Iron Dog 2023 Race Guide

Vasser, Iron Dog, Inc., Executive director

in Nome. Once in Nome, we can all look forward to the legendary “wrench sessions” and Halfway Banquet for all of town to enjoy.

The Iron Dog Race could not be possible without our sponsors – plain and simple. Thank you for contributing to the continued history and tradition of this race; we hope to make you proud this year and look forward to future partnerships.

The excitement and momentum around the Iron Dog Race, and the sport of snowmachine (or snowmobile) riding is as contagious as ever! You can see it in the size of the overall field, the growth of sponsors, and the increased number of volunteers.

Iron Dog HQ and the board of directors are thrilled to complement this excitement by offering the largest raffle package and LARGEST PURSE payout in the history of the race.

Iron Dog Race week is coming February 14, and I encourage everyone to get out and see it live! Hop on your sled or in your plane, or tailgate along the course if you can. If you can’t, follow it online and try and remove yourself from your computer screen. ... it’s got you!

To all the participants, have a safe and enjoyable ride! We’ll be cheering for you at the finish line!

Thank You,

– Mike Vasser Executive Director, Iron Dog Race, Inc.

Mike

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!

TOUGH BACKCOUNTRY. TOUGHER RACERS.

Alaska Airlines and Club 49 are proud to sponsor the 2023 Iron Dog riders as they race across Alaska.

Iron Dog Staff

Mike Vasser, Executive Director

Kelli Cherrier, Director of Operations

Dave McKibbon, Volunteer Logistics Coordinator

Dave Bathke, Volunteer Tech Director

Stan Brown and Curt Schmidt, Volunteer Race Marshals

Tyson Johnson, Volunteer Head Race Marshal

Headquarters

7100 Old Seward Hwy., Unit #C

Anchorage AK 99518

Phone: (907) 563-4414

Doug Dixon, President

Keith Manternach, Vice-President

Jake Goodell, Secretary

Roger Brown, Treasurer

Stan James, Executive Board

John Andrey, Director

Stan Brown, Director

Johnny Dean, Director

Stacey Green, Director

Rueben Hanke, Director

Cindi Herman, Director

Guide produced by Iron Dog Race, Inc.

Project Coordination: Jenny Duax, Infinite Marketing

Editing /Design: Melissa DeVaughn, Out the Door Editorial Website: Brice Wilbanks, Starfish Enterprise www.irondog.org

Team 7 cruises to 2022 Iron Dog race victory.

PHOTO / MEGAN ROLINGER

2023 Iron Dog schedule of events

Tuesday, February 14

Tech Inspection

7 a.m.-11:50 a.m., Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center, 1001 S. Clapp St., Wasilla; closed to the public

Racer Draw Luncheon

Noon-2 p.m., Menard Sports Center; closed to the public Racer Meet and Greet Expo

2:15-7 p.m., Menard Sports Center; open to the public *go to www.irondog.org for potential Racer Draw streaming links

Wednesday, February 15

Expedition Class Start

Location: South Big Lake, on the ice at Susitna Brewing Co.,(formerly South Port Marina)

• 8:30 a.m.: Arrive at start area, and check in with a volunteer

• 9:30 a.m.: All sleds must be in the paddock, GPS units mounted

• 10 a.m.: Expedition Class rider meeting with marshals

• 11 a.m.: First riders depart *go to www.irondog.org for potential streaming links

Friday, February 17

Pro Class Race Start

Location: South Big Lake, on the ice at Susitna Brewing Co., (formerly South Port Marina)

• 7 a.m.: Arrive at start area, and check in with a volunteer

• 8 a.m.: All sleds must be in the paddock, with GPS units mounted

• 9:45 a.m.: Pro Class racer meeting with marshals

• 10 a.m.: First team departs *go to www.irondog.org for streaming links

Monday, February 20

Racer Inspections in Nome Garage

Evening, time TBA, Garage in Nome

*go to www.irondog.org for streaming links

Tuesday, February 21

Pro Class Nome Garage “Wrench Day”

8 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Nome garage

*go to www.irondog.org for streaming links

Nome Halfway Banquet

1-3 p.m. Nome Mini-Convention Center; sponsored by Northern Air Cargo and Alaska Airlines

*go to www.irondog.org for streaming links

“Wrench Day,” continued

3:30 p.m.-TBA, Nome garage *go to www.irondog.org for streaming links

Wednesday, February 22

Pro Class Restart

8 a.m., Front Street in Nome, racers will begin departing. *go to www.irondog.org for streaming links

Saturday, February 25

Pro Class Finish

Noon: First teams anticipated to arrive; South Big Lake, on the ice at Susitna Brewing Co., (formerly South Port Marina)

Iron Dog Awards, Hall of Fame Banquet and Raffle Drawing

7:30-10 p.m, Curtis D Menard Memorial Sports Center, 1001 S. Clapp St., Wasilla *Go to www.irondog.org for streaming links to the finish and potential evening links

Sleds are lined up for the start of the 2022 Iron Dog Race.

PHOTO: HEATHER SOTTOSANTI

Back at it

Iron Dog front-runners eye another victory

Looking at the 2022 iron Dog race poDium, one coulD argue that nothing beats experience in the World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race. The three top 2022 teams have a combined 28 trips to the Top-3 podium over the last 15 years of racing – sometimes racing together and other times with other partners. They have earned their reputations as formidable opponents.

Still, never count out the competition. This year’s field of racers includes 25 teams, five past champions, three female riders, one all-female team, and teams from Canada, three Lower 48 states, and countless Alaska Bush communities. Anything can -- and does -- happen during Iron Dog.

“The Top 3 last year are not necessarily going to be the Top 3 this year,” said Iron Dog Race executive Director Mike Vasser. “I believe that the teams who have put the work in and have done the most preparation are going to be the teams on the podium this year. There’s probably a good five or six teams that could vie for that top spot, for sure.”

Similar philosophies

Last year’s Top 3 — Team 7, Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad; Team 10, Chris Olds and Mike Morgan; and Team 9, Troy Conlon and Shane Barber — all share that commitment to preparation to which Vasser speaks. Their race strategies are similar too, which is why they are predicted front-runners again this year

“A lot of our approach to it is very process-oriented; we keep it very structured,” said Aklestad, who with Olstad cruised to a first-place finish last year, in 53 hours, 27 minutes and 21 seconds, six hours ahead of the next team. “We try to race without getting caught up in anyone else’s race; we are doing what we know works.”

Barber, who partnered with Troy Conlon for the first time in 2022, said that structured approach helped them to a third-place finish. They may have been new partners, but both are veteran racers who know to keep their cool.

“You just stick to your race plan,” Barber said. “What you see a lot of rookies do is people start passing and next thing you know they are trying to ride a pace that they didn’t train for. You can slow down and just run clean and you will be surprised every time how well you finish.”

Last year, that’s what Olds and Morgan did, relying on 12 years of racing together that gives them the ability to practically read each other ’s minds.

“We know each other’s ins and outs; he knows what to expect from me, and I know what to expect from him,” Olds said. “I know how to read him as far as things like telling me to be careful. There are certain cues you kind of pick up on, over time, and that’s a big advantage, not having to start over with a new partner.”

Olds said to maintain their position, he and Morgan ultimately just needed to ride clean and get to the finish line safely.

HEATHER SOTTOSANTI

Team 7 Iron Dog champions Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad celebrate at the finish of the 2022 race .

“In some ways, it was kind of noneventful,” Olds said of last year sure from anybody behind us, but to get to the front was a stretch too.”

Shortly after crossing the finish line, Aklestad called the 2022 race “without a doubt the roughest Iron Dog I’ve ever done.” Throughout the weeklong race, that sentiment was echoed by racers and race organizers alike. Warmer-than-normal temperatures, heavy snow, high winds and flat light combined to create a race route that was bumpy and soft by turns, and often hard to see.

Barber was happy with Team 9’s 2022 performance as well – espe cially racing as new partners.

“I think overall, we had a really good race, and I was very im pressed with Troy,” Barber said. “I’m pretty excited to race with him again this year.”

Barber said the 2022 race enabled he and Conlon to see what each was made of, to learn how to ride as a team – insight that can only be gained from experience. Now they know just how much further they can push.

“We did good, and there’s plenty of room for improvement where we can compete at an even higher level,” Barber said. “I’m at the tail end of my racing career and the younger racers can run a faster pace than what I’m willing to run at. We can run a competitive pace, too, but we have to be very efficient. Look at Chris Olds; he’s one of the oldest competitors, yet he manages to podium almost every year. “

Olds, 51, is one of the winningest racers in the competitive field this coming year, with four wins and five top-three races in his 21-race history. He is one of four racers this year over the age of 50, joining fellow fourtime Iron Dog champion Todd Palin, and rookies Eric Christensen of Wisconsin and David Wagner of California.

Tackling the 2023 race

This year’s race boasts 32 veteran racers and just 18 rookies -- that’s down from the 33 rookies entered in the 2022 race. Many of the pairings are veteran-rookie combos, with those veterans ushering in the next generation of racers. While no all-rookie team has ever won the race, one rookie has been on the podium before: in fact, it’s become a comfortable spot for him. Nick Olstad paired with veteran racer Marc McKenna in 2005, and the pair was able to hold off the competition and set a new first for the Iron Dog record books.

“Race experience is monumental in my opinion,” Vasser said. “It’s like everything you do; the more you bike, the better you get, the more you run, the better you get. And I think the Iron Dog is no different. But it’s not impossible to win as a rookie, as Olstad showed.”

This year will be Team 10’s 13th race together, and Olds said he doesn’t have any new tricks up his sleeve. He and Morgan will rely on experience, solid training and prepara tion – a system that has proven fruitful for them over the years.

“The big thing is to push to try and get our sleds done earlier than maybe we did last year,” he said. They also planned some long training rides in or near McGrath or Nome, and continually worked to stay mentally and physically prepared.

Team 7, meanwhile, have the bullseye on their back, and are looking to defend their 2022 title. Aklestad said one of the biggest ingredients to a suc cessful race is having a machine that performs – as did their Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS 600s last year.

“We are very fortunate that our snowmobiles are staying the same, so our practice sleds will be the same, too,” he said, adding that it alleviates a lot of the unknowns that a new snowmachine setup can present.

Staying fit is key, too, he said, both physically and mentally.

“I think a lot of the race is so mental,” he said. Sure, it’s physical ly demanding, he added, but the mental challenge of racing hard on so little sleep is just as exhausting.

“My message to the racers is that we want them to have a good, safe, fast ride and at the same time stay consistent — that’s what wins the race,” Vasser said. “Have a game plan and follow it; don’t let other racers influence what you’re doing. It’s going to be a good year!”

HEATHER SOTTOSANTI

Team 10 Iron Dog runners-up Mike Morgan and Chris Olds at the finish of the 2022 race .

KAYLA MORGAN

Team 9, Shane Barber and Troy Conlon, took third in the 2022 Iron Dog race .

Iron Dog Hall of Fame

Dave and Penny McKibbon

When Penny McKibbon agreed to volunteer on the Iron Dog Board of Directors in 2009, she thought she was just helping a friend and fellow board member who sought out her financial expertise. With her master’s degree in business administration, she expected she would balance a few books and sit in on meetings.

But then her husband, Dave, decided to help as a volunteer – he always enjoyed snowmachining.

“My introduction to snowmachining started back in the ’60s growing up in Minnesota, when my mother helped start the International Snowmobile Association,” McKibbon said. “She served as executive secretary for 20-plus years, and my dad helped put the first Snowmobile Safety Training Manual together.”

Earl and Shirley McKibbons’ involvement – from lobbying the Minnesota state legislature for new snowmachine trails to producing the ISA’s “Snowmobile Sentinel” – shaped their son’s volunteerism today. Fast forward nearly 15 years later, and today Dave and Penny are the masters of logistics. Their work touches all areas of Iron Dog operations, and they are a well-known commodity in the racing community. They spend about four months out of every year helping to

Eric Johnson

Iron Dog 2016 Pro Class champion Tyson Johnson sums it up best when justifying why his father, Eric, is deserving of induction into this year’s Iron Dog Hall of Fame:

“I think he’s covered every role in the Iron Dog that’s possible,” Tyson said. “He’s probably the only person I know who has raced Trail Class, Trophy Class and Pro Class, and has supported as a sponsor, donor, volunteer and board member.”

Eric Johnson is one of four Hall of Fame inductees this year and is being recognized for his 25-year contribution to the World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race. Johnson, who in the early ’90s moved his family to their Northwoods Lodge in Skwentna, had followed the race for years and always watched racers come through. With the race trail so close, he often helped set trail toward Puntilla Lake or clear debris along the way.

“During Iron Dog, I’d sit up in Skwentna ’til 2 in the morning waiting for Scott Davis to ride though,” he said.

Johnson’s own foray into the Iron Dog race itself started in 1997, when Tyson was 17.

“The first Iron Dog race I did was with Tyson in 1997, which was his first race,” said Johnson. “We did the (now defunct) Trophy Class, and it offered a prize for the top teams. We finished second.”

The successful run prompted the two to enter the Pro Class the next year, but a mechanical failure shut down that dream by the time they hit Skwentna.

make Iron Dog become a reality, then try to get time Outside where they can enjoy some sunshine and R & R.

“I first got involved in 2010, basically to help Iron Dog with setup and finish duties,” Dave McKibbon said. “While I was there, I got a chance to see and talk to the champions, Tyler Huntington and Chris Olds. I got to chat with Chris a few minutes and he was so genuine – I really respected that. Those guys are the reason why you keep coming back.”

During her years on the board Penny said she helped with finances and also organizing community projects such as an urban-rural student exchange that Iron Dog hosted for many years. She served on the board until 2019.

“I think Iron Dog is important to these communities,” Penny said. “I’d like to bring back that student exchange because it was a great opportunity.”

In 2012, Dave tackled Iron Dog logistics, a Herculean task of ensuring fuel gets to checkpoints, trail markers reach the correct locations and relationships are established with head checkpoint volunteers along the course. Those duties grew even larger with the addition of the Red Dog Loop in 2020, which encompasses the communities of Buckland, Selawik, Kiana, Noorvik and Kotzebue.

Chris Olds, who went on from that victory race so many years ago to several more Iron Dog wins, said people like the McKibbons are what make Iron Dog tick.

“At the end of the day, without volunteers, the race wouldn’t happen,” Olds said. “There’s just too much. Volunteers are the foundation of the race. And Dave is key.”

In 2021, Olds said he received a call from a racer from the Lower 48 concerned that the race might be canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which continued to rage nearly a year after it arrived in the United States.

“He asked if I thought the race would happen,” Olds said. “And I said, “ ’If Dave hasn’t started working on it and they’ve put someone else in charge, then the race won’t happen. But if Dave is there, that race is going to happen. He will make sure everything is in place.’ Dave’s not the wheel; he’s the grease.”

The race did happen; and Penny and Dave McKibbon stepped up again, despite the heightened precautions needed to keep communities, racers and fans safe. They are back again this year too.

“You just have to have a volunteering spirit,” Dave said. “Regardless of what my wife and I are volunteering at, we want to do it right, and put our time and effort into it. It’s a one-time-a-year thing, and yes it takes time, but we get some satisfaction knowing that this race is going to go on.”

“After that, I told Tyson that I wasn’t physically able to be competitive with him, and he had to do it with someone else who could,” he said. “But I still helped out, and because I was familiar with the race, I became focused on improving safety.”

In 2000, Johnson joined the Iron Dog Board of Directors and directed his attention to improving safety and refining the rules to fit the times. For example, one of the old-time Iron Dog rules required competitors to carry a two-man, four-season tent for emergency shelter. While running the 1997 Trophy Class, he and Tyson hit a ground blizzard on the coast from Koyuk that raged almost all the way to Nome, with wind blowing 30 to 40 mph.

