to the Restart or catch us on the return

Find us on Facebook!

Sun, Mar 4th all day, 10-5 in

Wasilla

PAIN REMOVED. LIFE IMPROVED.

Mile 39.5 Glenn Hwy., just south of the Alaska State Fairgrounds

The Companion Therapy Laser System®

The Palmer Vet Clinic is pleased to introduce a drug-free, surgery-free alternative to your pet’s pain...

Call us today to see if this exciting new technology is right for your best friend!













The Companion Therapy Laser© SystemInstant relief of pain for your pet recovering from trauma, injury or

chronic everyday aches and pains.


Mile 39.5 Glenn Hwy., just south of the Alaska State Fairgrounds 745-3219

31 Years of Quality

Veterinary Care

The Palmer Vet Clinic is pleased to offer a drug-free, surgery-free alternative to your pet’s pain...

By ERIKA MOONFrontiersman.com

The Iditarod is as synonymous with Alaska as Denali — and is held in similar reverence.

With a competition so uniquely Alaskan, there is a rich local history built around the sport of sled dog racing. The Mat-Su com-munity is home to many families who have been running the Iditarod for generations with ties extending to race’s early days.

Two of those mushing families are fea-tured here.

Redington family

Iditarod history names Joe Redington Sr. as the “Father of the Iditarod.” He worked with several volunteers to develop the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race we enjoy today. He competed in the race 19 times

2004 Iditarod champion Mitch Seavey withdraw from the 2011 race due to a hand injury. He is a second generation competitor

who will race again this year against his son, Dallas Seavey.

ROBERT DeBERRY/Frontiersman

Iditarod race runs through generations

of Valley families

See FAMILy, Page 12


YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON OUR TEAMWORK FOR FAST, RELIABLE, SHIPPING SERVICE.NAC is a proud sponsor of the 2012 Iditarod and 2011 champion John Baker.

TEAMWORKTOGETHER WE GET THE JOB DONE

IDITAROD WINNERS year Musher Time to Nome 2011 .................................. Baker, John ............................08d 18h 46m 39s 2010 .............................Mackey, Lance ............................08d 23h 59m 09s 2009 .............................Mackey, Lance ............................09d 21h 38m 46s 2008 .............................Mackey, Lance ............................09d 11h 46m 48s 2007 .............................Mackey, Lance ............................09d 05h 08m 41s 2006 ...................................... King, Jeff ............................09d 11h 11m 36s 2005 ...............................Sorlie, Robert ............................09d 18h 39m 31s 2004 ...............................Seavey, Mitch ............................09d 12h 20m 22s 2003 ...............................Sorlie, Robert ............................09d 15h 47m 36s 2002 ...............................Buser, Martin ............................08d 22h 46m 02s 2001 ........................... Swingley, Doug ............................09d 19h 55m 50s 2000 ........................... Swingley, Doug ............................09d 00h 58m 06s 1999 ........................... Swingley, Doug ............................09d 14h 31m 07s 1998 ...................................... King, Jeff ............................09d 05h 52m 26s 1997 ...............................Buser, Martin ............................09d 08h 30m 45s 1996 ...................................... King, Jeff ............................09d 05h 43m 13s 1995 ........................... Swingley, Doug ............................09d 02h 42m 19s 1994 ...............................Buser, Martin ............................10d 13h 02m 39s 1993 ...................................... King, Jeff ............................10d 15h 38m 15s 1992 ...............................Buser, Martin ............................10d 19h 17m 15s 1991 ............................. Swenson, Rick ............................12d 16h 34m 39s 1990 .............................Butcher, Susan ............................11d 01h 53m 23s 1989 ..................................Runyan, Joe ............................11d 05h 24m 34s 1988 .............................Butcher, Susan ............................11d 11h 41m 40s 1987 .............................Butcher, Susan ............................11d 02h 05m 13s 1986 .............................Butcher, Susan ............................11d 15h 06m 00s ROBERT DeBERRY/Frontiersman

Four-time Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race champion Lance Mackey signs an autograph for Colleen Wake before the start of the 2011 race in Willow. He is a secondgeneration musher and one of three four-time champs in the 2012 race.

