National Geographic Adventure (and Me!) Present The Ultimate Adventurers of 2010

National Geographic Adventure published an excellent piece today on today's Ultimate Adventurers. The story takes a look at the top accomplishments by adventurers in the first half of they year, and I'm thrilled by the story because I wrote it! :)

The plan with the project was to shine a spotlight on some of the best stories from the world of adventure so far this year, and we came up with things such as Oh Eun Sun climbing Annapurna and become the first woman to summit all of the 8000 meter peaks. We also mentioned people like Jessica Watson and Jordan Romero of course, along with Roz Savage, Mark Beaumont, and more.

The Ultimate Adventurers is a cool project, and I'm honored that the folks over at Nat. Geo asked me to be a part of it. We'll be updating the site in the weeks and months ahead, as more adventurers accomplish their goals throughout the rest off the year. Be sure to check it out on a regular basis.

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Iditarod 2010: Mackey Wins Number Four! Yes, I Mean It This TIme!

Yesterday I posted a story about the 2010 Iditarod that proclaimed Lance Mackey the winner of his fourth straight race, but it turns it out that the source I used (The Examiner) was a bit premature in their posting, and Lance hadn't even crossed the finish line yet. Worse yet, they claimed that Jeff King took second place, while both men were still out on the course. The article was later removed, and I had to post an update saying that we were still waiting for the results.

Well, the results are now final, and Mackey did indeed win his fourth straight Iditarod, but it was Hans Gatt, not Jeff King, who claimed second place. King would take third, and a host of other mushers have now come into Nome, including Ken Anderson and John Backer, who were fourth and fifth respectively. Ramey Smyth finished sixth and Sebastian Schnuelle seven, with Dallas Seavey eight, and Hugh Neff ninth. As of this writing, those are the only teams that have crossed the finish line. Mitch Seaey is out of the checkpoint in Safety and on his way in however.

As I mentioned yesterday, both King and Mackey are said to be retiring from the Iditarod, so this list of mushers is likely to be the ones that are contending for next year's win. There are a number of good, young sled drivers on that list, so it's clear that the Last Great Race will continue to thrive without these two great champions who now have four wins apiece. Most notably, keep an eye out for Dallas Seavey, who is one of the best young racers out there, and clearly has a bright future ahead of him.

Congrats to all the finishers, and as I said yesterday, so long to Lance and Jeff. Their presence will most certainly be missed next year.

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Iditarod 2010: Mackey Wins Number Four! (Maybe!)

Updated: Apparently, Mackey hasn't quite crossed the finishline yet, and neither has anyone else. The article that I had used for this story was posted by Examiner.com, and has now been pulled from the site, so like everyone else, we'll wait and see who makes it to Nome first, second, and third. I'll update this story as more solid information comes in.


Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss. Lance Mackey claimed his fourth straight Iditarod Championship today by reaching Nome ahead of chief rival Jeff King, who was the second man to cross the finish line, and it appears that Hans Gatt will take third.

Mackey left White Mountain this morning, following his mandatory eight hour rest, and had a one-hour, 57 minute lead on Gatt at that time. As he sped off on the final leg, he bid the gathered crowd farewell, telling them "I'll see you in Nome." A few hours later he made good on his promise, and made history in the process. Mackey is the first person to ever win four consecutive Iditarod sled dog races, something that will surely cement him into the lore of that great event.

The end of the 2010 race will be a bit bittersweet for fans, as both Mackey and King have announced that this will be their last go at the Iditarod. Between them, they have eight championships, and have battled one another closely over the past few years. If they hold true to their word, and do retire from the Last Great Race, it will really open up the field next year.

Currently, the leaderboard has Ken Anderson, John Baker, Hugh Neff, Ramey Smyth, Sebastian Schnulle, and Dallas and Mitch Seavey rounding out the top ten. All of those men are reportedly into White Mountain, and will be making the final dash to Nome soon.

Congrats to both Lance and Jeff for amazing careers. You'll be missed.

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Iditarod 2010: Mackey Moves Out In Front

Due to lots of demands at the day job and in my personal life the past week or so, I haven't had the time to follow, or cover, the Iditarod as much as I usually do. I'm hoping that will change this week, as the tops mushers are flying along at the front of the pack, and things should get very interesting over the next few days.