“You couldn’t see past your ski tips,” Johnson said. “I realized in conditions like that, there is no way you will get a tent sent up.”

Today, racers need only carry a bivy bag and sleeping bag rated to minus 20 or colder – both of which are quick and easy to snuggle into if necessary

Johnson stayed on the Iron Dog board for 11 years, capping the experience in 2011 by hitting the Iron Dog trail again. This time, he entered the Trail Class (now known as Expedition Class), with his daughter Stacy George, son Brent Johnson and friend John Witte.

“I figured I’d accomplished everything I wanted,” he said. “Then the year after, I became the head checker in Skwentna until two years ago.”

Eric Johnson doesn’t mention all the years in between, when he volunteered not just his time, but also provided financial support through contingency prizes and cash donations. And that doesn’t surprise son Tyson.

“That’s why I’d say he is well deserving of this,” he said. “He’s been a longtime supporter to the race, and to me. My dad is the hardest worker I know, and he got us into that environment where I was able to ride every day. Otherwise, I might not have gotten into it.”

Steve Mattila

When Steve Mattila first started volunteering at the checkpoint in Poorman in 1998, the conditions were rustic, to say the least. Spenard Builders Supply, for whom he works, sponsored the site at the time, and each year, Iron Dog volunteers would haul out wall tents and portable woodstoves to keep themselves warm while keeping track of riders and racers as they passed through.

“It has definitely morphed since then,” said Mattila, one of four Iron Dog volunteers and former board members being inducted into this year’s Iron Dog Hall of Fame.

Today, a cozy cabin greets those who pass through this abandoned mining town site, thanks to Mattila and the small army of volunteers including the late Butch Novak, a fellow SBS employee and board member who worked alongside Steve to erect a

all this together and hauled it up to Poorman. It was a work in progress for many, many years, and we’d add a little more each year.”

Doug Dixon, Iron Dog Race, Inc., president, said today’s checkpoint, now manned by Valley Imaging Associates, represents the kind of quality and professionalism that the World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race aims to achieve. It’s a far cry from the race’s beginnings.

“Back in the day, Iron Dog would just dump fuel drums, and you filled yourself up and off you went,” he said. It was in the middle of nowhere.”

Mattila said building a safe shelter at Poorman wasn’t just about comfort.

“It is so remote that if anybody needed help, there is nothing between Ruby and Ophir, and I felt Poorman was definitely necessary,” he said. In fact, those communities were instrumental in helping establish the Poorman site, he added. In particular, he credits Jay and Ginger DeLima, who own the grocery and liquor stores in Ruby, with putting him up on many an occasion and making sure supplies got safely to the checkpoint. When he was in Galena, Joe Demoski would be an impromptu welder, mechanic, parts person and host when he or any other Iron Dog volunteers ended up spending the night there.

“Poorman would not be what it was without the help in those communities,” Steve said. “… it couldn’t be done without those folks along the way.”

Not only did Mattila helped develop the Poorman checkpoint, Dixon said, but he also served on the Iron Dog Board of Directors for 10 years, following in the footsteps of previous SBS representatives Novak and Stan Smith. Having engaged board members is key to running a successful race, he said, and Mattila’s contributions were appreciated.

“Steve’s been there since Day 1, and it was a lot of work,” Dixon said. “For 20-plus years, he went out there and it’s very involved. The first of February you

The Power of the

Female racers adapt to Iron Dog challenges

Let’s get the obvious part out of the way early: yes, men have it way easier when they have to pee during the Iron Dog. This we can all agree on.

But what else does it take to adapt, as a woman, to the racing and riding rigors of the World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race? The three female Pro Class racers in this year’s field (Team 2’s Leah Bauer and Team 16’s Ashley Wood and Hillarie Gossett) and one Expedition Class rider (Lani Harding) comprise less than 4 percent of the Iron Dog field this year. It is a minority in which they are used to being. In fact, most years, the Iron Dog Race has less than a half dozen female riders, and some years, none at all.

We spoke to a few competitors, past and current, to get their views on what it takes to ride with the big boys. Here’s what they had to say:

Leah Bauer

Leah Bauer is back for her second attempt at Iron Dog Pro Class veteran status after a freak accident – her sled caught on fire while she was riding – forced she and teammate Jacob Dahle to scratch. Bauer, from Eau Claire, Wis., said she hopes this year will go a little more smoothly.

“Obviously, genetically, men are physically stronger than women, however, I feel like we are just as capable of working out and getting in shape as men are,” Bauer said.

“I’m in the gym all the time, I’m doing things to train my body. I have good stamina and good cardio. Last year we got stuck, and I was able to lift the sled, so I know women can be just as strong, we just might have to train a little differently.”

In fact, Bauer was just coming off a 13-hour training ride when Iron Dog caught up with her, and she said all those gym workouts were paying off – “I was winded but able to recover very quickly,” she said.

Bauer said while her shock setup is the same as Jacob’s, she might run a little bit softer to accommodate the weight difference. “But a lot of it depends on the terrain, too,” she said. “Everyone adjusts like that.”

While not a physical barrier, Bauer said she does have to stand her ground with those who claim “girls can’t race.”

“In the Iron Dog community I feel pretty accepted, but there are a few people that I don’t know who are the random haters on social media,” she said. People have no idea how much of my blood, sweat and tears go into this – I’m out of money, I’m out of time; I don’t get everything for free. I work hard and I grind to earn it.”

Bauer gets that tenacity from her father, Jon, who has raced snowmachines and dirt bikes and now races cars, and family friend Bruce Olson, who has been a longtime supporter. Both of them taught her early on that she was capable of the same dreams.

“Before I started racing, I was at every race helping prep the car and holding the umbrella on grid,” she said of her dad’s racing years. “I love working on things and learning. He’s taught me a lot and we’ve had so much fun bonding over what we are most passionate about.”

Rebecca Charles

Rebecca Charles is no stranger to the Iron Dog race, having entered and completed all five Expedition Class rides she has entered: 2014-2016 and 2019 and 2022. The Wasilla rider was part of a three-person two-man, one-woman team in 2022, and is used to being “one of the guys.”

“Each person, male or female, prepares in their own nuanced way, but generally, everyone gets fit, makes/raises money, builds the sleds and puts in seat time,” Charles said. “Between men and women, though, I find I prepare differently because I pack differently than men. I need warmer clothes and extra supplies like feminine products. I need to work a lot more on my strength in the gym, and also have to practice the patience to deal with that one hair stuck in my goggles, right in my line of sight!”

In some ways, Charles thinks, women have an advantage: fundraising.

“The support for women in this event and sport, in general, has been incredible over the past decade,” she said. In fact, it was an all-female trail class team that inspired her to take up riding in the first place.

COURTESY LEAH BAUER

Leah Bauer and her dad, Jon, work on a race car. Bauer has had to become a skilled mechanic to maintain her sled.

COURTESY REBECCA CHARLES

Rebecca Charles celebrates her 2014 Trail Class finish in Nome with teammate Rachel Kidwell.

“I met the Doo-Chicks, Barbara Harris, Kim Grabbe and Laura Bedard at the 2012 expo, and told them that I would also be doing this someday,” she said. “I had absolutely no business being out on the trail my first time and made every rookie mistake imaginable, but with the help and support of my teammates, Rachel Kidwell and April Lorah, as well as many racers along the way, I was able to complete my first of five trips to Nome.”

Hillarie Gossett

While only at racing for the past three years, Hillarie Gossett has a long history of adventure and backcountry riding that goes back to when she was a teenager. While preparing for Iron Dog, though, she said it didn’t take long to realize that the biggest difference she faces as a racer is balancing two sides of her life:

“Taking on an endeavor like Iron Dog requires all hands on deck,” she said. “Stereotypically this means men focus on builds, miles, and training, sponsors, and representing the race programs in a positive way. During this time, wives are the primary provider in the home, taking children to sporting events, birthday parties, working on homework, and staying up to date with what’s happening in the classroom, wiping away tears, etc. Being a wife and a mother who is also racing, I have had to exercise both sides of my brain at all times.”

A typical day goes like this, she said: “I work in education with young children and help support their social, emotional, and communication needs. I then come home to my own children and must attend to them as well. I make dinner, do laundry, and consult with my husband about various obligations related to our family unit; I run a business, pay contractors, review company needs and schedule interpreters. Then, once the home has been addressed, I have to drastically switch mindsets because there is still a skid to pull, suspensions to dial in, a race partner to connect and update with, new equipment to learn, Iron Dog greats to consult (she credits Todd Palin as one of her biggest influences), and long training miles to put on my snowmachine. I know some amazing husband-and-wife partnerships involved in Iron Dog, some amazing racers who are also parents, but I can’t help feeling that a ‘mom-racer’ experiences Iron Dog in a whole new light.”

MARY SINDORF

The Sindorf family is all about snowmachining – husband Paul is a 13-time Iron Dog Pro Class racer, and sons Jonathan and Kristofer have both raced Pro Class once. Mary has attempted Expedition Class twice, both times with Paul, and so far has not been successful. For her, she said, overall strength is the real challenge that has made it harder to keep up with the boys.

“The biggest obstacles for me are my riding skills and my overall strength,” she said. “Though I have trained hard (with a personal trainer) specifically for the Iron Dog, I recognize that I am not strong enough to throw my sled around or get unstuck as well as the guys can. As a result, we have always been a team of at least three people (two to

three men and me) for this reason. As well, I continue working on my riding skills in deep snow, since that is what became a significant challenge in 2022.”

Like all women polled for this story, Sindorf agrees – the “bathroom-break” challenge is real. Sindorf, though, may have solved that dilemma, thanks to modern technology.

“During the ride, if you are drinking enough to stay hydrated (which is critical), you will also need to pee frequently,” she said. “One of the most valuable items I’ve discovered, and ALWAYS ride with, is my pStyle female urinal. Though not the official name, I refer to it as my ‘she-wee.’ ”

ASHLEY WOOD

This year will be Ashley Wood’s third attempt at an Iron Dog Pro Class finish, this time with rookie Hillarie Gossett. Wood, who has been racing competitively for nearly 20 years, has had plenty of time to work out the challenges she faces as a female racer.

“Every element of this race caters to males’ strengths,” she said, including overall strength. To combat that, she spends extra time in the gym, working with Tammy Barber, owner of Northbound Fitness, to be prepared for the race’s demands. She dresses extra warmly to keep her smaller body comfortable and avoid fatigue. She eats right and hydrates regularly.

“Typically, females are not as mechanically inclined, left-vs.-right brain,” she added. To overcome that, she learned from the greats, starting with Scott Davis, who got her into the sport in 2005. She has learned alongside the Barber family and now knows her way around her sled just as well as any other racer Perhaps, though, mental preparation is the biggest challenge, Woods said.

“Preparing mentally to stay consistent has been my main focus this season, not only on the sled but putting the time in the garage wrenching, workouts, diet and stretching,” she said. “Every element of this race is masculine, so mentally overcoming that aspect, knowing you have a disadvantage as a female, is the reality.”

Advice For the next generation

“Don’t let up on your dreams, don’t let anyone tell you can’t do it. Go big or go home. Last year, I went big and went home, but I’m back again.” — Leah Bauer

“Don’t lose sight of the little things, because they become the big things.” — Mary Sindorf, after eating frozen energy chews instead of the recommended gels and breaking a tooth

“Invest in your career/trade before racing, because racing isn’t going to pay your bills; enter as many short cross-country races as you can to gain racing experience; and run your own race at your own pace.” — Ashley Wood

“There is no try; only do. My advice to any women who wants to participate in Iron Dog is to stop talking about it and start making it happen.” – Rebecca Charles

“Be aware of the work! It’s hard! You will be exhausted mentally, emotionally, physically, financially. And that’s before you even reach the starting line. Have a solid support group.”

– Hillarie Gossett

PHOTO: MEGAN ROLINGER Hillarie Gossett tearing up some fresh powder during a training ride.

PHOTO: PAUL SINDORF

Mary Sindorf during their 2022 Expedition Class ride, after losing A-arms on two of their sleds.

IRON DOG FILE Ashley Wood during the 2015 Pro Class tech inspection.

Asobering snowmachine statistic is this, accorDing to mike buck, an Iron Dog veteran and member of this year’s Ambassador Team 77: Seventy-five percent of the snowmachine casualties in Alaska are caused by falling into the ice and the exposure and/or drowning that accompany these accidents.

You’d think Alaska, with its massive, avalanche-prone mountains would be the deadliest place for accidents, but it’s easy to forget that Alaska also has more coastline than all other U.S. states combined, at 66,000 miles. That’s a lot of water.

That’s why this year’s Iron Dog Ambassador Team 77 will be traveling the trail to spread a safety message along the way. Buck, director of Alaska Safe Riders, will be giving safety presentations in Galena, Kotzebue and Nome to share tips on staying safe on the sled. The presentations will be paired with the ever-popular Iron Dog Helmet Safety Program, which this year will be providing some 450 helmets across northwestern Alaska.

“Cooperating with Iron Dog is such a win-win for both organizations,” Buck said. “We can offer presentations, and Iron Dog – they have such a presence in the villages because these racers are rock stars – can draw the crowd.”

Residents of the remote communities along the Iron Dog trail are no stranger to winter riding. In fact, Buck said, he often learns as much as he teaches.

“There was a guy in Kaltag who went through the ice on the Yukon River and was by himself, the current was trying to suck him under the ice, and he couldn’t get on top of the ice,” Buck said, recalling one of the most impressive survival tales he’s heard. “He was on the edge, in the water, and remembered he had a set of spark plugs in his pocket. He reached in with one hand and used them as ice picks to get on top of the ice.”

The story doesn’t end there, Buck said. The man eventually got out but was wet and cold with matches that were soaked through. He was able to pull his sled out of the water, access the gas tank, pour gas on one of his gloves and use the spark plugs to light the glove on fire. He burned a nearby spruce pile and was able to dry out and warm up enough to make it home.

“I had the pleasure of actually meeting that guy when I did a talk once,” Buck added. “He is proof that your most important tool is your brain.”

Roger Brown, Iron Dog Board of Directors treasurer, former president and Iron Dog veteran is leading the Ambassador team again this year. Last year, he was part of a nine-person team that stopped in each of the communities on the Iron Dog trail. This year, six riders will be on board – not only to raise awareness for safety but to also to celebrate the World’s Longest Toughest Snowmobile Race and show their gratitude for the multitudes of volunteers, checkers, fans

and supporters in every community.

Four other riders are part of Team 77 – all of them from the Lower 48, although Reno, Nev., rider Kris Kaltenbacher is originally from Dillingham. Kaltenbacher has scores of young fans there who have followed on Instagram his film industry career with Boondocks.

“These kids idolize him,” Brown said.

Kellin Geisler of Cohasset, Minn., and Leon Huot of Roseau, Minn., are both with Polaris Industries and will be getting first-hand look at what the pros encounter, giving them valuable experience to take back to their respective specialties. Dustin Pancheri, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, will be doing the same thing. He works for Klim and will see just how tough the Alaska terrain can be on snowmachine gear.

“I’ve never been across Alaska, so this is going to be a new experience for me,” Pancheri said. “I’m super excited to see the country and the terrain. I’m told it’s a really different lifestyle.”

Pancheri said Klim relies on the product reviews of countless Iron Dog riders and racers, and it’s a generous sponsor of many of them. Look at any Iron Dog race team’s sponsor list and it likely lists Klim as a supporter. Still, Pancheri, said, there is nothing like first-hand experience to test gear.