Continued on page 9


HONORING ALASKA’S HISTORY IN MINING AND MUSHING.Donlin Gold is a sponsor of Mike Williams Jr. and Principal Partner Sponsor of the 2012 Iditarod.

Paws-itively the best and most complete veterinary care you

expect for your pets!

ProudSupporter of

DeeDee Jonroweand Team

All Creatures Veterinary ClinicCelebrating 28 years of veterinary care in the Valley

4360 Snider Drive • Wasilla • 376-7930(Just off the Palmer-Wasilla Hwy.)

• Joanne Rehn, DVM. • Judy Montalbano, DVM. • Paul Bailey, DVM.• Kelly Campbell DVM. • Judy Masteller, DVM. • Susan Barnes, DVM.

www.allcreatures.bz

Happy Trailsto all

mushing teams

• The first Iditarod race to Nome started March 3, 1973.

• Fastest finish: In 2011, John Baker crossed the finish line in 8 days, 18 hours, 46 minutes and 39 seconds.

• Slowest winning time: Carl Huntington won the 1974 race with the slowest winning time, 20 days, 15 hours, two minutes and seven seconds.

• 16-dog teams start the race, which means more than 1,000 dogs leave Anchor-age for Nome each year.

• There are 26 checkpoints on the north-ern route, the first in Anchorage and the last in Nome. On the southern route, there are 27 checkpoints.

• The closest finish was in 1978. Dick Mackey finished 1 second ahead of Rick

IDITAROD FACTS

See FACTS, Page 9

A group of Iditarod enthusiasts wave to spectators as they are pulled across Crystal Lake on

their couch at the 2008 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race restart.



Schedule Now for your Spring General Maintenance & Cleaning

Licensed - Bonded - InsuredIn Wasilla:1265 E. Lolly CircleWasilla, AK 99654907-376-2029Fax: 907-376-3029

In Talkeetna:4.1 Talkeetna Spur Road

Talkeetna, AK 99676907-733-2029

Fax: 907-733-3029

HVACHeating • Ventilation • A/C

Plumbing • Electrical • Installation • Service

SERVICE IS WHAT WE DO BEST!

Schedule Now for your Spring General Maintenance & Cleaning

Plumbing • Electrical • Installation • Service

1985 ................................................ Riddles, Libby .........................................18d 00h 20m 17s 1984 ..................................................Osmar, Dean .........................................12d 15h 07m 33s 1983 ..................................................Mackey, Rick ........................................12d 14h 10m 44s 1982 ................................................Swenson, Rick ........................................16d 04h 40m 10s 1981 ................................................Swenson, Rick ........................................12d 08h 45m 02s 1980 ..........................................................May, Joe ........................................14d 07h 11m 51s 1979 ................................................Swenson, Rick ........................................15d 10h 37m 47s 1978 .................................................Mackey, Dick ........................................14d 18h 52m 24s 1977 ................................................Swenson, Rick ........................................16d 16h 27m 13s 1976 .................................................. Riley, Gerald ........................................18d 22h 58m 17s 1975 ...............................................Peters, Emmitt ........................................14d 14h 43m 45s 1974 ...........................................Huntington, Carl ........................................20d 15h 02m 07s 1973 ............................................. Wilmarth, Dick ........................................20d 00h 49m 41s

Source: Iditarod.com

MULTIPLE WINNERSMusher Wins years Rick Swenson .......................................................5 ..................................... 1977-79-81-82-91 Susan Butcher .......................................................4 ...........................................1986-87-88-90 Martin Buser .........................................................4 .......................................1992-94-97-2002 Lance Mackey .......................................................4 ...........................................2007-08-09-10 Doug Swingley .....................................................4 .......................................1995-99-2000-01 Jeff King ................................................................4 .......................................1993-96-98-2006 Robert Sorlie .........................................................2 ...................................................... 2003-05


IDITAROD WINNERS

Swenson. The winner was decided by the nose of the lead dog across the finish line.

• The largest number of mushers to fin-ish a single race was 77 in 2004.