Since I last posted on the "Last Great Race", two familiar foes have started to duke it out for first place. Three time defending champ Lance Mackey and four-time champ Jeff King are, once again, running first and second in the race. As of this writing, Mackey has gone in, and out, of the checkpoint at Elim, while King is still en route, having passed through Koyuk, in hot pursuit. At this point, there just White Mountain and Safety stand between Mackey and the finish line in Nome, and if King is going to catch him, he's going to need to be fast.

Behind King, and also out of Koyuk, are Hans Gatt, currently running in third place, followed by Ken Anderson in fourth, and Hugh Neff in fifth. The next five behind them, which includes the likes of Mitch and Dallas Seavey, as well as Sebastian Schnelle, are all into that checkpoint, but aren't like to contend for one of the top spots.

While we haven't seen any major blizzards like last year, which left the mushers and their dogs hunkered down for hours at a time, the weather has been a challenge none the less. Gusty winds and cold temperatures consistently dropping to -15ºF have definitely taken their toll on the racers and their pups.

As the turn into the home stretch, it's beginning to look like Mackey will become the first person to win four straight times. On the other hand, King, who has already announced his retirement from the race, is looking to join Rick Swenson as the only five-time winners of the Iditarod. He was trailing Mackey by 74-minutes as of this morning, and it seems that lead may have grown since then, but anything can happen out there in the wilderness, and the race isn't over until they're in Nome.

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Iditarod 2010: Familiar Names At The Top of the Leaderboard

The 2010 Iditarod has been officially underway since last Saturday, when the ceremonial start took place in Anchorage. On Sunday, the mushers and their teams moved over to Willow, where the real race began. Now, five days into this year's race, the top of the leaderboard is crowded with familiar names, any of whom could potentially be the first to cross the finish line in Nome.

It has been tough going so far for most of the field, as deep snow has made for slow progress until the mushers cleared the Alaska Range, when speeds began to pick up again. The Hans Gatt and Cim Smyth, top two racers, are currently into Ophir. Gatt has a 53 minute lead over Smyth at the moment, but both could leave the checkpoint at the same time depending on how aggressive their strategies are.

Currently in third place, and into the Takotna checkpoint, is four time champion Jeff King, who always seems to be lurking near the top of the standings. Mitch Seavey and John Baker hold down the fourth and fifth spots respectively, also into Takotna. Sebastian Schnuelle, Hugh Neff, Sven Haltmann, three time defending champ Lance Mackey, and Gerry Willomitzer round out the top ten.

King claimed the Penair Spirit of Alaska Award for being the first musher into McGrath. The award is a specially designed Spirit Mask an includes $500 of airfare or shipping on Peninsula Airways. This is just one of several awards that are given out to mushers for reaching checkpoints first.

Meanwhile, yesterday saw the first teams of the 2010 race scratch. According to the Iditablog, Michael Suprenant, Zoya DeNure, Karin Hendrickson, and Michael Suprenant all withdrew from the race at the Rainy Pass checkpoint. The reasons for the scratch ranged from medical reasons, to a broken sled.

Finally, a scary report from the trail as rookie musher Pat Moon, from Chicago, IL, was also forced to scratch after he crashed in the Dalzell Gorge. Apparently, Moon hit a tree and was found unconscious by fellow musher Sam Deltour. Moon was airlifted back to Anchorage and his dog team was taken into Rohn. All of the pups are said to be in good condition, and they are being transported back to Anchorage as well to rejoin their musher.

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2010 Iditarod Begins Tomorrow!

The 2010 Iditarod will get underway tomorrow with the ceremonial start in Anchorage, Alaska. There is a deep and experienced field of 71 mushers set to hit the trail for the 38th annual running of this event that is called "The Last Great Race", and is legendary the world over for its challenges.

With the ceremonial start out of the way, the true race will begin on Sunday from Willow, where the drivers, and their amazing sled dogs, will set off for Nome, some 1161 miles away. Being an even numbered year, the teams will take the Northern Route this season, which means they'll pass through the remote villages of Cripple, Ruby, Galena, and Nulato along their way to the finish line, with traditional checkpoints in places like Rainy Pass, Rhon, McGrath, Ophir, and many others making their annual appearances as well.