“Just to ride the course and see what the pros have to endure – we will get a glimpse of what this race is really about,” he said. “I don’t know if I should be nervous or excited, but I’m leaning toward excited to see it either way around.”

IRON DOG FILE PHOTO

Safety First

Iron Dog Helmet program keeps kids safe

When Doug Dixon starteD a helmet Drive in 2020 to hanD out free helmets to kids along the Iron Dog race trail, he had no idea how quickly the program would grow.

“I was just winging it,” said Dixon, Iron Dog Board of Directors president. “When I first started doing this, I just started calling my buddies and asking for money.”

That first year, he scrounged up 250 economy-priced helmets, most of them too small to be useful, and spread them across the trail with the help of other volunteers and businesses like Bering Air, that would fly them to the communities.

It was the beginning of wildly popular program that this year will feature 450 full-face Fly helmets to be delivered across not only the race trail, but to outlying communities across rural Alaska.

“I think this all goes back to Iron Dog giving back to the community,” he said. “It’s not just snowmobile safety – these kids are wearing these helmets on their dirt bikes and their four-wheelers, all year long. And donors want to be a part of that. This is a great way for them to have a real impact too.”

A donated Iron Dog helmet likely saved McGrath 12-year-old Jerry Greenamyre, when last spring he collided with a moose just outside of town. The old 340cc he rides doesn’t have good brakes, so when he came around a corner, there was nowhere to go.

“I couldn’t stop, and I continued to go, and then it ran me off the road,” Greenamyre said when interviewed in March 2021. “I hit the moose, crashed into the snowbank and rolled up on the snow.”

Fortunately, Jerry was wearing his brand new, HJC full-face helmet, one of 212 given out along the Iron Dog racecourse in 2021, and one of 44 handed out at the McGrath School. He walked away unscathed, much to his parents’ relief.

“He has used it through the year,” said Jerry’s mother, Miki. “And I have seen other kids wearing them, too. I still see those helmets bobbing around on heads. It’s a really good thing that you guys did for the community, and it makes parents feel a lot better about their kids riding around.”

This year, Dixon said, another 20 helmets will be given away in McGrath, to fill a need for those who haven’t gotten one yet – which is good, Miki Greenamyre said.

“Another family just moved in with six kids; I bet they could use some,” Miki added.

Dixon said sponsorship for the Helmet Safety Program is sky-rocketing. It is easy to get behind a program that helps keep kids safe – especially kids who don’t have easy access to the equipment they need. The partnership with Fly Racing helmets has taken the program to a new level.

“This year I was at a motocross race in Indianapolis, and one of the guys I was in the booth with was with Fly,” he said. The two began talking, and Dixon told him about the Iron Dog-sponsored safety program. It didn’t take long: Fly was all in. They provided $150 helmets at $100 a piece, giving Dixon a minimum $45,000 fundraising goal.

Next came increased donor participation. NANA Corp. wanted 150 helmets for kids in their region, a $10,000 commitment; and Donlin Gold requested 100 helmets at $10,000 – 20 of which will go to McGrath and the other 80 to Bethel.

“This is the first time we are going outside of the communities on the trail,” Dixon said. And there’s no reason we can’t keep doing this.”

Other communities that Dixon is hoping to get helmets to this year include Ruby, Galena, Nulato, Kaltag, Unalakleet, Koyuk, Elim, White Mountain, and all the communities along the Red Dog Loop.

Paired alongside the Helmet Safety program is a partnership with Alaska Safe Riders, an organization that promotes safe riding of snowmachines and off-road vehicles, and teaches avalanche safety and overall safety in the backcountry Director Mick Buck, who also is riding with the Ambassador Class Team 77 this year, will be giving safety presentations in Kotzebue, Nome and Kaltag, alongside the helmet giveaway. He also will give a presentation in Bethel. Additionally, Alaska Safe Riders is providing 250 goggles that will be handed out along the trail, too.

“I think a lot of times, people are just are so used to traveling out there between villages that sometimes they get complacent about carrying equipment with them in case they get in trouble,” Buck said. “Every time I go out and do one of these things I hear stories about things that have happened, and how they have survived. There’s a lot of knowledge that you pick up from stories from out there.”

The first year of the helmet giveaway, Dixon and other volunteers hosted a

PHOTO: MIKI GREENAMYRE McGrath 12-year-old Jerry Greenamyre was thankful for his Iron Dog helmet last March, when he collided with a moose while riding. He walked away uninjured.

winter carnival in Galena, which the kids loved. It included food, kids races, the helmet giveaway and safety presentations. The kids got to meet the racers and be part of the Iron Dog action. In 2021, the carnival was postponed due to COVID precautions, but it returned last year in McGrath. This year, the carnival is set for Kotzebue.

“We would like to light a firework each time a team comes into view,” Dixon said. “It notifies the crowd that a team’s coming, and who doesn’t like fireworks?”

The future of Iron Dog’s helmet safety program is bright, and Dixon said with the help of willing sponsors, he’s sure it could evolve into an overall safety program, to provide first-aid kits, survival tools and more. For the children of rural Alaska, travel by motorized vehicle is a way of life. The more prepared they can be the safer they will stay.

“It’s endless what could be done with this program,” Dixon said. “The more we give back, they more we will get back.”

As for Jerry Greenamyre, he is hanging onto his helmet. Not only are they valuable pieces of safety equipment, but they also are an Iron Dog status symbol.

“It’s a pretty cool helmet,” he said. “It’s like white, black, grey, with some red. It has an Iron Dog sticker on it too.”

2023 Iron Dog Helmet Program

The Helmet Safety Program has had enormous sponsor support this year, making it possible for Iron Dog Race, Inc., to deliver 450 helmets to youth across rural Alaska. That’s almost 200 more than last year.

Sponsors include:

NANA - $10,000

Donlin Gold - $10,000

Capstone Clinic - $7,500

Lynden - $5,000

Teck Alaska / Red Dog - $5,000

Cruz Construction, Inc. - $5,000

Davis Block & Concrete - $2,500

Quintillion - $2,500

This custom Iron Dog sticker will be placed on every helmet distributed.

Bering Air, Alaska Safe Riders, Action Sign & Graphics, Busco Bullet, Inc. - In-kind support.

Special Thanks to Iron Dog Board of Directors President and veteran racer Doug Dixon for his leadership role in this program.

Making History

PHOTO: TAYLOR BOOTH

Iron Dog racers Mike Morgan, left, and Steffen Booth, right, both from Nome, post with Nome schoolchildren in 2022 after receiving their new helmets.

50 years of racing to nome

Sam maxwell was just 15 years olD the first time he roDe his snowmachine to Nome. The year was 1973, and the first-ever 800-mile Nenana-to-Nome race was set to begin. It was the first long, off-road cross-country race of its kind and created a media buzz for those brave enough to try it.

“My dad (Les Maxwell) said we’re going and that’s just how it was, but I was up for anything,” said Maxwell, now 64 and still up for adventure.

In 2023, Maxwell gets to somewhat relive that moment, as he and his own son, Jake, embark in the Iron Dog Expedition Class to Nome. He hopes to share the same experience he had with his father – one that shaped the trajectory of his adulthood.

“I’ve ridden to Nome about nine times on snowmachines since then, and Jake has always said he wanted to do that ride with me, so we thought this would be a fun deal,” he said.

Iron Dog’s Expedition Class lets riders experience the rigors of the world’s longest toughest snowmobile race through some of the most unforgiving territory in Alaska, while also offering a level of support that alleviates the logistical challenges that such cross-country travel presented 50 years ago. Today’s Expedition class enjoys fuel support, layover locations and GPS monitoring. Fans can track the event online and cheer riders on as they pass through the communities along the way. Expedition Class riders start in Big Lake and end in Nome – covering a little over 1,000 miles.

Fifty years ago, Maxwell said, the Nenana-to-Nome race was quite rustic.

“The first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race started in 1973 as well, so when we got to Ruby, we were using the same trail and were able to somewhat find our way,” he recalled. “But there was no traffic between Tanana and Ruby. It was just singletrack and nobody could pass. You had to ride single file.”

Often, he said, riders would become lost as snow blew over the trail and obscured the way.

“We had four-man teams, and nobody really knew which way to go,” he said. “From Shaktoolik to Koyuk, the drifts were huge, like 10-foot drifts.”

In other areas, the teams’ arrivals drew curious onlookers.

“We would go into the villages, and people were just shocked that we were coming down the Yukon,” he added.

Dick Evans of Galena recently celebrated his 83rd birthday, but he remembers that first race coming through town. Early races like the Nenana-to-Nome race were the precursor to what would one day become the Iron Dog, he said.

“It broke the ice for group of folks who were brainstorming the Iron Dog,” he said. “It helped them figure out how to start and how to race that far.”

The first Nenana-to-Nome race featured nine four-man teams, which left Nenana at 9 a.m. March 11, 1973, according to an Anchorage Daily News article from the time titled, “Snow machines to Nome today!”

Evans said his memories of that first race have dimmed over time, but the hospitality of the communities along the trail remains a vivid memory – especially when he eventually raced the event a few years later.

“It was exciting,” he said. “All the school kids wanted to see us coming in. They’d all meet down at the station, or where we refueled, and they’d bring a load of food down for the racers to eat.”

Maxwell, too, said his interactions with the people along the course have stayed with him.

“In Kaltag, we stayed with a man (later identified as Edgar Kalland, best

This Anchorage Daily News article, published March 11, 1973, listed the teams in the first Nenana to Nome race. Sam Maxwell was part of Team 7.

known for his participation in the 1925 Serum Run) who ran dogs for Admiral Richard Byrd during the ’30s,” he said. “We stayed up all night and listened to his stories, which as you can imagine was amazing.”

In Unalakleet, Maxwell’s team stayed in the armory. He woke early in the morning and went outside while the others still slept. He was greeted by large, flat snowflakes falling thickly from the sky.

“There was a tiny, short Native guy there and he was so nice, and I stood with him and watched it snow,” Maxwell recalled. “I said to him, ‘Wow if it keeps up like this, it will snow a lot.’ He just smiled, and said, ‘Big snow, little snow; little snow, big snow.’ Eventually he smiled and walked away.”

As a 15-year-old, Maxwell said he had no idea what that elder meant. But fast forward seven or eight years later, and he was sitting with friends while it snowed heavily with big snowflakes again. One of the friends began explaining how big snowflakes rarely result in large snow accumulation, while the little flakes often bring huge snowfalls.

“And it was that long before I went, “Ohhhh, that’s’ what that guy meant,”

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Maxwell said. “That moment has always stuck with me.”

Hal Cronquist, whose family owns Team CC, entered that first Nome-to-Nenana race, which was also known as Top of the World race, as a young man. He and his teammates, Wade Charles, Swede Foote and Bill Hanson, placed second, racing on sleds they modified to withstand the cross-country demands.

“The snow was so deep that first year, it was slow going,” he said. “The next year, I made some push-pull toolbars that we could hook up, and that year we won it.”

The 1973 Nenana-to-Nome race represents a half century of cross-country racing in Alaska, and today’s Iron Dog Snowmobile Race is the premier representation of the sport. In many ways, that first race ushered in innovation in sled manufacturing that has led to machines now built specifically for cross-country racing.

MAXWELL

Sam Maxwell, center, by the Ski-Doo flag, was part of Team 7 in the first Nenana-to-Nome race, with his father, Les and his father’s friends Bill Davis and Forrest Hayden.

“Races like the Nenana-to-Nome and the Iron Dog have provided key learnings to manufacturers for years,” said Iron Dog Board of Directors president and veteran racer Doug Dixon. “The Alaska terrain is just so punishing and really a great source of insight to building snowmachines and gear.”

Sam Maxwell was, in his recollection, the mechanic of the group in 1973, he said.

“I worked on snowmachines a lot and they broke down a lot back then,” he said. “For the race, Ski-Doo gave us four machines and we took those machines and modified them. They were Olympics and we put alpine tracks on them.”

Maxwell said after their team completed the race, Ski-Doo sent one of their sleds from Nome to its Quebec headquarters, where he speculates their modifications contributed to the development of the first long track sleds.

Since that first race, Sam Maxwell continued to stay involved in racing, both

snowmachines and dogs. The summer after that race, he spent the summer working in Nome. He eventually became a pilot and flew for the Iditarod Air Force for 12 years and worked as a trail breaker. He ran the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in 1998, and in 2000 entered the Iron Dog Pro Class with teammate Bill Kramer after finding out that the Expedition route was starting in Nome rather than ending there.

“We didn’t want to go in that direction, so it was just by default that we entered the Pro Class,” he said. “We weren’t really racing, but we still beat one team, so we were satisfied.”

“Here we are today, gearing up for the upcoming 2023 race, a full 50 years later,” Dixon said. “Reflecting back, that first race not only captures the toughness of the competitors who challenge themselves to cross-country racing, but it also highlights the critical part our remote communities play in the success of the sport.

Riding a snowmachine is still part of everyday life in these communities, and this year we’re excited to see so many racers from these checkpoints in the field.

Iron Dog Executive Director Mike Vasser, a longtime snowmachiner and Iron Dog race participant himself, said the sport has changed in many ways over the last 50 years – “from sleds to gear to tracking capabilities.”

One thing, though, has remained consistent:

“The communities we travel through are just as excited to see racers and to support however they can,” he said. “From food, lodging, parts, even trail maintenance, everyone then and now looks forward to being part of these traditions. The generosity of the residents along the way is what makes Iron Dog so special.”

“As we prepare for the 2023, we’re excited to see the tradition of racing to Nome continue and having Sam and his son Jake in the field really add to the celebration of it all.”

Expedition class feeds sense of adventure

This year’s Expedition Class consists of 15 teams and 51 riders, who will make their way from the Iron Dog start on Big Lake, north and west, up through the Red Dog Loop and on to Nome. They have some long, cold, hard days ahead of them.

So, what motivates the Expedition Class rider to line up at the start in 2023? They aren’t competing for large cash prizes like the Pro Class racers do. They won’t be standing on a podium when they reach Nome, their end point to the cross-country trek. Still, the allure is growing. This year’s field of riders includes a growing contingent of recreational riders, aspiring pros and repeat entrants who come back to the Expedition Class each year simply because they love it.

For Pro Class racer and perennial Top 5 finisher Zack Weisz, shifting to the Expedition Class in 2023 will be just a short reprieve from Iron Dog pro racing. Weisz is accustomed to lightning-fast speeds, the stress of competition and the physical rigors racing the World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race brings with it. He has placed in the Top 5 the last five years of racing, standing on the podium in third place in 2020 with race partner Brett Lapham.

But this coming year, he has an opportunity he felt he couldn’t miss.

Weisz will be riding as part of a family team, with his father, David Weisz, and uncles Darrin Kelly, Jason Sanford and Larry Weisz.

“The Iron Dog Expedition Class has been a bucket list thing for my dad, so it’s one of those re-pay back opportunities,” Weisz said. “We were drinking around the fire at some point, and my dad had just turned 60. He said, ‘If I’m ever going to do it, this is the year to do it.’”

Many Alaska adventures hatch around a campfire, and the Weisz expedition was no different. Soon the conversation shifted, and a solid plan began to materialize. Weisz agreed to take a year’s break from the Pro Class to see it happen.

“My dad has supported me in all my racing, and this is something he had always wanted to do,” Weisz said. “So, this isn’t an end-of-theroad thing for me, it’s just kind of a take-a-stepback year.”

Weisz said the slower pace will surely feel different than the frenzy of racing, but many of the challenges will be the same. Mother Nature doesn’t care if you are an Expedition Class rider or Pro Class racer – she serves up the same ground blizzards, subzero temperatures, and freakish thaws to anyone.

Familiar Pro Class face Zack Weisz, at right, chose to ride the Expedition Class this year with his father. He plans to be back to the race scene in 2024.