• A red lantern is awarded to the last musher to finish Iditarod. The longest time for a Red Lantern was 32 days, 15 hours, 9 minutes and 1 second by John Schultz in 1973. The quickest Red Lantern musher was Celeste Davis, with a time of 13:05:06:40.

• Rick Swenson is the only five-time winner, having won in 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1991. He is the only person to win the Iditarod in three different decades.

• Dallas Seavey turned 18 on March 4, 2005. He is the youngest musher to run

the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race. The old-est musher to ever compete was 88-year-old Col. Norman Vaughan. Col. Vaughan completed the race four times.

• Rick Mackey won the race in 1983 to become the first son of an Iditarod champion to match his father’s accom-plishment. His brother, Lance Mackey repeated the feat in 2007, becoming the second son of an Iditarod champion to finish first. All three Mackeys also were wearing bib No. 13 when they crossed the finish line in first position, and they all three won in their sixth Iditarod. Emmitt Peters also was wearing bib No. 13 when he won the Iditarod in 1975.

• Add one more for Lance — he had just won the Yukon Quest two weeks before, so he is the first person to win both the Quest and Iditarod in the same year.


FACTSContinued from Page 8

FOLLOW THE RACEKeep up with all the action of the 2012

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race online at Iditarod.com. Online features include constant updates on race conditions and GPS tracking of mushers.

A dog rests inside the back of Jeff

King's truck before the start of the

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race in Willow


(from page 7)


Cindi Heal AgencyMile 3.2 Palmer-Wasilla [email protected]

Subject to availability and qualifications. The "Cupped Hands" logo is a registered service mark of Allstate Insurance Company. Allstate Insurance Company and AllstateIndemnity Company, Northbrook, IL. © 2007 Allstate Insurance Company.

We know home insurance. We can help you protect your home and everything in it.Call us today to discuss your coverage options.

(907) 746-0505

PLASTICS FOR ALL REASONS & SEASONS

Your Alaskan Source for Graphite Runners! Used by Iditarod mushers including Dee Dee Jonrowe!

Locally made in Wasilla

2600 E. Broadview • Wasilla (Behind Evangelos) 376-7111CAC PLASTICS LLC.

www.cacalaska.com

• Sled PartS - custom & standard replacements• all sizes of UHMW & HdPe plastics• exotic Graphite, titanium, teflon and Nylon plastic raw stock in many shapes and sizes including angle and rod stock• all in stock • We Ship aNYWHere

• Sledding • Freight Hauling • Dog Sledding • Snowmobiling



Arctic insulAtion & MAnufActuring

“the Pre-insulated Pipe People”

Big Lake 892-8440 • www.arcticinsulation.net • Anchorage 677-9540Wasilla Burger King Location

110 E. Herning Ave. (907) 357-3400

Mudbusters Carwash Co. Presents:

DOG WASHMuttbustersSelf-Serve

2012 IDITAROD TRAIL SLED DOg RACE ROUTECheckpoint Distance to next Distance to NomeAnchorage to Campbell Airstrip ............................................. 11 ....................................964 Campbell Airstrip to Willow Willow to Yentna Station ......................................................... 42 .................................... 922Yentna Station to Skwentna ..................................................... 30 .................................... 892Skwentna to Finger Lake .......................................................... 40 .....................................852Finger Lake to Rainy Pass ......................................................... 30 .....................................822Rainy Pass to Rohn .................................................................... 35 ....................................787Rohn to Nikolai ......................................................................... 75 .....................................712Nikolai to McGrath ................................................................... 48 .....................................664McGrath to Takotna ................................................................. 18 .....................................646Takotna to Ophir ....................................................................... 23 .....................................623Ophir to Cripple ........................................................................ 73 .....................................550Cripple to Ruby ......................................................................... 70 .....................................480Ruby to Galena .......................................................................... 50 .....................................430Galena to Nulato ....................................................................... 37 .....................................393Nulato to Kaltag ........................................................................ 47 .....................................346Kaltag to Unalakleet .................................................................. 85 .....................................261Unalakleet to Shaktoolik .......................................................... 40 .....................................221Shaktoolik to Koyuk ................................................................. 50 .....................................171Koyuk to Elim ............................................................................ 48 .....................................123Elim to Golovin ......................................................................... 28 ....................................... 95Golovin to White Mountain .................................................... 18 ....................................... 77White Mountain to Safety ........................................................ 55 ....................................... 22Safety to Nome........................................................................... 22 ......................................... 0


ROBERT DeBERRY/FrontiersmanFans hold signs and cheer on mushers during the restart of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow.