The 1100+ mile course will take anywhere from 10-20 days to complete, depending on conditions out on the trail. The race is quite the test of endurance for both the mushers and their dogs, as they face howling winds, challenging mountain passes, blizzards, and white out conditions. Winners receive a cut of the purse, which varies from year to year, and a new pick-up truck, which comes in pretty handy in Alaska.

The top mushers to watch in the year's race include three time defending champ Lance Mackey, who remains the best bet to win. Past champions Jeff King, Mitch Seavey and Martin Buser always remain threats to take it all, and of course, there always seems to be young, hungry challenger lurking in the pack.

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Yukon Quest: Hans Gatt Claims Victory!

The 2010 Yukon Quest has come to an end, with musher Hans Gatt reaching the finish line in Whitehorse on Monday afternoon. Gatt finished the 1000 mile long race from Fairbanks, Alaska to Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory of Canada, in nine days and 26 minutes, setting a record in the process.

For the 51-year old Gatt, this is his fourth victory in the Yukon Quest, tying him with Lance Mackey, who came in second place, a little over an hour back. Hugh Neff completed the podium, arriving in third place, nearly three hours off of Gatt's pace. Complete results can be found on the leaderboard, and as of this writing, there are still several teams out on the course and making their way to the finish.

Yesterday, less than 24-hours after his record breaking win, Gatt announced that he'll retire from long distance sled dog racing at the end of this season. He is planning to make one more long run with his team, competing in the 1160 mile long Iditarod which is schedule to get underway on March 6. After that, he'll continue to race, but only at shorter, less demanding events.

You can't blame the guy for wanting to retire. Being out on a 1000+ mile long course in the dead of the Alaskan/Canadian winter has to take it's toll on a person. He's also proven himself several times over in the Yukon Quest. I'm sure he'd like to add the Iditarod championship to his resume before he bows out however. Congratulations to Hans and good luck in the "Last Great Race" in a few weeks time.

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Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race Begins Tomorrow!

We're less than 24-hours away from the start of the Yukon Quest, the annual 1000 mile long sled dog race that runs from Fairbanks, Alaska to Whitehorse, located in Canada’s Yukon Territory. The two week long event gets underway tomorrow morning, with the starting line on the Chena River in downtown Fairbanks. From there, the trail will wander off into the remote wilderness, following an old mail route that was used during the Gold Rush era.

The official list of mushers currently has 24 names on it, including former champ, and sled dog legend, Lance Mackey, who is returning to the race after electing to not run in it last year. Mackey is the three time defending champ of the Iditarod as well, and back in 2007, he came the first person to win both the Yukon Quest and that race, in the same year.

Over the next few weeks, the mushers, and their sled dog teams, will be enduring some challenging conditions. It is notoriously cold in the Yukon, Fairbanks is currently -10ºF and Whitehorse is hovering around 0º as well. Blizzards can strike the region at any time, with high winds causing whiteout conditions. And yet these men, and their amazing dogs, will be out there anyway, doing what they love. You've got to respect that! For a very cool flyover of the Yukon Quest trail, powered by Google Earth, click here.

Should be a great race and a nice prelude to the Iditarod, which gets underway in 28 days.

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Iditarod 2009: Changing of the Guard?

The 2009 Iditarod is pretty much all wrapped up by now, with the bulk of the mushers coming into the finish line over the past few days. By now, everyone knows that Lance Mackey won his third straight title, cementing his legendary status even more fully. But something else interesting took place in the race, with the emergence of some younger mushers who gave strong performances, giving us a glimpse of the future of The Last Great Race.

Not the least of these young racers is Dallas Seavey, whose father Mitch won the Iditrod back in 2004, and finished 4th this year. Dallas, who is just 21 years old, claimed a 6th place finish for himself this year. A former winner of the Junior Iditarod, the younger Seavey looks poised to leave his mark on the sport for years to come.

While Dallas is clearly the standout for the younger generation in this year's race, there are a number of other good mushers in their 20's and 30's who are now starting to leave their mark on the race as well. It seems the Iditarod has a bright future in front of it, if the competitive field is to be used as a gauge.

But before we clear out the "old timers", lets not lose sight of the fact that Lance is just 38 years old himself, and could continue to dominate the race for years to come.