“If I just sent my dad out there, I’d be a little bit nervous,” Zack said. “When you get to the coast and there’s a blizzard, even for us pro guys, it’s still kind of hairy.”

COURTESY SAM

PHOTO: MEGAN ROLINGER

Iron Dog 2023

Communities and checkpoints

BIG LAKE

The 2023 Iron Dog race starts and finishes this year at Big Lake, just outside of Wasilla. Spectators can see racers right on the ice, in front of Susitna Brewing Co. Come join the fans and racers — the more the merrier! The population of Big Lake is roughly 2,770.

NOME

Until 1994, Nome was officially the race finish, tying Iron Dog to Alaska’s Gold Rush history, and hence the earlier race name, the Gold Rush Classic. In 1998, the race finish was moved to Fairbanks, and this year the finish will be at Big Lake.

Nome remains heavily involved in the race as a halfway point, perhaps more involved now than before. Instead of hosting the ending of the long journey, Nome now facilitates the Expedition riders finish, numerous support efforts and crews, lodging and banquets for riders and racers, and a race restart. Spectators also enjoy watching the racers in the Nome Garage, where they are allowed time to work on their sleds in high-speed fashion.

Nome is on the coast of the Bering Sea, some of the most challenging racing on the course, due to ice shelves and open-water conditions. It has a population of approximately 3,594.

KOTZEBUE

Kotzebue, population 3,110, is the seat of the Northwest Arctic Borough and an important transportation hub. This year marks the fourth that the Iron Dog will pass through this snowmachine-loving community. The trail here encompasses the 375-mile Archie Ferguson/Willie Goodwin Memorial snowmachine race course, a long-established trail well known among rural Alaska racers. It is named the Red Dog Loop for premier sponsor Teck Alaska / Red Dog.

Smaller communities and checkpoints

SKWENTNa

Population 30. Skwentna is located on mostly flat land in Southcentral Alaska on the Skwentna River. It is just 80 miles from the start/finish.

PUNTILLA

Population 2. This outpost is located on Puntilla Lake near a breathtaking mountain pass. Puntilla is 148 miles away from the start/finish.

ROHN

Population 0. Rohn is located at a small roadhouse where two rivers join, and is 213 miles away from the start/finish.

NIKOLAI

Population 90. Nikolai is 287 miles from the start/finish on the south fork of the Kuskokwim River.

McGRATH

Population 298. McGrath is located on the south bank of the Kuskokwim River, surrounded almost entirely by the river. It is 339 miles from the start/ finish.

OPHIR

Population 0. There are no residents of Ophir, located on the west bank of the Innoko River at the mouth of Ophir Creek. This area was the site of a gold rush in 1906. It is 381 miles from the start/ finish.

POORMAN

Population 0. Poorman is the site of an abandoned gold mining town located about 480 miles from the start/finish.

RUBy

Population 139. Ruby is located along the Yukon River. It is 535 from the start/finish.

GALENA

Population 453. This Athabascan community is located in the Interior, and is 587 miles from the start/finish.

KALTAG

Population 160. Kaltag is on the west bank of the Yukon River at the head of the portage to Unalakleet and is 673 from the start/finish.

UNALAKLEET

Population 760. Unalakleet is on the coast of Norton Sound north of the Unalakleet River, is 758 miles away from start.

SHAKTOOLIK

Population 212. Shaktoolik is on a point jutting into Norton Sound, 799 miles away from the start.

KOYUK

Population 306. Koyuk is located on the north bank of the Koyuk River where it drains into Norton Bay. It is 854 miles from the start and has the honor as the only village that the racers will travel through three times, before the Red Dog Loop, again as they head toward Nome, and a third time on their way back to Big Lake.

BUCKLAND

Population 550. Buckland is in the Northwest Arctic Borough along the Buckland River. Racers pass through Buckland en route to Kotzebue then after Selawik, back to the main trail toward Nome.

NOORVIK

Population 625. Noorvik is on the right bank of the Nazuruk Channel of the Kobuk River and a short stop before Kiana. It is 1,108 miles into the race.

KIANA

Population 430. Kiana is situated “where three rivers meet”: the Squirrel, Kobuk, and big/small channel rivers. Kiana is 1,129 miles into the race.

SELAWIK

Population 770. Selawik is known as the “place of sheefish.” It is 1,167 miles into the race.

WHITE MOUNTAIN

Population 181. On the outskirts of Nome, White Mountain is located in the mountains on the Fish River, about 70 miles from Nome.

Source: 2021 and 2023 U.S. Census Bureau estimates and Iron Dog GPS data.

PHOTO: TIMOTHY GAVIN

Buckland Iron Dog checkpoint volunteers usher Team 7 through the checkpoint during the 2022 race. Racers pass through Buckland twice during the Iron Dog race.

The work of many

Volunteers keep

the race on track

This year’s iron Dog race returns as strong as ever, thanks to the local residents along the racecourse who step up to make sure racers and riders alike have the services they need during the race.

When Irving Ashenfelter was a high schooler, their school was situated right on the river, where Iron Dog racers would pass through each February.

“The teachers would let us get up and look out the windows and watch the racers come through, get fueled up and leave,” said Ashnefelter, who has been volunteering at the White Mountain checkpoint since the late 1990s and is now its head checker.

“This time of year, it’s kind of the start of spring for us. A lot of the activities for our village starts to happen right around the time Iron Dog happens. It’s no longer minus 20 degrees; it’s kind of a little marker that says winter is almost over.”

Iron Dog organizers count on volunteers like Ashenfelter – more than 200 are called upon every year – to help make sure the World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race can happen. Their experience, local knowledge and willingness to help man these remote outposts make it possible for Iron Dog to plan ahead and be prepared come race day.

“Every year, you just start dialing the phone,” said Dave McKibbon, who has been the logistics coordinator for Iron Dog for many years and has come to know the race’s checkpoint volunteers well. “It has morphed obviously into something really cool to talk to these people in the Bush. The relationships you develop are important.”

Ashenfelter said the feelings are mutual.

“That guy is awesome,” he said of McKibbon. “He sends me texts every December, and sprinkles them in in January, and is right on top of it in February. He has it figured out.”

Volunteers like Ashenfelter put in brutal hours, sometimes staying up around the clock to assure racers have what they need. But Ashenfelter said he doesn’t mind. The return on his volunteer time investment is the continued positive interaction that Iron Dog racers show to these far-north communities that are just coming out from under a long dark winter.

“When I was growing up, the racers were in and out, and they were serious guys,’ he said. “They’d wave and smile, but nowadays with all the social media and media coverage, a lot of these racers interact even more – even the top guys will get off their sleds if they see a little kid waving and smiling. It’s great when the top guys take that 10, 15 seconds to interact like that.”

McKibbon said every one of the 21 checkpoints along the Iron Dog trail deserve a huge thank-you – from Doug Heath in Ophir to Wilson Bourdon in Nome to the Esmailkas in Kaltag and more. And then there are the volunteers of the volunteers, who pitch in as needed.

As for Ashenfelter, he wouldn’t miss it for anything: “This is definitely the highlight of my year.”

White Mountain checkpoint volunteers Irving Ashenfelter and Joseph Simon Jr. keep the race running smoothly.

Iron Dog relies on more than 200 volunteers to pull off the World’s Longest, Toughest, Snowmobile Race.

IRON DOG FILE

Super spouses Behind every racer is a die-hard support crew

While her husbanD or sons are out racing iron Dog, tammy barber is in race mode too. All the prep is complete and the race is under way, yet even from her home she continues to serve as race crew for them all.

Barber, perhaps more than any other race spouse in today’s Iron Dog era, is one busy woman. This year, her husband, Shane, sons Cody and Evan, and son-in-law Brett Lapham are all racing Iron Dog. She will be constantly refreshing their GPS locations during the race and will only breathe easier when they’ve all crossed the finish line on Feb. 25.

“The boys do their own thing preparing for the race, but when they are on the trail, I do become the contact for all of them,” Barber said. “I get the first phone call if they need anything. When they are sleeping, I’m sleeping. When they are awake and they are on the trail, I’m awake.”

Behind every Iron Dog racer is a support crew who helps make it possible – whether it be a spouse, girlfriend, parents or BFFs. Spectators and fans get to see the pomp and circumstance of the Iron Dog start and admire the tricked-out sleds of the racers. But none of it would be possible without the people behind the scenes.

“I think you can ask any Iron Dogger, especially those who are married or have a significant other: If you didn’t have their support, it wouldn’t be very rewarding or fun,” said Shane Barber of Team 9, who placed third last year with partner Troy Conlon. They are back again this year. “You have to have that support. Tammy’s trying to manage three teams out there on the trail. She is the center of contact when we need a part or have a question or need to get in contact with anyone. She makes all that happen.”

Chris Olds of Team 10 mirrors those sentiments. He said without his wife, Christine, and two daughters Haley and Mya, he would not be where he is today – as one of Iron Dog’s winningest racers.

“Having that support is everything,” he said.

Christine Olds said her family wouldn’t have it any other way. While it does take adjustment on the part of the family during Iron Dog prep, it is a way of life for her and the girls.

“The friendships I’ve made through this have all been wives of racers or people with the same interests,” Christine said. “I’ve known Tammy since my husband started his racing career and we’ve gotten closer because of the racing. Shane’s been doing this as long as Chris has … it’s a community you build and how my friendships have evolved.”

This band of support has proven invaluable, she said. When she and Chris began prepping for his first race, in 2000, her daughters were not yet born, and their primary concerns were how to fund the race.

“In the early, probably first 10 years, I spent a lot of time putting stickers on trailers, studding tracks, helping on the sled,” Christine said. “I did odd stuff throughout, helping Chris when he needed it, including a lot of work on sleds; I know my way around a snowmachine fairly well now.”

Because of their shared lifestyles, Tammy, Christine and other Iron Dog spouses lean on each other for support.

“We’ve known each other for years,” Tammy said. “And we are constantly communicating, especially during the race.”

The Barber/Olds spouses share similar stories about the roles they fill during Iron Dog prep: Both must remind Chris and Shane to eat properly and hydrate – it’s easy for them to get engrossed in wrenching or riding and forego those necessities.

“I made chicken in the smoker the other day and said, ‘You need to start taking better food on your training rides,’” Christine said, “We have moose sticks – at least it’s protein.”

(9, 31 and

They also adjust their day-to-day activities to accommodate the added time commitment that Iron Dog prep requires from their spouses.

“I have to wear a lot of different hats, and it gets a little more stressful during Iron Dog time,” said Tammy, who owns her own fitness studio and manages the house while Shane is on the Slope at work. “During Iron Dog I try to lighten his load even more, because his goal is to win.”

It takes a village

This collective support can be found among any racer or rider you talk to, both past and present. Mary Sindorf, for example, has been supporting her husband, Paul, and sons Kristofer and Jonathan in their Iron Dog endeavors for 20 years. Paul has run Pro Class 13 times and Trail/ Expedition twice, both times with Mary. The Sindorf boys both ran Pro Class once, and Kristofer ran Expedition with Mary and Paul in 2022.

“During race prep, it’s lots of time in the shop and being supportive while Paul logs all those training miles,” Sindorf said. “During the race, I cannot sleep while they are out on the trail. When they are running, I am up watching the pings. They think they appreciate the layovers … well, so do those of us at home, because it’s the only time we can get some sleep!”

For some, Iron Dog support

PHOTO: MEGAN ROLINGER

The Barber family, from back left: Brandi and Cody Barber, Evan Barber, Grace Bethel, Shana Lapham and baby Lapham, Brett Lapham, Shane Barber and Tammy Barber. Tammy Barber serves as team support for all three teams

39) during the Iron Dog race.

PHOTO: TAMMY BARBER

Christine Olds, Tammy Barber, Shana Lapham and Brandi Barber during a support crew get-together. Iron Dog spouses lean on each other as they help their other halves reach the start line.

comes from influences far and wide. Ashley Wood, of Team 16, is making her third attempt to complete the Iron Dog Pro Class this year. Her support system includes friends, family, fiancé Rob Ross, and Iron Dog greats, whose accomplishments spur her on to keep sight of her goals.

“Shane has mentored many of the racers that are now finishing on the podium and Top 10,” she said. “Whether it’s the start of the Iron Dog, a K-150, or Mayor’s Cup, Tammy is always at the starting line with a hug, a prayer and positive encouragement.

I can’t thank both Shane and Tammy enough for their help and encouragement over the past decade.”

The same goes for Mike Morgan of Team 10, she said. “I have always admired the consistency of Team 10, which is such an important key factor to being successful in this race. Mike is always eager to help out, give his honest opinion and does not hesitate to tell me how I can be doing better as a racer.”

One big, Iron Dog family

As Iron Dog racers take off toward Nome this year, the support crews left behind will continue to do their part to make sure their racers stay safe, healthy and successful. Tammy Barber said she will be obsessively watching teams 9, 31 and 39 GPS pings as they make their way along the trail.

“I’m watching,” she said. “I will sometimes know something’s happening before anyone else is. For example, if they are stopped in the (Farewell) Burn, I know they probably need a front end. I try to stay ahead of them in the game so I can help when needed. I’m constantly on GPS, and I can give them stats so they can know where they’re standing and kind of validate their progress. We are all just trying to help however we can.”

Christine said after more than 20 years of racing, she will be closely watching as well. As long as Chris is enjoying Iron Dog, she will do what it takes to help him succeed.

There were years he would talk about quitting – maybe because of time, or

Behind every great racer is the support crew that makes it happen: Team 10’s Chris Olds is flanked by wife Christine and daughters, Mya and Haley Olds.

cost or commitment,” Christine said. “But the girls grew up with this. They would get so upset – they’d say, ‘You can’t quit, Dad!’ So, we agreed as a family: When it’s not fun anymore, that’s when we’ll quit.”

In the end, Iron Dog is a small community with a big heart – this both Christine and Tammy agree upon. While each racer wants to win – why enter without such goals? – there is a collective camaraderie that results from experiencing the challenge of the World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race. In some ways, anyone who has run Iron Dog is part of one, big family.

“For our family, it’s so much bigger than the trophy,” Shane Barber said. “At the end of the day you are going to be identified by other things outside the wins that you have. We made sure that that trophy isn’t the most important thing.”

PHOTO: HEATHER SOTTOSANTI

Weisz said he wants this year’s Expedition Ride to be a memorable family accomplishment – one he may not ever be able to do after this year Kim Bergeron is prepping for his sixth Expedition Class ride in 2023 and is what you might call an out-of-state regular in the Expedition Class, and to some a kind of Iron Dog ambassador. This year’s Expedition class includes 20 out-ofstate riders, thanks in part to Bergeron. Iron Dog’s Expedition Class is one of the best-kept secrets of cross-country snowmachine riding, he said. Where else in the country can one see such beautiful wilderness and enjoy ride support along the way?

“In all five races I’ve done, you start out as 10 or 15 different teams, but you end up as one big team,” Bergeron said. “This is just a nice long trail ride … in a core group of 8 or 10 or 12 people at the end.”

Bergeron, who lives in Dublin, N.H., first entered the Expedition Class in 2015, after being persuaded by his friend Randy Bedard, an Alaska rider from Willow who first started riding Expedition Class (once known as Trail Class) in 1989 and will be entering his 11th ride in 2023. Bergeron estimates he spent about $38,000 on that first ride, between the logistics of getting gear from one end of the country to the other, spending money on supplies he thought he might need – and over-packing for conditions he had yet to experience.

“2015 was a knockdown brawl,” he said. “It was warm, and there was no snow. I thought, ‘What did I do, what did I spend all this time and effort for?’ But when we got to Nome successfully, all of that went away.”