Frontiersman.com

While mushers race their dog teams nearly 1,000 miles in the 2012 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, an organization dedi-cated to ending the epidemic of depression and suicide in Alaska is preparing to visit communities along the Iditarod Trail.

Carry the Cure team will spread its mes-sage of life and hope to save people from acts of self-harm along the Iditarod Trail at several stops along the trail.

A team of 12 will visit different Iditarod

checkpoints March 6-13, including per-formances in McGrath, Kaltag, Shaktool-ik, Golovin, Unalakleet and Nome. While there, members will present a “committed to life” suicide-prevention school assem-bly. Each evening, the band Broken Walls will present a free community concert.

This is the third annual trip the organi-zation has made to coincide with the Idi-tarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

“Through our multimedia school assembly and our music, stories and prov-en practices we will give youth reasons to

commit to life,” said Bill Pagaran, Carry the Cure president and organizer, “as well as giving them practical tools to help themselves and others in the time of need.”

CTC is chartering two planes to carry 2,400 pounds of sound equipment and 12 people. The multimedia school assembly and music, stories and activities give youth reasons to commit to life and give them practical tools to help themselves and oth-ers in the time of need.

Carry the Cure Inc. is a nonprofit orga-nization committed to giving the youth

of Alaska reasons to live through its pro-grams, trainings and school assemblies. Since 1996, Carry the Cure has focused its attention on Native youth of Alaska and has visited more than 50 communities in the state offering help with suicide pre-vention, drug and alcohol prevention and family marriage workshops.

Broken Walls, an internationally known and award-winning Native American band.

To learn more, visit carrythecure.org or brokenwalls.com.

group travels trail to fight suicide and depression


and placed as high as fifth four times, with his last run at the age of 80 for the Last Great Race’s 25th anniversary in 1997.

Redington is so respected in Iditarod circles that his name is still called at every meeting of the Iditarod Trail Committee board of directors, although he is always excused for being “on the trail,” according to Iditarod.com. His grandsons, Ryan and Ray Redington Jr., con-tinue this legacy and that of their Iditarod veteran father Raymie, on the trail in 2012.

Ryan Redington and wife Erin own Callin’ Trail Ken-nel near Knik. Ryan has completed four Iditarods, with

a top finish of 18th. Older brother Ray has completed 10 Iditarods in his career, with a personal best finish last year at seventh.

Ray said the brothers prepare differently for the race, but the end result is usually the same.

“He trains a lot differently than I do,” Ray said of his brother. Out on the trail, “He’s usually always around. We all make it (to Nome).”

Seavey family

The Seaveys are another family with an impressive Idi-tarod heritage. Dan Seavey, 74, helped Joe Redington Sr. found the race in 1973. He competed in the first two Idi-tarods, placing in the top five both times. His son, Mitch

Seavey, helped train the team and eventually completed his first Iditarod in 1982. In 2004, he became an Iditarod champion and has remained competitive.

Three of Mitch Seavey’s sons, Danny, Tyrell and Dal-las, have also competed in the race. In 2005, Dallas Seavey became the youngest musher to run the Iditarod.

Dallas established himself as a competitive force quick-ly. He won the 2011 Yukon Quest, and followed that up a month later with a fourth-place Iditarod finish. He said he is proud of his family’s history in the race and has been motivated by the example of sportsmanship and competi-tive ethics his father and grandfather modeled over the years.

Dallas’s mother, Janine Seavey, said the race has been an

ROBERT DeBERRY/FrontiersmanRohn and Martin Buser relax and share a laugh before the start of a recent Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race in Willow.