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Iditarod 2009: Mackey Into Nome!!

Lance Mackey has won the 2009 Iditarod, arriving in Nome this afternoon, and claiming his third straight victory in "The Last Great Race".

Behind Mackey, the race is on for second and third place. Both Sebastian Schnuelle and John Baker are through the White Mountain checkpoint and are on their way to Safety, the last stop before the reach Nome as well. Aaron Burmeister and Mitch Seavey, both of whom are into White Mountain, round out the top five. Mitch's son Dallas, an up-and-coming star in the world of dog sled racing, is on his dad's heals in sixth place.

Major congratulations to Lance on an impressive run. He seemed to bide his time early on in the race, while guys like Schnueele and Hugh Neff set the pace early on. But once Lance made his move, he was clearly the strongest racer in the field, and only the inclement weather kept him from crossing the finish line sooner.

For his part, Schuelle has run a very impressive race, especially coming off his Yukon Quest win. And although my track record for predictions this year hasn't been all that great (Jeff King is now in 18h place!), I'm still going to predict that Sebastian will claim second place when it's all said and done.

Keep watching the Iditablog for updates and information as other mushers reach Nome.

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Iditarod 2009: Brutal Weather Impacts The Race!

Yesterday I made the bold prediction that Lance Mackey would cruise to his third consecutive Iditarod title, and that Jeff King would over take Sebastian Schnuelle to move into third place on the way to Nome. I even thought there would be an outside shot that I'd be able to announce the winner of the year's race by now. But, mother nature had other plans.

Yesterday, as the teams approached the coast, weather conditions turned brutal, with temperatures plummeting and nasty winds coming into play. Out on the trail, the mushers and their dogs endured -50º F temperatures, and the blowing snow made it impossible to see their way. Mackey made it into Koyuk, where he ended up staying for most of the day, while plenty of others were caught out on the trail when the conditions went bad. King actually turned around and went back to Shaktoolik, and according to this great post over at the Iditablog, is holed up in an old, run-down shack with a couple of other mushers and their dogs.

As of now, Mackey is into Elim and still in first place. Schnuelle is running in second, with John Baker in third. Both of them are through the checkpoint at Koyuk and are out on the trail somewhere, trying to chase Mackey down.

There has been some trouble at the back of the pack as well, as three rookie mushers got into some trouble yesterday. Race officials became worried when the three, who were traveling together at the time, were long overdue for the next checkpoint. Search teams were sent out and they discovered Lou Packer on the trail, with two of his dogs dead, the cause of which is currently unknown. Lou and his team were lifted off the course at that time. The other two mushers, Kim Darst and Blake Matray ended up scratching as well, and had to be led off the course by a snow mobile team who came to find them. The high winds had covered the trail in snow leaving them stranded and unsure where to go to the next checkpoint.

Hopefully we'll have more news soon. It looks like Mackey still is the odds on favorite to finish first, and the battle is on for second and third. There will be a major scramble for the rest of the spots on the leaderboard once conditions improve.

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Iditarod 2009: Can Anyone Catch Lance?

It was a busy weekend in Alaska, as the top mushers now have their sites set on Nome, and the finish line to the 1100 mile Iditarod. Late last week, two-time defending champ Lance Mackey made a big move and took the lead, and he hasn't given it up since, despite some tough competition nipping at his heels.

As of now, Mackey has blasted through the Shaktoolik checkpoint, which puts him less than 170 miles from his goal of a third straight victory in "The Last Great Race". But he isn't home yet, and Yukon Quest champ Sabastian Schnuelle is still in second place and hoping to get his first win in the Iditarod as well. Not far behind Schnuelle is is four time winner Jeff King, who steadily made his way up the leaderboard this weekend to put himself in a position to make a run at Mackey as well. Schnuelle, King, and the rest of the top ten are all through Unalakleet and heading towards Shaktoolik.

At this point, I personally think Mackey is a lock for his third straight win, but it isn't over yet, and there are plenty of miles to on the trail. But Lance is one of the best racers in the world and knows his team very well, and I think he has them in a position that it is nearly impossible to catch them. I'm also going to go out on a limb and predict that King will pass Schnuelle and claim second place. He seems to be running faster at the moment, and running the Yukon Quest and Iditarod back to back may have taken it's toll. We'll find out soon however, as the winner will probably be in Nome by tomorrow.