Bergeron said the kindness of the people he met along the way, the enthusiasm they showed in each community and the stunning beauty of Alaska in the winter combined to make him a lifelong Iron Dog rider. Like so many who take part in the Iron Dog, Bergeron said he is overwhelmed with the people in the communities along the way who help support the riders and racers.

“It’s not just me riding down this trail, there is something we do here that people really connect to,” he said. “I don’t know what it was, but that means something.”

Since that first ride, Bergeron has tapped into his logistics mindset to make the Expedition Class financially viable. He got smarter about planning, eventually whittling his own costs down to about $18,000. He successfully completed the Expedition Class again in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022.

“We had a handle on costs at that point,” he said. “We had bought used snowmobiles in the past; they were practice sleds, units that had already been run down the trail. But I decided to buy a new one” – thus minimizing the chances of mechanical breakdowns that can be so frequent on the rugged Iron Dog trail.

Today, Bergeron caters to other Expedition riders, offering new sleds, outfitted perfectly for Iron Dog’s rugged conditions. He compiles itineraries that include lodging, ride entry fees, and other logistics so interested riders can simply sign up and show up. (Getting in shape for the Iron Dog Expedition Class is still their own responsibility!) Now riders can focus on their ride and not logistics, he said, for roughly $11,000.

The kindness, and teamwork, among fans and riders is something every rider should get to experience, he said.

“In 2015, when we had so many mechanicals, we had locals taking parts off their sleds and selling us parts –this is the definition of teamwork,” he said. “You just don’t get that back East.”

And, it’s good training for those with loftier goals, he said: “Some of those people may decide to ride Pro Class one day.”

California transplant Rico Rossi aims to do just that. Rossi, who came to Alaska in 2012 for a work gig, fell in love with the state and the lifestyle.

Rossi is part of Team 99 with Trent Johnson and Cole Sabin. He hopes that ride will give him the experience he needs to race Pro Class one day

“I’ve always been a competitive person,” he said. Rossi was an NCAA DI track and field hurdler on scholarship at University of California Davis, and when he entered the Marines after college, he became known as Iron Man for his physical fitness – a must-have for any Pro Class Iron Dog aspirant. After moving to Big Lake in 2017, Rossi spent his winters learning to snowmachine, starting out on an ’90s-era Scandic that he “got stuck and crashed – a lot.” After the learning curve, his competitive side yearned for more.

“I bought Mike Morgan’s 2019 race sled and started putting in training rides,” he said. “Jesse Atkinson became a very good friend, and we hoped to sign up in the Pro Class one day.”

Sadly, Atkinson took his life in March of 2022, leaving Rossi despondent. But rather than let the tragedy end his aspirations, he decided the Expedition Class would be a good first start.

“I’m running this in memory of Jesse,” he said.

Thank you sponsors, fans and volunteers!

Every year we look forwarD to the fans on the trail, at the start and finish, and online! We appreciate that you follow along, that you tell stories and share pictures! You are all part of our tradition and part of the Iron Dog family!

It takes countless volunteers to make our race successful – to the checkers, trail markers, folks who open your homes: Thank you for all you do.

To the volunteers at HQ, our stats experts, marshals, tech inspectors, board of directors (past and present) – and to your families: Thank you for the time you give.

The Iron Dog Race could not be possible without our sponsors – to those who support our race, thank you for contributing to the continued history and traditions of our great state. We can probably all agree, Alaska is a state unlike any other and our race is unlike any other – how lucky are we all to be part of this!

To those businesses who have assumed checkpoint sponsorship – thank you for showing your dedication to improvements, longevity, and toughness! To Skwentna Roadhouse/ Skwentna, NOVA Minerals/ Puntilla, Specialty Truck & Auto/ Rohn (Tatina), Valley Imaging Center/ Poorman – thank you (To see your brand on a checkpoint in 2024, email: director@irondog.org.)

To Teck Alaska / Red Dog – thank you for fueling all our sleds along the

“Red Dog Loop” checkpoints.

To the City of Nome and Bering Sea Lions club – the greatest place on earth to “wrench” – there is no place like Nome! Thank you for your support of our race, the Nome-Golovin 200, the Cannonball Run and the Iditarod –the rugged Alaskan adventure!

To the communities impacted by Thyphoon Merbok: We commend you for your toughness to rebuild. #IronDogTough. We are proud to have donated to the recovery fund and encourage others to consider giving. To donate to Western Alaska Disaster Recovery Fund go to: https://alaskacf.org/ western-ak-disaster-recovery-fund/

Even before the 2023 race begins, it’s been an exciting year for us. We had our first-ever booth at the Alaska State Fair, and we participated in the Colony Christmas Parade, where we placed second for overall float. Special thanks to all of the volunteers and board members who staffed our booth and the fans who visited! And to our float builders and participants, thank you — Erin Aklestad, you’re another great superstar spouse; your vision board was fantastic, we can’t wait ’til next year!

Lastly, to our racers: We appreciate that you continue to support our vision, we applaud you for being more than just a racer but ambassadors of our sport and safety on the trail. We wish you all a safe and fast race!

Team 99’s Rico Rossi

Team 50’s Kim Bergeron

Y o u r l o c a l r a c e p a r t n e r

P R O U D L Y S P O N S O R I N G T H E

Champion’s Corner

The 2022 Iron Dog followed the Red Dog Loop on the return from Nome to Big Lake. This year, racers will complete the Red Dog Loop before going to Nome. The Loop adds more than 15 hours to an already grueling race. Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad won the 2022 race, but their winning 2020 time still sets the bar for this course.

YEAR CHAMPIONS

2022 Tyler Aklestad & Nick Olstad

BRAND TRAIL TIME

Ski-Doo 53:27:21

2021 Brad George & Robby Schachle Ski-Doo 50:26:04

2020 Tyler Aklestad & Nick Olstad Ski-Doo 50:08:03

2019 Chris Olds & Mike Morgan

Polaris 34:27:31

2018 Chris Olds & Mike Morgan Polaris 36:54:49

2017 Cory Davis & Ryan Simons Arctic Cat 40:58:01

2016 Tyson Johnson & Tyler Aklestad Ski-Doo 35:35:22

2015 Scott Faeo & Eric Quam

Polaris 41:46:52

2014 Todd Minnick & Nick Olstad Polaris 36:58:37

2013 Marc McKenna & Dusty VanMeter Ski-Doo 36:58:54

2012 Marc McKenna & Dusty VanMeter Ski-Doo 35:39:56

2011 Chris Olds & Tyler Huntington Polaris 37:38:09

2010 Chris Olds & Tyler Huntington Polaris 41:04:09

2009 Todd Minnick & Nick Olstad Polaris 37:19:08

2008 Eric Quam & Marc McKenna

2007 Scott Davis & Todd Palin

2006 Dwayne Drake & Andy George

Arctic Cat 42:33

Arctic Cat 38:07

Arctic Cat 35:48

2005 Marc McKenna & Nick Olstad Arctic Cat 52:59

2004 Mark Carr & Dusty VanMeter Ski-Doo 39:03

2003 RACE CANCELED

2002 Todd Palin & Dusty Van Meter

Arctic Cat 38:41

2001 Tracey Brassard & Ken Lee Polaris 38:44

2000 Todd Palin & Dusty Van Meter Arctic Cat 41:10

1999 Scott Davis & Mark Carr

Arctic Cat 38:30

1998 Scott Davis & Mark Carr Arctic Cat 44:47

1997 Scott Davis & Mark Carr Arctic Cat 61:08

1996 John Faeo & Bob Gilman Polaris 38:44

1995 Todd Palin & Dwayne Drake Polaris 58:24

1994 Dan Zipay & Evan Booth

1993 Scott Davis & Bill Long

Polaris 71:38

Arctic Cat 58:36

1992 Dan Zipay & Evan Booth Polaris 29:58

1991 John Faeo & Bob Gilman

1990 John Faeo & Bob Gilman

1989 Scott Davis & Mark Torkelson

1988 John Faeo & Dan Zipay

1987 John Faeo & Dan Zipay

1986 John Faeo & Dan Zipay

1985 Scott Davis & Gary Eoff

1984 John Faeo & Rod Frank

Polaris 30:10

Yamaha 40:12

Yamaha 40:12

Polaris

Polaris 51:00

Polaris 47:00

Yamaha 38:00

Polaris 23:50

PLACE NAME

BRAND TRAIL TIME

1st Tyler Aklestad & Nick Olstad Ski-Doo 53:27:21

2nd Chris Olds & Mike Morgan Polaris 56:22:21

3rd Shane Barber & Troy Conlon Polaris 59:40:26

4th Brad George & Robby Schachle Ski-Doo 60:30:19

5th Tom Davis & Zack Weisz Polaris 63:54:02

6th Bradley Kishbaugh & Kelly Sommer Polaris 63:54:34

7th Jarvis Miller & Jordan Miller Ski-Doo 66:25:16

8th Matt Piatt & Gregory Strohmeyer Ski-Doo 68:05:25

9th Andrew Gumley & Klinton VanWingerden Polaris 68:35:17

10th Christopher Collins & Douglas Wicken Ski-Doo 73:19:59

www.alaskacommunications.com

Iron Dog Pro Class 2023

Team 2

Sponsors: Big State Mechanical, Woody’s Traction Products, Hatcher Pass Polaris, Polaris Racing, PowerMadd, CCI Industrial Services LLC, Klim, Mobius Braces, Pro Seal Services Group, Cold Creek Extracts, Jenwar Towing and Recovery, Reel Illusion Art and Design, Summit Excavation, Inc., Rugged Radios, Grip N Rip, Trijet Manufacturing, Mericka Group LLC, Fish Magnet Guide Service, Penner Construction, TCM Restoration and Cleaning, Central Peninsula Refrigeration, pilot Luke Miller

Bradley Kishbaugh

Age: 24 d From: Soldotna

Riding: Polaris Cross Country

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2022: Finished sixth

Bio: I was born and raised in Soldotna. I enjoy riding sleds, hunting, fishing, mountain biking and spending time with family and friends. I spend most of my time outdoors, but if I’m not outside then you’ll probably find me in my garage working on something. I’ve been riding snowmachines my whole life but started cross-country racing in 2021 and was hooked! I look forward to expanding my knowledge and skills during this year’s races.

Personal sponsors: Thank you, Mom and Dad; Taylor, Piper and Jake Graves; Grandma and Grandpa Danny and Loretta Paulk; Jared and Cassi Ewing; and everyone else who has supported and helped us along this journey; we couldn’t have done it without you.

Other racing history: 2022 Valdez Mayor’s Cup Semipro, first; 2021 Skwentna 200 Pro, fifth; 2021 FYK 150 Open, eighth

Ryan Sottosanti

Age: 45 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Polaris Cross Country Matryx

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2010: top rookie, sixth; 2011: Finished, 2012: Finished, 2013: Finished, 2014: Finished, 2015: Finished, 2017: Finished, 2018: Finished Bio: I am from Wasilla and have lived here in Alaska since 1990. I am the owner of Big State Mechanical plumbing and heating business. I have a beautiful wife, Heather, and wonderful 14-year-old daughter, Faith. I first raced the Iron Dog in 2001 with my dad, Allen. Since then, I have been passionate about the Iron Dog race. Over the last several years my racing knowledge and abilities have greatly improved. I have finished Iron Dog in the top 10 six times, with a podium finish in 2012 and 2017. I am confident that I have what it takes to win this prestigious race and I’m very hungry for a win in 2023. Rewards come one-tenth of a second at a time, and only when I focus, train and truly strive can they be achieved.

Personal sponsors: Heather Sottosanti, Al Sottosanti, Faith Sottosanti, and everyone who has helped us along the way.

Other race history: 2008 Mayor’s Cup, third; 2009 Mayor’s Cup, second; Trapper Creek 200, second; K150, second, third and fifth; Alyeska Cross Country, first and fourth; Arctic Man, seventh, fifth and third

Iron Dog trivia

The first Iron Dog event started in 1984 and followed the Northern Route of the Historic Iditarod Trail to Nome. Since then it has had multiple incarnations ranging from 1,049 miles in

Team 3

Sponsors: Polaris Racing, Polaris Engineered Lubricants, Taylor Fire Protection Services, Robinson Millwork, Pollen Environmental, LLC, Liberty Mechanical, Law Offices of Royce & Brain, IBEW Local 1547, DuClos Orthodontics, Silva Insurance Services, Electric Power Constructors (EPC), Altitude Chiropractic and Massage, Frontier Dental Care, Dad, Distinctive Ride, Grip N Rip, Klim Technical Riding Gear, Woody’s Traction Products, Hatcher Pass Polaris, Randy Jones and Sara Jansen, Taylor Designs, Anchorage Sheet Metal, RCS, Walker Evans Racing, Tri Jet Manufacturing, Indy Specialty, 139 Designs, B Original Signs

Kenneth Kleewein

Age: 32 d From: Willow

Riding: Polaris Cross Country

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2018: Finished, 13th; 2019: Finished, sixth; 2020: Finished, fourth; 2021: Finished, seventh.

Bio: I am a lifelong Alaskan and grew up in Willow. I watched my dad race the Iron Dog 11 times, and it was a dream to be able to participate in this great race. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner than my brother, Kruz. I can’t thank my entire family enough for supporting me, especially my wife, Kirsten, and three children Kenny, Bellamy and Sterling. I also have to thank my dad for all of his help and support –without it we wouldn’t have had the success we have had.

Personal sponsors: Special thank-you to my amazing wife, Kirsten, for supporting our family during the long nights and weekends preparing for this great race. Thanks to my sons Kenny and Sterling, and daughter Bellamy. Also, a special thank-you to my mom and my dad for not only being very supportive, but also helping with preparations. I am very grateful for my dad and his wealth of knowledge of the Iron Dog.

Other race history: AMMC Semi-Pro Triple Crown: 2015, first; AMMC Pro Class Champion: 2016; AMMC Big Lake 500: 2017, third; AMMC Mat-Su Resort 100: 2018, second; AMMC Larry Heal Memorial Race 500: 2018, first

Kruz Kleewein

Age: 27 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Polaris Cross Country Status: Veteran

Race history: 2018: Finished 13th, 2019: Finished sixth, 2020: Finished, fourth, 2021: Finished seventh Bio: I am a lifelong Alaskan from Willow. I enjoy racing and riding snowmachines in the winter. I enjoy riding jet skis and dirt bikes in the summer. I am a journeyman power lineman for the IBEW. This will be my fifth Iron Dog race.

Personal sponsors: Can’t thank my family, friends and sponsors enough for all the support in this endeavor. Especially my beautiful wife, Amanda, for all her love and support; and my dad, Kenny. Thanks to my mom and dad for all their support, the whole Taylor family for everything they do, and all my friends and family.

Other race history: Big Lake 150: 2013, semipro, first; AMMC championship: 2016, pro class, third; Big Lake 500: 2017, third

1984 to 2,409 miles in 2020.

Today’s Iron Dog course distance is measured at 2,503 miles, starting in Big Lake, around the Kotzebue Loop to a halfway stop in Nome, then returning to Big Lake.

Team 4

Sponsors: Arctic Cat, Bubba Gift and Grub, Northern Power Sports, Klim, Northwest Arctic Borough, Elka Suspension, Renton Coil

Jim Baldwin

Age: 48 d From: Noorvik

Riding: Arctic Cat 600 R XC

Status: Rookie

Bio: I was born and raised in Northwest Alaska. With my family, I enjoy being outdoors on the Kobuk River. I am a proud father of four: Tyra, TeHana, Brenna Boo, Little Jim.