FAmILyContinued from Page 6

See FAMILy, Page 15


Anderson, Ken ............................Fairbanks Bailey, Jodi ..................................Chatanika Baker, John .................................. Kotzebue Barnu(M) Kirk .............Grangeville, Idaho Berington, Anna ..............................Kasilof Berington, Kristy .............................Kasilof Berkowitz, Jake .............................Big Lake Burmeister, Aaron ............................Nome Buser, Martin ................................Big Lake Buser, Rohn ...................................Big Lake Cadzow, Josh ............................Fort Yukon Chlupach, Bob .................................Willow Church, Jr, Art ................................Willow Clarke, Lachlan ............Buena Vista, Colo. Cooper, Travis ..............................Big Lake Debruin, Hank ......... Haliburton, OntarioDeNure, Zoya ................................. Gakona Ekran, Sigrid .....................Sparbu, Norway Failor, Matt ................................. Mansfield Furtwängler, Silvia ........ Rauland, Norway Gebhardt, Paul .................................Kasilof Giblin, Matt ......................................Juneau Griffin, Kelley ..................................Wasilla Hendrickson, Karin ........................Wasilla Herbst, Trent ............................Anchorage Janssen, Scott .............................Anchorage Jonrowe, DeeDee ............................Willow Kaiser, Peter ......................................Bethel King, Jeff ........................................... Denali Kinzer, Jaimee .................................Willow Lanier, Jim .....................................Chugiak Lindner, Sonny ........................ Two RiversLinton, Bruce ....................................Kasilof

2012 IDITRAROD MUSHERS

Mackey, Lance .............................Fairbanks Maixner, Kelly ...............................Big Lake Marrs, Wade ....................................Wasilla Moon, Pat ........................... Park Ridge, Ill. Neff Hugh ..............................................Tok Olson, Ryne .............................. Two Rivers Perano, Curt .................Queenstown, N.Z. Peterson, Braxton .......................Fairbanks Petit, Nicolas ..............................Girdwood Phillips, Michelle ........Tagish YT, Canada Pinkha, William ...Glenwood Springs, Co.Ramstead, Karen ....Perryvale AB, Canada Redington Jr., Ray ...........................Wasilla Redington, Ryan .............................Wasilla Robertia, Colleen .............................Kasilof Santos, Mike ................................. Cantwell Sass, Brent ....................................Fairbanks Savidis, Justin .................................. Willow Seavey, Dallas .................................. Willow Seavey, Dan ..................................... Seward Seavey, Mitch .................................. Seward Smyth, Cim ....................................Big Lake Smyth, Ramey .................................Willow Sousa, Gerald ...............................Talkeetna Steer, Anjanette ...............Sheep MountainSteves, Jan ....................... Edmonds, Wash.Stielstra, Ed ..................... McMillan, Mich.Suprenant, Michael ......................Chugiak Swenson, Rick .......................... Two Rivers Thurston, Tom ................. Oak Creek, Co.Williams Jr., Michael ........................ Akiak Willomitzer, Gerry .. Whitehorse, CanadaZirkle, Aliy ............................... Two Rivers


Musher Hometown Musher Hometown

Give to the Red Cross and change a life, starting with your own.

Call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit redcross.org.

Yvonne donates to give back.

When Roger lost everything,she gave him back his hope.

H20400


Iditarod at a young age, but says, “It was one of those childhood dreams, like being a fireman or a cowboy; I just never thought it would happen.”

Berkowitz moved to Alaska after the 2008 Iditarod to pursue his mushing career. Last year he won the Copper Basin 300 Sled Dog Race.

Wade Marrs, Wasilla

Wade Marrs, 21, was born and raised in the Knik area. He started running dogs in 1996 and first ran the Junior Idi-tarod in 2007. The Iditarod was his next big step, and he completed the 2009 Iditarod in 47th place.

“I have been racing since 2007 and trying to

become more competitive each year,” he said.

Karin Hendrickson, Wasilla

Karin Hen-drickson, 41, was born and raised in California. She graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1991 and has lived in Idaho and Colo-rado, working as a teacher and college student. She now works in environmen-tal regulation in

Alaska, where she moved in 2003 to be a handler.

