Each year we receive dozens of letters from kids all over the United States who are interested in learning more about Jeff Deeter and the Iditarod. This blog post is for YOU!

“Those fans who are still waiting for the revival of the 1,000 mile “original” Yukon Quest will be waiting a very long time… Like, until the next ice age.”

There were a few key factors that led me to scratch from this year’s Iditarod – First and foremost, was the physical health of my team. I had quite a few main team members who suffered athletic injuries early in the race and needed to be sent home from the trail. The next factor was […]

Due to a warm winter, the trail for the 2025 Iditarod will be different than in previous years. Instead of its traditional start in Willow, just north of Anchorage, the Iditarod will start in Fairbanks, and will run mostly on frozen rivers. It will also be the longest Iditarod in the race’s 50+ year history. […]

It’s been a weird weather year in much of Alaska. While Fairbanks has enjoyed a relatively mild yet not-too-warm winter, points south and west of here have rivers and lakes that are yet to freeze as of mid-January. The Kuskokwim 300 in Bethel has been pushed back by one week, and may not run at […]

This post was originally published in 2020, following my first Copper Basin 300. That was my first 300 mile race; also my first solo race (without Jeff on the trail with me). And it was my second qualifying race for the Iditarod. In the 5 years since then, I’ve completed a second Copper Basin, two […]

I. Fear (Like all rookies, I assume) I felt nervous in the weeks and days leading up to the start of my first Iditarod. I doubted my own abilities, and those of my mostly inexperienced team. I stressed about how to dress and how to pack for two weeks of spring time weather fluctuations across […]

The Ceremonial Start was absolutely fantastic! After missing this event in ’21 with Covid, mushers and fans were thrilled to be back running through Anchorage. AND, we had a blizzard! The snow dumped on us, starting at about 8 AM, and producing almost 8 inches of snow by 1PM. Some good friends and family showed […]

For most mushers, in most years, White Mountain is the last real checkpoint on the Iditarod trail. Nearly 70 miles from Nome, mushers are required to take a minimum of 8 hours of rest in White Mountain. Once completed, very few teams find it necessary to make another stop in the checkpoint of Safety – […]

 Nikolai, population 125, is a welcome sight after hours of slogging through soft snow. The veteran team members recognize the approaching village a few miles out, and are attempting to push the speed into a lope. We cruise up the riverbank at a good clip, and are checked in by a couple of welcoming volunteers. […]