Personal sponsors: My wife, Kimberly, Little Jim, Brenna, TeHana, Tyra and Kyler, Kumak, Elsie, Charlie N and Uncle Sam

Other race history: Kotzebue, ACRA Kotzebue-Kiana, Nome Golovin; 2021 Kotzebue, third, open class

Steven Williamson

Age: 25 d From: Noorvik

Riding: Arctic Cat R XC

Status: Rookie

Bio: I’m from Noorvik but living in Kotzebue. I have one son, Steven Trey, with my girlfriend, Mary. I’m a mechanic at Red Dog Mine.

Personal sponsors: Arctic Cat, Bubba Grub, Northern Power Sports, Mary and son Steven Trey, Blair, Mom, Dad, Stephanie and John, Ezra Arey, family and friends.

Other race history: Started racing in 2016 Kotzebue af/wg DNF; 2021 Nome-Golovin 600 class, first; 2021 Kotzebue af/wg, second

Team 7

Sponsors: MTA, Cruz Construction, Team CC Ski-Doo, Valley Imaging, Craig Taylor Equipment, BRP, Woody’s Traction Products, Klim, Nitro Trailers, Fine Line Interiors, Trail Tank, XPS Oil, KYB, SCS Unlimited, PowerMadd, Specialty Truck & Auto, ZRP

Tyler Aklestad

Age: 37 d From: Palmer, AK

Riding: Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2007: Finished, 2009: Finished, 2012: Finished, 2013: Finished, 2016: first, 2017: Finished, 2018: Finished, 2019: Finished, 2020: first, 2022: first Bio: I’m a lifelong Alaskan born and raised in Palmer. I have been racing snowmobiles for over 20 years across the state of Alaska and have traveled to the Midwest to race USXC and the SOO-500. I enjoy riding from my cabin in Willow with my wife, Erin, and two kids Liam and Finn. Beyond snowmobiling I enjoy hunting, fishing and motorcycles.

Personal sponsors: My wife, Erin, kids Liam and Finn, Korey and Barbara Cronquist, Keith, Marc McKenna, Jenny Duax, Willy Barickman and Russ Siepert

Other race history: Arctic Man: 2008 and 2011-2014, first

Nick Olstad

Age: 40 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2005: first, 2009: first, 2011: Finished, 2014: first, 2016: Finished, 2017: Finished, 2018: Finished, 2020: first, 2022: first

Bio: Nick is a longtime Alaskan who enjoys the outdoors. When not working as a Marathon

Terminal supervisor, he’s spending time with wife Brianne, daughter Kaia and son Jackson. Nick loves to be out riding ATVs in the summer, and snowmachines until the snow is gone.

Personal sponsors: Brianne, Kaia and Jackson Olstad

Other racing history: 2019 Kotzebue 220, first; 2019 Nome Golovin, third; Mayor’s Cup 2005 and 2006, first; Mayor’s Cup 2011, third; K-150 2005 and 2006, first

Team 8

Sponsors: Team CC Ski-Doo, PowerMadd, Klim, VisonX Lighting, Rugged Radios, Stud Boy, Grip N Rip, Gueco Racing

Chad Gueco

Age: 39 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2020: eighth, 2017: second, 2016: sixth, 2015: sixth, 2012: sixth

Bio: Chad is a lifelong Alaskan who is up for anything that involves adventure. He works in the Alaska oilfield as a senior drilling supervisor. He has traveled all over the United States racing in multiple genres of racing on a professional level racing for multiple manufacturers. He has three children, daughters Allie (15) and Ella (12), and son Haiden (9). He and his partner are looking for an amazing year on the trail!

Personal sponsors: ASRC Arctic Slope Resource Corp., Alaska Spine Institute, Bill’s Distributing, Projekt 907, Klim, Fox Shox, Trail Tank, Well Solutions, Inc., Stud Boy Traction, Gueco Racing, Rip N Grip, Fine Line Interiors, RPM Composites, Independent Lift Truck, Rain Proof Roofing and my family. A special thanks to Korey Cronquist and a big shout-out to my father, Danny Gueco. It would not be possible without any of you!

Other race history: 2013 Alyeska Motor Madness XC, first; 2013 Valdez Mayor’s Cup XC, third; 2012 Eureka 100 XC, first; 2011 Valdez Mayor’s Cup, first; 2011 Eureka 100 XC, second; 2009 Ada, Minn., 100 XC, sixth; 2009 Red Lake Minn. 500 XC, sixth; 2008 Valdez Mayor’s Cup, third; 2008 Big Lake 500 Grand Prix, first; 2008 Thunder Bay, Mich., 200 Enduro, first; 2008 Alpena 300 Enduro Mich., first; 2004-2010 Soo I-500 Mich., first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and 12th; 2007 Eagle River World Championship, first

Cody Moen

Age: 38 d From: Nome

Riding: Ski-Doo MXZ-XRS Status: Rookie

Bio: I grew up in Washington state, moved to Alaska in 2011 to go offshore gold mining in Nome. I enjoy spending time with my beautiful daughter Kelise, family and friends. In my off time I like to hunt, fish, and ride mountain bikes.

Personal sponsors: Danny and Cheri Gueco, Korey and Barbara Cronquist, Western Gold Exploration, Arctic Sea Mining, Northwest Gold Diggers, The Christine Rose, Sturgeon Hard Pipe Mining, Shawn Pomrenke, Johnny Reid, Dave Young, Ken Kurr, Sound Trench, Bill Moen Construction, J&M Construction, Yaznax, Inc.

Other racing history: This is my fourth attempt at Iron Dog.

Iron Dog trivia

This

23

Jackie Page (Robertson) and Missy McClurg (Thibodeau) remain the only all-female team to have successfully finished the Iron Dog race. In February 2001, they became the first all-women team to finish the Pro Class race, placing 15th in 60 hours and

minutes.

year, Team 16, Hillarie Gossett and Ashley Wood, are aiming to join their ranks.

Sponsors: Polaris Racing, Rock Solid Pile Driving, Hatcher Pass Polaris, Rady Concrete, Aurora Drilling and Consulting, Klim, Stud Boy, Team Industries, Darby’s Performance Machine, Tri-Jet Precision Cutting LLC, 139 Designs, Interior Mobile Welding, PowerMadd, SLP, Treeline Construction, Advanced Powder Coating, Alaska Safety, Alaska Hose and Fastener Supply, Everts Air Cargo, Rugged Radios, Summit Coffee Co., Mulcare Lawncare, 49th State Remodeling

Shane Barber

Age: 48 d From: Willow

Riding: Polaris Cross Country

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2000: Finished, 2004: Finished third, 2006: Finished third, 2007: Finished third, 2009: Finished, 2014: Finished, 2015: Finished, 2018: Finished, 2019: Finished, 2021: Finished, 2022: Finished third Bio: I am a born and raised Alaskan with some Southern heritage. I live in Willow with my wife, Tammy, where we raised our three kids, Cody, Shana and Evan. I work on the North Slope as a contract drilling foreman for Hilcorp Ak. When I was in seventh grade we moved to Big Lake, where I got an after-school job at Fish Creek Marina with Billy Norman. This is where I fell in love with riding and racing snowmachines. Ever since watching Billy take off on Iron Dog it was my dream to do that someday. I have fed that dream with hard work and sacrifice and now find myself racing my 18th Iron Dog. Thank you to all our vets that allow us the freedom to do such things. God Bless.

Personal sponsors: First and foremost, I’d like to give credit to the man upstairs for blessing me with so many good things in my life, most of which were through grace.  I would also like to thank my beautiful wife, Tammy, and our kids Cody and Brandi, Brett and Shana, and Evan. My Spain family, Mom and Dad and the support from friends and family.

Other racing history: Iron Dog Pro Class 2001, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017, DNF; I’ve been racing a long time. It’s been fun.

Troy Conlon

Age: 32 d From: Fairbanks

Riding: Polaris Cross Country Matryx

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2016: Finished, 2017: Finished, 2020: Finished, 2021: Finished, 2022: Finished third Bio: At 2 years old I would ride circles in the yard on my dad’s 1972 Colt 250 until it ran out of gas, wait for him to fill me back up and do it again. By age 10, on my Indy Lite 340, my dad would take us to the Hoodoo Mountains to ride in the spring, and at 16 friends and I were backcountry riding almost every weekend. In 2013, I totaled my Assault 155 landing on a rock early in the season and I picked up an IQR while waiting for a replacement mountain sled. I entered my first cross country race and have been addicted ever since. Starting my Iron Dog journey in 2016 I quickly fell in love with the multifaceted challenge of the course, and each day’s trials. Most of my early-season riding is spent between training on the Iron Dog course between Big Lake and McGrath, and testing and tuning on the hundreds of miles of trails out my back door. After the Iron Dog l compete in the brutal Valdez Mayor’s Cup, as well as the Nome-Golovin 200, and the Archie Ferguson 220, two of the fast races on snow. My wife loves distance running, including the marathon and ultra-marathon distances. Together we love big game hunting, camping and being outdoors with the family. We have a 4-year-old son Carver who loves to tinker in the garage, build things, and ride bicycles, dirt bikes and snowmobiles. We also have 18-month-old twins Hatcher and Harlow, who keep us on our toes.

Personal sponsors: Chloe, Carver, Hatcher, Harlow, Jerry Conlon and Shannon Winner, Ron Johnson and Chelsea Stanya, Shane and Tammy Barber, Tanner Conlon, Ben Boswood, Candy Johnson, Brian Lee and Missy Conlon

Other racing history: Kotzebue, first; Mayor’s Cup first, second, third, fifth, 10th; Mayor’s Cup semi-pro first, third; Tanana 140 first, third; Motor Madness XC third, fifth; Nome-Golovin eighth

Team 10

Sponsors: Polaris Industries, Klim, Walker Evans Racing, Eagle River Polaris/AC, Northern Air Cargo, Polaris Engineered Lubricants, Baja Designs-The Scientists of Lighting, Stud Boy, Spernak & Son, Q-Trucking-Nome AK, Alaska Industrial X-Ray, Northern Solutions LLC, Anchorage Sheet Metal, UA Local 367, Fine Line Interiors, Nitro Trailers, Mission 22, Will-Velocity Sled Performance, PowerMadd, Rugged Radios, Tri Jet Manufacturing Services, Starting Line Products, Candy’s Cleaners, Arctic FX Graphics, Bering Air, Alaska Wild Project

Mike Morgan

Age: 37 d From: Nome

Riding: Polaris Indy Cross Country Racer

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2009: Finished, 2012: Finished, 2013: Finished, 2014: Finished, 2015: Finished, 2016: Finished, 2018: first, 2019: first, 2020: Finished, 2021: Finished, 2022: Finished

Bio: I grew up riding and racing snowmobiles from a young age in Northwest Alaska. Aside from racing snowmobiles, I enjoy hiking, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, traveling and spending time with friends and family. I work construction as a welder out of the UA Local 367 Pipefitters Union. This will be my 14th Iron Dog race and 12th with teammate Chris Olds.

Personal sponsors: Dad Stan and Ruby Morgan, Mom Ginny and Carl Emmons, Evan Booth, Emmons Mechanical, Ice Age Performance, Auto Armor of Alaska, Kannady Chiropractic, Morgan’s Sales & Service-Nome

Other race history: Five Nome-Golovin race wins; five Kotzebue race wins; 10 Top-5s in Iron Dog including seven Top-3s with two wins in 13 starts

Chris Olds

Age: 51 d From: Eagle River

Riding: Polaris Cross Country Status: Veteran

Race history: 2000: Finished, 2001: Finished, 2002: Finished, 2006: Finished, 2007: Finished, 2008: Finished, 2009: Finished, 2010: first, 2011: first, 2012: Finished, 2013: Finished, 2014: Finished, 2015: Finished, 2016: Finished, 2018: first, 2019: first, 2020: Finished, 2021: Finished, 2022: Finished Bio: I am married to Christine and have two children, Haley and Mya. I have grown up in Alaska and enjoy everything Alaskan, including hunting, fishing and anything outdoors. I enjoy riding dirt bikes, SXS, camping and hanging out with family and friends.

Personal sponsors: My family, Mom and Dad, my wife, Christine, and two children, Haley and Mya

Other race history: first, K-400; numerous Top-3 finishes in Hillclimb, Hillcross, Cross Country and Snowcross; 18 Top-10 and 16 Top-5 finishes in the Iron Dog.

Team 11

Sponsors

Tad Covault

compete and complete this great race. 2022’s race endeavors provided quite the learning curve and will hopefully break trail to a successful 2023 race. The wilderness always calls my name, and you can’t get much wilder than 2,503 miles of high speed, high adrenaline racing!

Personal sponsors: A huge thank-you to my wife, Sarah (an Iron Dog wife is a patient wife), our littles Demaris, Tyrena, Jackson, Karter and granddaughter Lucy; the rest of my family and friends, even – I mean especially – Chuck McHenry my coolest friend ever. Also, thanks to all of our sponsors, the amount of support and encouragement is truly humbling, and the Wagners for the opportunity to join Team 11. Without the support of all these fine people, this race wouldn’t be a reality! Pizza Box, Finishing Edge, Peninsula Powersports, The Best Shop, Guth’s Lodge, Peninsula Plowing, Live Wire Electric, Pinnacle Mechanical, Inc., Carmody Masonry, Klim, Edward Jones, Northern Lights Espresso, Orca Theaters, Jim and Patti Jolin (parents), Robert and Robin Hills (parents), Kenai River Haven, Homer Elks Lodge #2127, Foster Construction

Other racing history: 2018 Arctic Man Hill Cross. Entered with a mountain sled, discovered quickly Iron Dog sleds were way faster and fly higher. Let’s not discuss what place I finished. 2022 Iron Dog, DNF

David Wagner

Age: 53 d From: Arnold, Calif.

Riding: 2023 Polaris Cross Country

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2022: Finished

Bio: Born and raised in a small town in Wyoming, David has always had a great love and passion for challenging the outdoors, specifically by pushing himself beyond his limits in snowmobiling. Raised around his father’s motorcycle and snowmobile races, David has always known he wants to break through the physical limits of snowmobiling. He has shared his passion of snowmobiling with both his children and wife, who also fell in love with the extreme sport. He feels extremely blessed to have such an awesome support system always pushing him to be better and cheering him all through all moments of his life. He completed the 2022 Iron Dog race and was left wanting more, thus he’s ready to push through and beat his past record!

Personal sponsors: California Custom Trailers & Power Sports, Action Realty, Dave and Mary Wagner, Melissa Wagner, Sarah Palin, Greg and Ginny Robertson, Brian and Jennifer Fassbender

Team 12

Sponsors: Team CC, Fineline Interiors, Doug Swanson

Christopher Collins

Age: 41 d From: Kotzebue

Riding: Ski-Doo Competition

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2013: Finished, 2016: Finished, 2022: Finished

Bio: I love being outdoors and doing outdoor activities such as build cabins and commercial fish for salmon during the summer season. Hunting and fishing make up most of my fall-season activities. Riding backcountry and cross-country on Ski-Doo sleds takes up most of my winter and has for over 20 years. I have raced Ski-Doo sleds since 2001 and started on the MXZx 800. I have really enjoyed this Iron Dog race and what it brings to communities.

Personal sponsors: Thank you to my wife for your support over the last seven entries to the big race, Jana and Braelynn, Martin Shroyer and family, Howard and Freda Beasley, Randy Toshavic, Powder Coating Alaska, Mike Hadley Sr., Kyle Erbeck, Dicki Moto Jr., Alice and Justin Hadley, Copper River Salmon, Bruce Nelson

Other racing history: Numerous podium finishes in the Archie Ferguson/Willie Goodwin Memorial Races, Nome-Golovin 200 races, smaller cross-country races around the Northwest Region of Alaska.