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Iditarod 2009: Makey On The Move!

You knew it was only a matter of time before two-time defending champ Lance Mackey made his move, and he did so yesterday afternoon, and as a result, he now has the lead in the 2009 Iditarod. Mackey is through the Shageluk checkpoint, meaning he's now covered more than 600 of the 1100 mile course.

Currently in second place on the leaderboard is Sebastian Schnuelle, winner of this year's Yukon Quest. He's also into Shageluk, but is roughly four hours behind Lance, and as of this writing he hasn't left in pursuit yet. Aaron Burmeister is running in third at the moment, with a number of mushers on the trail behind him hoping to make up ground.

Mackey seems to be putting the hammer down and hoping to put some distance between him and the competition, but with Nome not quite in sight yet, the rest strategy may still come into play. Especially considering the conditions out on the trail are said to be demanding. At the moment, Lance is breaking trail for those that follow, and that's much harder on his dogs. It remains to be seen if he can keep up the pace and claim a third straight Iditarod. I wouldn't bet against him though.

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Iditarod 2009: Crowded Leaderboard into Takotna

The 2009 Iditarod continues to be a very competitive race, with a large group fairly close to one another out on the trail. The bulk of the leaders are now in, and out, of Takotna, and making their way to Ophir, where three mushers have already arrived.

As of this writing, the official leaderboard has Martin Buser in to Ophir first, followed by Jim Lanier, with Aaron Burmeister third. Burmeister has a leg up on the other two however, as he has already taken his mandatory 24 hour rest, which will likely come back to haunt Buser and Lanier, as those lurking behind them on the trail have made the decision to take that break already.

Notables that are chasing the top three include Hugh Neff (4), Sebastian Schnuelle (5), Lance Mackey (6), and Jeff King (8), all of whom have taken their mandatory 24-hour rest as well. Schnuelle and Neff recently went one, two at the Yukon Quest in one of the closest races in the history of that race.

The Ophir checkpoint is 444 miles into the race, leaving 687 miles to Nome. At this point in the race, we're beginning to see the contenders start to separate themselves from the pack, and yet there are still a number of teams that can win this thing. The strategy of when to rest and when to go on, is really interesting to watch, as it can make or break the race for some of these guys. The Iditablog, which has some great content on the race, is also making updates via their Twitter feed. In their latest post, they note that Buser has elected to stay in Ophir, while the others get moving again, and the move will likely cost him a Top 10 finish. That remains to be seen of course, but those who have already rested, will pass him shortly.

Long way to go until Nome of course, but it's beginning to look like a race between Neff and Schnuelle with Mackey and King nipping at their heels. Should be fun to watch the rest of the way.

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Iditarod 2009: Mushers Through Rohn, Gebhardt Leads!

It's been a fast and furious first couple of days at the 2009 Iditarod. The large group of mushers have already gone in and out Rohn and are well on their way to the next checkpoint at Nikolai. A quick look at the current standings shows Paul Gebhardt holds the official lead, with Yukon Quest champion Sebastian Schnuelle in second place, followed by two time defending champ Lance Mackey in third.

Of course, the actual placement out on the course could be vastly different, and according to the Iditablog, Schnuelle and Hugh Neff are actually out in front of the group, battling to be the first to arrive in Nikolai. Gebhardt is said to be just a few miles back, with Mitch Seavey and Aaaron Burmeister are giving chase.

The trail reportedly has a good deal of snow on it now, which means that the pace will slow down some in the days ahead. Temperatures are hovering around 28ºF as well, which should help conditions some, and the run from Rohn to Nikolai is notoriously windy, so the teams are no doubt looking forward to getting this leg behind them.

There are a lot of racers bunched up near the top right now, and I expect that things will begin to shake out in the next few days. I expect Jeff King, who is currently sitting in 14th place on the official chart, to make a move to get near the top once again. He's been running some fast times between the checkpoints, and also is stocking up on rest time as well. That should serve him and his team well down the stretch. But really, the top ten reads like a whose-who of the Iditarod, with any number of good racers sitting in a good place.

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Iditarod 2009: Pre-Race Hype!