“My mom had been coming to Alaska to volunteer for the Iditarod since 1998, long before I knew a thing about sled dogs or how they would take over my life,” Hendrickson said. “In 2002, she talked me into coming up to volunteer. I returned to volunteer again in 2003, and that is when I knew my future. I sold my house and everything in it, quit my job and headed north. I spent two years learning the ropes and paying my dues as a handler. I really

thought I’d quit dogs and get a real life after that, but I was miserable, so I started building my own team in 2006.”

Jaimee Kinzer, Willow

Jaimee Kinzer, 29, grew up in Idaho, where she first gained a love of mushing. She graduated from Timberline High School in Boise, Idaho, in 2001, and went on to study digital media at Full Sail Real World Edu-cation in Winter Park, Fla.

She moved to Willow in 2008, after receiving a job offer from DeeDee Jonrowe.

“Ever since then, I have been living my dream and couldn’t be happier,” she said. “It is amazing to see what these dogs can do and watch them grow up. Several of the dogs I raised and raced with made DeeDee’s team in 2011 and made it to the finish line. It makes me proud to be a part of these dogs’ lives. I can’t wait to travel to Nome with these same dogs I helped raise.”

Justin Savidis, Willow

In 2004, Justin Savidis, 36, and his wife, Rebecca, packed their worldly belong-ings into a truck and a trailer (complete with a rocking chair strapped to the top) and moved to Willow to follow a job offer and, more importantly, to chase down

a dream of running dogs. It was a quick journey from having a couple of dogs and handling for other mushers to establishing a kennel of their own, and then setting the goal to prepare for and race in the Iditarod.

Today, they operate Snowhook Ken-nel, comprised of more than 40 dogs. Savidis says mushing and the Iditarod are a natural fit for his sense of and need for adventure. His racing career includes a third-place finish in the 2008 Don Bowers 300-mile race and a second-to-last-place finish in the Knik 200.

Cim Smyth, Big Lake

Cim Smyth, 35, was born in Alaska and is the son of Iditarod veterans Bud Smyth and Lolly Medley. His brother, Ramey, is also an Iditarod veteran. Cim says he’s been mushing “since I was big enough to stand on a sled.” He lists his occupation as “dog driver.”

Kelly Maixner, Big Lake

Kelly Maixner, 36, was born and raised in North Dakota. After receiving his dental degree, he came to Alaska for a residence four years ago and decided to stay. He is a pediatric den-tist in Wasilla.

He began mush-ing right after he arrived in Alaska and started think-

ing about running the Iditarod immedi-ately.

Bob Chlupach, Willow

Bob Chlupach, 63, was born and raised in Mason City, Iowa, com-pleting high school in Mason City and college at Ames, Iowa. He moved to Alaska to take a job as a fisheries biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Chlupach became enamored

with sled dogs and moved to Southcentral Alaska. By the mid-1970s, he had his own team. He entered his first Iditarod in 1977 and has completed the race nine other times since then.

Although his dogs are not all Siberian huskies, Chlupach will be running a pre-

dominately Siberian husky team, with dogs bred from his kennel. He said he is looking forward to renewing old friend-ships in the villages along the way.

Ray Redington Jr., Wasilla

Ray Redington Jr., 36, was born and raised in Alas-ka. The grand-son of Iditarod co-founder Joe Redington Sr. and son of Iditarod veteran, Raymie Redington, Ray says that he’s been mushing since he can remember.

“Iditarod has always been around my fam-

ily,” he said. After running the Junior Iditarod several

times, he took a break from mushing. He began racing again in 2000.

Rohn Buser, Big Lake

Rohn Buser, 22, was born and raised in Big Lake. The son of four-time champion Martin Buser, he has run dogs all his life. He ran the Junior Iditarod four times and won the race in 2007. A year later, at 19, he raced in his first Iditarod.

Art Church Jr., Willow

Art Church Jr., 55, was born and raised in Wash-ington. He moved to Alaska in 1975 “for a change,” he says, “and stayed because I liked it.” He began mushing in 1979. In addi-tion to running the Iditarod, he has served as a race judge on the trail.