Douglas Wicken

Age: 35 d From: Kotzebue

Riding: Ski-Doo Competition Status: Veteran Race history: 2022: Finished Bio: I am from Northwest Alaska currently living at my homestead Ivik 25 miles northeast of Kotzebue. I’m married to my beautiful wife, Nikki, for 11 years and we have four amazing kids. This will be my second Iron Dog. I worked two years as a cargo handler and six years as a A&P mechanic for Bering Air. When I’m not working on airplanes, I enjoy the Alaskan lifestyle.

Personal sponsors: Wife Nikki, kids Reilly, Rex, Roy, Fern, Bruce Nelson, Echo and Blanche Swanson, Kyle and Dawn Erbeck, Arctic Backcountry, Ray and Trisha Parker, Howard and Freda Beasley, Martin Shroyer and family, Mike Hadley Sr., Justin and Alice Hadley, Bering Air, Inc., Powder Coating Alaska, Colton Sieh, Leo Ford.

Other racing history: 2004 Junior snocross: first

Team 13

Sponsors: Polaris Racing, Polaris Engineered Lubricants, Fly Racing, C&A Pro Skis, Woody’s Traction Products, J. Bauer Trucking, Inc., Rigid Industries, Rugged Radios, Backwoods BMP, Deviant Ink, Airtec Sports Menomonie

Leah Bauer

Age: 35 d From: Eau Claire, Wis.

Riding: Polaris Indy Cross Country Status: Rookie

Bio: Professional fun-haver. Adrenaline junkie. I love to go fast. I race snowmobiles and cars. I also like wake boat surfing in the summer and playing volleyball. Other hobbies include snowboarding, working out, modeling and off-roading.

Personal sponsors: Special thank-you to Bruce and Lori Olson for helping over my entire racing career; huge thanks to my parents for being my No. 1 fans throughout the years, and for all the love and support. Sorry I’ve been telling you every season that “this is my last year of racing.” Here we go again, haha; my boyfriend who’s been so understanding of my travel and training for the race; our fans who have purchased Team 13 merchandise to help with race costs; Anytime Fitness Eau Claire; Racer Coffee; POD Active; Fuel Clothing Other racing history: USXC Park Rapids 200: 2017, second, Pro Women’s Class; I-500: 2017, fourth, Pro Women’s Class; COR Powersports Lakewoods 100: 2018, second, Pro Women’s Class; USXC Dyrdahl Memorial 200: 2019, first, Pro Women’s Class; COR Powersports Lakewoods 100: 2019, first, Pro Women’s Class, first, Sport Factory 600; COR Powersports Lakewoods 100: 2021, first, Pro Women’s Class; COR Powersports Heartland 200: 2021, second, Pro Women’s Class

Jacob Dahle

Age: 34 d From: Morristown, Minn.

Riding: Polaris Indy XCR

Status: Rookie

Bio: Living proof that nobody is perfect.

Personal sponsors: Mom, Grandma, Troy and Brenda, Bruce and Lori Olson, American Express, Visa – I’ve spent a lot of money to not win a lot of money.

Casey Boylan

Age: 28 d From: Palmer

Riding: Polaris Cross country Status: Veteran

Race history: 2017: sixth as rookie team, 2018: fifth, 2019: third, 2021: second

Bio: Born and raised in Anchorage, I started racing dirt bikes when I was 9 years old and snowmachines when I was 10. I now live in Palmer and really enjoy everything this state has to offer. My racing career really took off in 2009 when I left the state to race snocross at a national level up until 2014 later leading in to racing my first Iron Dog in 2017 and haven’t missed one since.

Personal sponsors: Polaris Racing, AK Frost, Fly Racing, Anchorage Yamaha/Polaris, Value Liquor, Big Dream Transport, Bill Bishop, Boylan Boyz Racing, Leslie Racing, C&A pro skis, Stud Boy, Bailey’s Rental, Rox speedFX, Fine Line Interior, Hillside Audio, Carlile Transportation, Swole City, Tri-jet, Overland Transport, Lone Pine Fabrication, Hydrate Alaska, Hard Rok Plumbing, Unleashed HP.

Other race history: 2010 ISOC National Sport Super Stock-first, second & third; 2011 Podiumed every National; 2012 Pro Lite ISOC Regional champion; 2012 Pro Lite ISOC National multiple Top-5 finishes; 2013 Pro Stock ISOC Regional champion; 2014 Arctic Man men’s snowboard win; 2015 Mayor’s Cup Cross Country pro class win; 2017 Mayor’s Cup-third, pro class; 2017 Skwentna 200, second; 2018 Mayor’s Cup, first

Bryan Leslie

Age: 29 d From: Anchorage

Riding: Polaris Indy Cross Country

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2017: sixth, 2018: fifth, 2019: third, 2021: second Bio: I was born and raised in Alaska and have been racing many different motor sports competitively for more than 16 years. When I’m not working or training, I enjoy exploring our great state, traveling, fishing, camping and being at the cabin with my wife and family.

Personal sponsors: Polaris, Anchorage Yamaha and Polaris, AK Frost, Walker Evens Shocks, Fly Racing, Statewide Door and Glass, Carlile, Big State Concrete Coating LLC, Lone Pine Fabricators, New Horizons Telecom, IBEW 1547, Tri Jet, A2D Sledworks, Delta Constructors, Boehmer services, Boylan Boyz Racing, Leslie Racing, Bill Bishop, Ben Cruz, my wife, Tyler; friends and family

Other race history: 2015 AMMC semi pro champ; 2015 Larry Heal, first; 2015 Arctic Man Ice-X, first

Team 16

Sponsors: Polaris Racing, In-Line Industries, Laguna Pacific Fisheries, Klim, Eagle River Polaris Arctic Cat, Polaris Engineered Lubricants, Skwentna Roadhouse, Baja Designs, Tri-Jet Precision Cutting LLC, Back in Action Physical Therapy, Lone Pine Fabrication, Stud Boy Traction Products, Town Realty, Hydrate Alaska, Revive Aesthetics & Spa

Hillarie Gossett

Age: 34 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Polaris Cross Country

Status: Rookie

Bio: My favorite titles are “wife” and “mother of two.” That said, “Alaskan Adventurer” is a close third! I’m a race mom. My 9-year-old son races cross-country sleds, my 4-year-old daughter doesn’t know a world without a Polaris in it, we help sponsor children in our community to race, we promote moms and dads getting back into racing themselves, and my husband is a race

organizer. But before all that I grew up the youngest of three in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. My brother and sister are both deaf and nine years older, which definitely took some adjusting on my parents’ part when I came around. Everyone who meets me likely says the same. Once Alaska’s Athlete of the Year, if I wasn’t on the basketball court or track, I found solace in Alaska’s backcountry. My memories as a young girl are filled with adventures rafting the Gates of the Arctic, climbing the Talkeetnas behind my home and on snowmachine hunts in the Japan Hills: all with my dad. His dream to forge through Alaska’s unknown was a passion I was happy to adopt. I am now an educational American Sign Language interpreter. I am extremely active in local nonprofits from community theater, to organizing youth cross-country snowmachine events with my husband, and promoting Deaf and Hard of Hearing advocacy throughout the state. I am grateful for the support received from such pillars in this amazing racing community to take on this challenge. Winter in Alaska isn’t her complete self unless Iron Dog is mentioned. Tim, Grayson, Parker ... I love you!

Personal sponsors: Riækt Consulting, Klim, Skwentna Roadhouse, Hatcher Pass Polaris, families and friends of Alaska Cross Country Racing, Gardner family, Putnam family, Krause family, Bobby, Shaw Sundog Staff.

Other racing history: Skwentna 200: 2022, first, Women’s Class; 2021, second, Women’s Class; 2021, sixth, Semipro. Hatcher Pass Boulder Dash: 2022, fifth, Women’s Class. Successful Farewell bison hunt: 2022. Successful Rex Trail muzzleloader hunt: 2022. Hatcher Pass Boulder Dash: 2022, Women’s Class assistant organizer. Hatcher Pass Boulder Dash Women’s Class: 2022, purse sponsor. Skwentna 200: 2023, event sponsor. Alaska Cross Country Racing: 2021, 2022, race organizer.

Ashley Wood

Age: 34 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Polaris Cross Country Status: Rookie

Bio: Born and raised on the Kenai Peninsula and now residing in Wasilla the past 15 years, I have worked in the industry of construction and business management. When not working or racing, my other half, Rob, and I enjoy riding long tracks from our cabin, dirt biking and hunting. Racing sno-x, short cross-country races and being involved in the race community since my late teens, seeking the adventure and challenge of traveling western Alaska via snowmachine seemed to be what was next. This will be my third Iron Dog race.

Personal sponsors: Robert Ross, NorthBound Fitness

Team 19

Sponsors

Chad Moore

Age: 40 d From: Sterling

Riding: Polaris Cross Country  Status: Rookie

Bio: I’m a lifelong Alaskan chasing a lifelong goal.

Personal sponsors: Polaris race department, Team Barber Racing, Peninsula Power Sports, PowerMadd, Yellow Jacket, Klim, Walker Evans, Stud Boy, 4D Carpet One, Thata Inspections, Cruz Construction, Tri-jet Southcentral Communications, Sweeney’s, Moose River Dental Other racing history: Mayor’s Cup 2021; Skwentna 200, 2021, third; Mayor’s Cup 2022, second; Skwentna 200, 2022

Travis Temple

Age: 34 d From: Soldotna

Riding: Polaris Cross Country Status: Rookie

Bio: I was born and raised in Soldotna and grew up racing motocross and riding sleds. I love the outdoors: hunting, fishing, camping

Sponsor: Polaris Racing

and spending time with family and friends. My wife, Crystal Temple, is a giant part of me doing this race; she is as committed as I am with it.

Personal sponsors: Polaris race department, Team Barber Racing, SLP, Peninsula Power Sports, PowerMadd, Yellow Jacket, Klim, Walker Evans, Stud Boy, 4D Carpet One, Thata Inspections, Cruz Construction, Tri Jet, Southcentral Communications, Sweeney’s, Moose River Dental

Other racing history: 2021 Skwentna 200, third; 2021 Valdez Mayor’s Cup, sixth; 2022 Skwentna 200, fifth

Team 20

Sponsors: Ski-Doo, Sukup Manufacturing Co., DHS Grain LTD, Alaska Boiler and Burner, Klim, Ollie’s Service, Inc., Johnson Jetline, Alaska Mining and Diving Supply, Alaska Motorsports & Equipment, Norcoast Mechanical, Inc., Woody’s Traction Products, Grip N Rip Racing, Fine Line Interiors, 139 Designs

Geoff Crouse

Age: 39 d From: Anchorage

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade X-RS Status: Veteran

Race history: 2013: Finished, 2016: Finished, 2018: Finished Bio: Geoff was born and raised in Alaska and has been riding snowmobiles for more than 20 years. When Geoff is not riding his snowmobile, he enjoys spending time with his friends riding mountain bikes, four-wheeling and watching his boys play baseball. He is employed by Norcoast Mechanical. Geoff has been married for 15 years to his wife, Jenna, and they have two sons Blake and Eli.

Personal sponsors: Jenna Crouse, Doc and Laurie Crouse, Mark and Lynne Vaughn, Brad Helwig

Dieter Strobel

Age: 42 d From: Barrett, Minn.

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade 600 XRS Competition Status: Veteran

Race history: 2018: eighth Bio: Married to Megan with two awesome kids Brooklyn and Bennett. Own and operate a grain-handling construction and sales business and auto repair shop. In the summer we spend time riding Harleys, dirt biking and at the cabin taking the surf boat out.

Personal sponsors: DHS Grain LTD, SUKUP, Kurt Steiner, Gary Bates. Thank you to family and friends for all the support. And everyone else that has made this possible especially my wife, Megan, daughter Brooklyn and son Bennett.

Other racing history: Iron Dogs 2015-2017: DNF, 2014: expedition class finisher with a team of seven.

Team 21

Sponsors: Cruz Construction, Alaska West Air, Polaris Screens & Signs, Kenai Backcountry Adventures, Team CC, XPS Oil, Ski-Doo, Mainstreet Tap & Grill, Big Mike Racing, Small Town Famous, Tripoint Alaska, CCI

Duncan Brewer

Age: 28 d From: Kenai

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade Status: Rookie

Bio: Born and raised on the Kenai Peninsula. When I’m not working for the family air taxi I’m outside flying, hunting, fishing, trapping, riding sleds and more recently spending time with my newborn daughter Amelia. The Iron Dog has always been a challenge I’ve wanted to take on after seeing my father and other family friends run it for many years. This is truly an opportunity

of a lifetime for me, and I look forward to the trail.

Personal sponsors: Jon Easter and family, Ryan Peterkin  Other racing history: 2022 Skwentna 200, finished

Cole Crandall

Age: 24 d From: Kenai

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade X-RS Status: Rookie

Bio: I was born and raised in Alaska. I grew up racing motocross all over the state. I rode sleds in the backcountry for years, but in the past couple of years I have transitioned in cross-country riding.

Personal sponsors: Klim, Stud Boy, 27 Red, Alaska West Air

Team 23

Sponsors: Team CC, Wilderness Ski-Doo, Q Trucking, Klim, Nome Grown, Battery Specialists, Metal Super Market, Lone Pine, Arctic Metal Works, Fine Line Interiors, Rugged Radio, Alaska Safety, Ragchew Radio Club

Jarvis Miller

Age: 31 d From: Nome

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade Status: Veteran

Race history: 2019: fifth and rookie of the year, 2022: Finished Bio: I was born and raised in Nome, where I reside with my fiancé, Hattie, and our two daughters, Kaia and Lexi. I enjoy spending time with my family and everything the outdoors has to offer including fishing, hunting, boating and racing snowmachines. I work for Q Trucking Company as a heavy equipment operator.

Personal sponsors: Hattie Keller and daughters Kaia and Lexi Miller; Joe and Terry Miller; Q Trucking, Charley and Jennifer Reader; Grip N Rip; Klim; Wilderness Ski-Doo, Johnny Bahnke III; Team CC Ski-Doo; Quality Auto Parts, Geoff Hubert; Blanche and Echo Swanson; Tom and Cindy Massie, Envision Designs; Chelsea Miller; and all the volunteers and checkers along the way who help make this race possible.

Other racing history: 2019 Nome-Golovin 200: 2019, second; 2018, first open class and first overall; 2015, third; 2011, first open class; 2010, third and rookie of the year. 2018 and 2013 Kotzebue Archie Ferguson Willie Goodwin Memorial Race: second place both times; 2011 Elim- Koyuk Race, second

Jordan Miller

Age: 33 d From: Nome

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade XRS Competition Status: Veteran

Race history: 2022: Finished Bio: I have lived in Alaska my entire life, bouncing back and forth between Nome and Anchorage. I recently started a general contractor company “Northern Lights,” working on homes in Northwest Alaska. I’m also an electrician for the IBEW local 1547. I enjoy anything with a motor or that has to do with the outdoors. Hunting and fishing with my beautiful wife, Chelsea, is something we look forward to each year.

Personal sponsors: Chelsea Miller, Joe and Terry Miller, Jarvis and Hattie, Charley and Jennifer Reader, Blanche and Echo, Tom and Cindy Massie, Obsessive Lighting, Klim, Wilderness Ski-Doo, Envision Designs, Grip N Rip, Q Trucking Company, Quality Auto Parts, Team CC Ski-Doo, Alaska Safety, Robert “Mansey” Magnuson, Tanner Baker; all the volunteers and checkers along the trail.

Sponsors: SBS Transportation, Hanson Racing Engines, BMP-Bikeman Performance, Northwoods Heads, XLT Engineering, Ainsworth Law

Eric Christensen

Age: 56 d From: Centuria, Wis.