The 2009 Iditarod gets underway this Saturday, with the ceremonial start in Anchorage, followed by the proper start on Sunday. This year, the 1100+ mile event, dubbed "The Last Great Race" will take the Southern Route, used in odd years, and will pit the worlds best mushers against one another to see who can reach Nome the fastest.

As the race nears, some stories have begun to crop up ahead of the dog sleds taking off this weekend. Outside Online has two nice articles today, the first of which is an interview with Sebastian Schnuelle, who just won the Yukon Quest, in record time no less,and is now gearing up to have a go at the Iditarod as well. The German talks about his background in the sport, what drew him to sled dogs, and what a typical day is like out on the trail during one of these events. It's a good interview and it's nice to see Sebastian getting some recognition in the press.

Of course, only one one man has ever won both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod in the same year, and that man is Lance Mackey, who will be going for his third straight win when the race gets underway on Saturday. Outside Online has a profile on Mackey as well, calling him "The Other Lance". The article is a bit outdated, as Mackey didn't compete in this year's Yukon Quest, but he is gearing up to defend his Iditarod title against a very strong field of competitors. Lance hopes to join the ranks of the Iditarod legends by winning his third straight, putting him in some very heady company.

I always look forward to this classic race each year. It's generally a lot of fun to follow online and watch events unfold. This year should be no different. Can't wait for it to start!

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Sebastian Schnuelle Wins 2009 Yukon Quest

I'm a couple days late on this one, but on Tuesday, Sebastian Schnuelle crossed the finish line in Fairbanks, Alaska, to claim the 2009 Yukon Quest championship. He was followed closely by Hugh Neff, who finished just four minutes back, which is quite remarkable in a race that is over 1000 miles in length. Musher Jon Little arrived in third place, another 1 hour and 4 minutes behind.

The Yukon Quest is one of the top sled dog racing events in the world, and is held annually between Whitehorse, in the Yukon Territory of Canada, and Fairbanks, Alaska. In winning this year's race, Schnuelle completed the epic course in 9 days, 23 hours, and 20 minutes. That's a new record time, besting the old record set in 2007 by Lance Mackey by 3 hours and 17 minutes. In fact, the top three racers would all have beaten Mackey's record, giving you an indication of how fast this year's race was. Four-time defending champ Mackey was at the finish line to greet the teams.

Sled dog legend Martin Buser finished in 4th place overall, and was followed very closely by Michelle Phillips who claimed fifth. Some of the mushers and their dogs are still coming in, but the majority have now crossed the finish line. Many will now begin preparing for "The Last Great Race", the Iditarod, which will begin in just 8 days, with the ceremonial start set for Saturday, March 7th.

For Schnuelle, history is not on his side for winning the Iditarod as well. Mackey is the only man to win both in one year. Still, coming of a huge win like this one has to give plenty of confidence as he heads for Anchorage, and his date with destiny.

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2009 Yukon Quest Begins Tomorrow

The 2009 Yukon Quest sled dog race gets underway tomorrow, with the top mushers in the world setting out from Whitehorse, in the Yukon Territory of Canada, for Fairbanks, Alaska, a distance of over 1000 miles, in the heart of winter.

This is the 25th running of this classic endurance event, which often serves as a prelude to the Iditarod which begins in March. The race is expected to run anywhere from 10-16 days depending on weather conditions, and however long it takes the last team to cross the finish line. in all, there are 50 mushers and their dogs in the race, and the top 15 will share the prize money. All of the finishers receive $1000 in cash, equal to the number of miles they have covered, while the Yukon Quest Champion takes home a $35,000 prize.

The historic Yukon Quest course follows what was once a Gold Rush and mail delivery route between Whitehorse and Fairbanks. Now the trails are only used for the race each year, and it allows the competitors and their canine companions to experience some of the most amazing, pristine, backcountry anywhere on the planet. The Yukon is a remote, and desolate place, especially in winter, and only the fast and strong will come out the other side.

The odds on favorite once again this year is Lance Mackey, the four-time defending champ of this race, and two-time defending champ of the Iditarod. There are a number of other very strong mushers in the field however, with likes of Martin Buser, and Lance's brother Jason giving chase.

The race gets underway tomorrow morning, and will continue over the next couple of weeks.

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