Marrs

muSherSContinued from Page 4

Hendrickson

Kinzer

Savidis

Smyth

Maixner

Chlupach

Redington

Buser

Church

See MUSHERS, Page 15

Sousa


Ryan Redington, Wasilla

Ryan Reding-ton, 27, was born and raised in the Wasilla area. He said he’s been mushing since “I could hang onto the sled.” He ran two Junior Idi-tarods and many local mid-distance races as well as the Iditarod.

Redington has a long family history in the Idi-

tarod. His grandfather, Joe Redington Sr., was the race’s co-founder and his father, Raymie Redington, is also a veteran of the race. Ryan grew up watching his father and grandfather race in 33 combined Iditarods and knew it was something he wanted to do. He has now completed four Iditarods, with his top finish being 18th. Ryan and his wife, Erin, have a kennel of more than 40 dogs.

Gerald Sousa, Talkeetna

Jerry Sousa, 53, was born in Cali-fornia, where he lived until he was 12. He moved to Alaska with his family in 1971 and has been here ever since, graduating from Susitna Val-ley High School in Talkeetna and later attending the University of Alas-ka Anchorage.

Sousa began mushing in 2000 and said he became inter-ested in the Iditarod by listening to radio reports on the race. He is a member of the Iditarod Trail Committee.

Redington

muSherSContinued from Page 14

Sousa

important part of her family’s life.“As a mother of four sons with an accumulated total of 10

Iditarod races and 12 Junior Iditarod races between them, I fully appreciate the opportunities they’ve each had from living our Iditarod lifestyle,” she said. “(That lifestyle) has been wonderful at teaching them important life skills toward becoming capable and confident young men.”

This year, for the second time there will be three generations of Seaveys on the trail — Dan, Mitch and Dallas are all in the run-ning. Eleven years ago, Dallas’s older brother Danny completed the three-generation family affair in the race.

“It has given me great pleasure to travel the Iditarod Trail with a son and a grandson in 2001,” Dan said. “In view of the 11-year lapse since that adventure, I’m doubly honored to be able to repeat a three-generation run with another grandson.”

Dallas said he’s very happy for an opportunity to race with his grandfather, who is running in honor of the Iditarod National Historic Trail’s Centennial.

And he is not overlooking his father as serious competition. “My dad is one of my best friends. But come Iditarod time and

you look at who you need to watch for, he is definitely one of the names that come up,” Dallas said. “I’m not trying to do better than my dad. I’m trying to do better than everyone.”

ROBERT DeBERRY/FrontiersmanMushing runs deep in the Redington family. From left are Ryan Redington, Julie Redington (Ray Jr.’s wife), Ray Redington, Ray Redington Jr. and Barb Redington.

FAmILyContinued from Page 12

ROBERT DeBERRY/FrontiersmanDallas Seavey slaps five with spectators along the trail at the start of the 2011 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race in Willow.

Cover Photo

Perry Solmonson slaps high-fives with spectators in Willow

lining the starting chute in 2007.ROBERT DeBERRY/

Frontiersman


Making Smiles That Last A Lifetime

Good Luck Kelly!

√ Invisalign √ Teeth Whitening√ Family & Cosmetic Dentistry√ Laser Cavity Detection

√ Crowns & Bridges√ Periodontics√ Nitrous Oxide & IV Sedation Dentistry

from all of us at Aesthetic Family Dentistry

We wish you and all the mushing teams a safe

journey to Nome!

Now off ering Pediatric Dentistry Provided by Dr. Kelly Maixner • 357-1628

NICK METHVEN, DDS • DRUE PICKENS, DDS • KELLY MAIXNER, DMD • SCOTT METHVEN, DDS • WILLIAM IMLACH, DDS357-6684 Main Number | 357-1628 Oral Surgery & Pediatrics • 1551 West Parks Hwy (across from SBS) • www.akdental.com

OPENSATURDAYS

EMERGENCIESWELCOME

√ Accepting Denali Kid Care

Documents

Iditarod 2012