Riding: 2023 Polaris Cross Country Status: Rookie

Bio: Born and raised in Wisconsin. Currently employed at Polaris Industries, in my 29th year. Married to my wife, Julie, for 20 years. In 2022, I was part of the Team 77 ambassador team that rode in the Expedition Class, and along that journey I met Charlie Potter and over the summer asked him to be my partner for 2023.

Personal sponsors: Pro 5 Racing, Bunke Racing, Capstone Clinic, Remote Alaska Solutions, PowerMadd, B&M Fabrications, Midwest Machinery, Lube Tech, Polaris, Klim, RXGoggles, Julie Christensen, Gary Smetana

Other racing history: I have participated in 22 I-500s starting in 1988. Finished in top 10 pro classes and many podium finishes in 40+ and 50+

Charlie Potter

Age: 39 d From: Big Lake

Riding: Polaris XCR Status: Veteran

Race history: 2009: Finished, 2012: Finished, 2014: Finished, 2015: Finished, 2016: Finished, 2017: Finished, 2021: Finished, 2022: Finished

Bio: I grew up in Big Lake and once I graduated high school, I joined the Army in 2002 as a combat engineer. I was deployed to Iraq in 2004 and was hit by an RPG putting me in the hospital for almost a year. Once I recovered, I decided that to prove to myself that “no matter what happened you can do anything you set your mind to.” So, I decided to try the Iron Dog and from there 13 runs down the trail later I have taken more veterans down the trail and started Battle Buddies, racing to help troops feel like they are still part of a team. I really enjoy spending time in the outdoors and rodeo in the summertime. I am an equipment operator for remote Alaska solutions.

Personal sponsors: The law office of B. Neal Ainsworth

Other racing history: I’ve raced all around the state with multiple Top-3 finishes and multiple first-place wins in events like Arctic Man, Mayor’s Cup and the Hoodoo 150

Team 30

Sponsors: ASRC Energy Services, Beacon Health, Cruz Construction, Strata Deep Constructors, Pioneer Peak Asphalt, RMG Real Estate Network-Keller Williams, Big Dreams Transport, Karis Integrative Medicine, Master Auto, Tiffany Ischinger, First Rate Financial, Hatcher Pass Polaris, Chepo’s, Heat Source, Valley Residential Fence, Polaris Racing, Eagle River Polaris and Arctic Cat, A2D Sledworks, Trijet Manufacturing, Stud Boy, Innovative Off Road-Vision X, Klim, PowerMadd, The Powder Coat Shop

Blake Elder

Age: 33 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Polaris Cross Country

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2019: Finished, 2021: Finished

Bio: I was born in Colorado and raised in Alaska; I love to race in this beautiful state! I love to adventure with my beautiful wife, Natalie, and my three daughters. We love all of the adventures that this life and this great state have to offer, and I am very thankful and blessed by the support of my family in this great race! Racing with Kody as my partner is great, and we work well together in all of the race prep items and in the race itself.  What a blast! Time to go fast!

:

Kiley

Other racing history: 2019 Mayor’s Cup Semi Pro, third

Kody Worley

Age: 37 d From: Wasilla Riding: Polaris 2022 XCR Status: Rookie Bio: Last year was the first year racing the Iron Dog and I am hooked now. My wife, Emily, and two children Abel and Laina continue to push me and keep the dream alive. I grew up in Montana and I’m thankful for my parents who taught me to ride and rode thousands of miles a year. I’ve been racing and riding motocross and snowmachines my entire life and look forward to racing another year with Blake. My spare time is spent building shocks, hunting, camping and jeeping with my family.

Personal sponsors: Barb and Mark Worley, Thomas and Sherry Whitstine, my family and friends, ASRC Energy, Beacon OHSS, Pioneer Peak Asphalt and dozens of others who helped along the way.

Team 31

Sponsors: Polaris Racing, Stud Boy, Klim, Northstar Supply, DGK Racing, PowerMadd, Trijet Manufacturing, Hatcher Pass Polaris

Evan Barber

Age: 18 d From: Willow Riding: Polaris Cross Country Status: Veteran Race history: 2021: Finished Bio: I am 18 years old, and I was born and raised in Willow. Since I was a toddler, I have always enjoyed spending my time on anything with a motor. When I’m not riding, working or wrenching I’m spending my free time with my amazing and supportive girlfriend, Grace. I am an apprentice at Alaska Directional.

Personal sponsors: Klim, Team Barber Racing, Polaris, Aurora Auto Detailing, Northern Supply, Hatcher Pass Polaris, 139 Designs, Bell Helmets, GoPro, Cork’s Auto, Mobius Braces, Tork

Other race history: Mayor’s Cup 2019: fifth, semi pro; Mayor’s Cup 2020: first, semi pro; Mayor’s Cup 2021: third, pro; Mayor’s Cup 2022: fourth, pro; Hatcher Pass Boulder Dash 2021: third, pro; Skwentna 200 2022: second, pro

Kelly Sommer

Age: 35 d From: Fairbanks

Riding: Polaris Cross Country Status: Veteran

Race history: 2012: Finished, 2019: Finished, 2022: Finished Bio: I grew up in Nulato; I like racing snowmachines and working in the middle of nowhere for construction companies. This will be my seventh Iron Dog race. I’m thankful for the support and happy to be racing again I can’t wait to get out on the trail.

Personal sponsors: Randy Kangas, George Demoski, Earl and Joyce Sommer, Doug and Gloria, Kyle and Anesha and Devin and Tanner, Jesse Darling/Amaguq Media

Other racing history: 2018 Tanana 140, fifth; Kotz AF/WG, finished; 2019 Mayor’s Cup, finished; Fort Yukon, second; 2021 Mayor’s Cup, second semi-pro; 2021 Skwentna 200, fifth; 2022 Mayor’s Cup, seventh, pro

Personal sponsors

Natalie, Kenna, Kori,

Elder, Amy Elder, Chris and Elizabeth Elder, Kevin and Janet Goard

Team 33

Sponsors: Alaskan Grown Cannabis, Danny Gueco / Team CC, Grip N Rip, Stud Boy, Bering Air, NWAB, Wally Carter, Jr., Aya Goodwin, Brice Construction, Baja Designs

Michael Hensley

Age: 21 d From: Kotzebue

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade

Status: Rookie

Bio: I like to race snowmachines.

Personal sponsors: Mom and Dad, Ozzy’s little family, Ahna and Tatta, Dublin’s shop, Frankie Lane, Bobby Frankson, Wally Carter, Jr., Iron Dog Team 12, Big Mike Hadley, Skid Mark Johnson, Micah Huss, Uncle Booker TL and Aunty Shy, Robert Nazuruk, Candice Brown, Iron Dog Team 8

George Lambert

Age: 34 d From: Kotzebue

Riding: Ski-Doo XRS

Status: Rookie

Bio: I was born and raised in Kotzebue. I enjoy hunting, fishing and racing snowmachines! I am the assistant manager at Alaskan Grown Cannabis and also commercial fish during the summer.

Personal sponsors: My fiancé, Candice Brown, and our kids Haley, Anthony, Darvin, Tallon, Zoey, Calianna, Jaycee, Luica, Gary and Ohlin. Mike and Tina Hensley, Harold Lambert, Paulette Schuerch, Barns Sheldon, Aya Goodwin, Wally Carter Jr., Qutan Lambert, Jacqui Lambert, Ned Lambert, Silas Pennington, Mike and Lydia Scott; everyone who has purchased our Team 33 gear and made donations!

Other racing history: 2022 Season Opener, first, 600 and open class; 2022 Knight Riders, first, 600 and open class; 2022 Nome-Golovin, first, 600 class; 2022 Archie Ferguson-Willie Goodwin, first, 600 class; 2022 Last Chance Race, first, 600 class

Team 37

Sponsors: Sobetski Enterprises, Bouman Enterprises, Hildebrand Sod, S&L Fosty, Thalberg Farm and Auto, CSM Construction, Delmar Commodities, P&H Grain, Nutrien, Eastcrete Readymix

Mark Fosty

Age: 37 d From: Stead, Canada

Riding: Polaris Cross Country

Status: Veteran Race history: 2020: 11th, 2021: 10th Bio: My family and I own and operate a grain farm in Southeastern Manitoba. When we’re not working, we spend our time outdoors fishing, camping and racing MDR on our dirt bikes. In winter we hunt and ride our snowmachines.

Personal sponsors: Sobetski Enterprises, Bouman Enterprises, East Crete Concrete, Hildebrand Sod, S&L Fosty Farms, Rugged Radios, Thalberg Farm and Auto, CSM Construction, Delmar Commodities, P&H Grain. Thank you to my wife, Kandace, and my boys Maxton and Logan for giving me the time to prepare and compete in this race. I would also like to thank everyone from back home for the support. You guys are awesome. Our sponsor for supporting and believing in us. We couldn’t do it without you. Also, thanks to my buddy Ben. Looking forward to ripping our third Iron Dog together – hopefully faster than ever!

Other racing history: Iron Dog is the only cross-country race I have competed in. I figured 35 was a good time to start my cross-country career!

Ben Hildebrand

Age: 36 d From: Stead, Canada

Riding: Polaris XCR

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2020: 11th, 2021: 10th Bio: Me and my teammate are both farmers from rural Manitoba, Canada. While Mark makes his mark feeding the masses with his grain operation, me and my family operate a sod farm, making the world a greener place. Due to travel restrictions last year, we couldn’t compete, but this year we are excited to be back and looking forward to the challenges only Iron Dog has to offer. In the off season, I got married to my beautiful wife, Claudia, who happens to have no problem with me doing another Iron Dog, which really adds to the feeling that I got a good one!

Team 39

Sponsors: Polaris Racing, Hatcher Pass Polaris, Klim, Stud Boy, PowerMadd, Zollinger Racing Products, Rock Solid Pile Company, Palmer Dental Center, Tri Jet Manufacturing, Valley Imaging, Spain Excavating, Walker Evans Racing, 139 Designs

Cody Barber

Age: 29 d From: Willow Riding: Polaris XCR Status: Veteran Race history: 2015: Finished, 2016: Finished, 2019: Finished, 2021: Finished Bio: My name is Cody Barber. I work on the North Slope as a facility operator. I spend my time with my wife and four kids. We do a lot of snowmachine and wheeler riding, hunting, fishing, building and enjoying the beauty that Willow has to offer. Personal sponsors: My Iron Dog partner, Brett Lapham, for opening up his house and shop to my family to build sleds and make this happen. My wife, Brandi Barber, all of our kiddos, Mom and Dad, Shana and Evan, my mother-in-law Carla, Grandpa Mike, Grandma Michelle, Grandpa Jack, the Neffendorfs, Clint Montague, Ricky Castro, my small crew of coworkers at LPC facility and the rest of my family as well, I really could not do this without you all. So, thank you very much.

Other race history: 2011 X-Country semi-pro State Champion; 2011, first, Valdez Mayor’s Cup semi-pro; 2012, second, Valdez Mayor’s Cup pro class; 2019, third, Valdez Mayor’s Cup pro class; 2022, second, Valdez Mayor’s Cup pro class; 2022, second in the partner race Skwentna 200 (partner Evan Barber)

Brett Lapham

Age: 30 d From: Willow Riding: Polaris Cross Country  Status: Veteran

Race history: 2015: Finished, 2016: Finished, 2019: Finished, 2020: Finished, 2021: Finished Bio: Brett was born and raised in Alaska and currently lives in his hometown of Willow. He enjoys doing all the Alaskan adventures and hobbies with his family right out of his backyard. This will be his seventh time racing Iron Dog. Besides having a passion for snowmobiling he enjoys meeting all the great people along the way and the adventure it always is leaving the starting line.

Personal sponsors: My wife Shana, Barber family and all our other friends and family that supports us.

Other racing history: Mayor’s Cup 2012, semi-pro, first; Mayor’s Cup 2014, pro class, fourth; Willow XC 2013, pro class, first; Mayor’s Cup 2019, pro class, fourth; Boulder Dash 2022, pro class, second

Team 41

Sponsors: Northern Asphalt, Fine Line Interiors, Klim

Haakon Wold

Age: 17 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade 600XRS

Status: Rookie

Bio: I was born and raised in Alaska and love to be outdoors. I enjoy snowmachining, dirt biking and fishing. I also like to spend time with friends and family.

Other race history: Mayor’s Cup in Valdez and the Skwentna 200 (2022)

Wayne Wold

Age: 48 d From: Wasilla

Riding:  Ski-Doo Renegade 600XRS

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2008: Finished, 2013: Finished

Personal sponsors: Northern Asphalt, Fine Line Interiors, Vulcan Towing, AAA Fence, Motor Fist, Creech Motor Sports, Snap On (Stan Marshal), Alaska Hydraulics, High Performance Auto, Danny’s Auto Body, Creative Audio and Security, Action Sign and Graphics, Alaska Safety, L and M Supply

Other race history: Skwentna 200 (2022)

Team 44

Sponsors: Team Arctic Cat

Frank Ferreira

Age: 42 d From: Kotzebue

Riding: Arctic Cat RXC

Status: Veteran

Race history: 2012: Finished

Bio: I’m a lifelong Alaskan, love being outdoors with my family. Me and my son, Malaki, will be running the race together.

Personal sponsors: Family and friends

Other race history: A couple of third-place finishes for Last Chance race; AF/WG Races: ninth, 2014 600 class; fifth, 2017 open class; eighth, 2018 600 class

Malaki Ferreira

Age: 18 d From: Kotzebue

Riding: Arctic Cat

Status: Rookie

Bio: I grew up on a snowmobile; my whole life I’ve always challenged myself and see what I can achieve and know my capabilities. I have three snowmobile wins: two first place and one third place. I grew up with a racing family; my dad’s side of the family have history in racing, and we all have passion in this sport.

Iron Dog trivia

Team 49

Sponsors: Polaris Racing, Anchorage Well and Pump Service, Doug VanWingerden R&D, FXR Racing, Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, Stud Boy, Shaklee Resource Center, Hatcher Pass Polaris, Walker Evans Racing, Alaska Aircraft Cylinders, Dixon Aviation, Hygear Suspension, Tracks USA, L&M Supplies Dillingham, IceAge Performance

Todd Palin

Age: 58 d From: Big Lake

Riding: Polaris Cross Country

Status: Veteran

Racing history: 1993: Finished, 1995: first Place, 1997: Finished, 1998: Finished, 2000: first Place, 2001: Finished, 2002: first Place, 2004: Finished, 2005: Finished, 2006: Finished, 2007: first Place, 2008: Finished, 2009: Finished, 2011: Finished, 2012: Finished, 2013: Finished, 2015: Finished, 2018: Finished, 2020: Finished, 2021: Finished Bio: This is Todd’s 28th Iron Dog race! He’s enjoyed four victories, four runners-up and several Top-10 finishes. Todd is a lifelong Alaskan, a commercial Salmon fisherman in Bristol Bay in his hometown of Dillingham, former BP Alaska North Slope production operator, and is Alaska’s first First Gentlemen. Todd is the proud parent of five great kids and nine grandkids: Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper, Trig, Tripp, Kyla, Sailor, Charlie, Atlee, Blaise, Banks, Anna and Pace.

Personal sponsors: Polaris Racing, Hatcher Pass Polaris, L&M Supplies, IceAge Performance, Stud Boy, Zugger Shocks

Klinton VanWingerden

Age: 42 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Polaris Matrix Cross Country Status: Veteran

Race history: 2014: Finished, 2015: Finished, 2016: Finished, 2017: Finished, 2018: Finished, 2019: Finished, 2020: Finished, 2021: Finished, 2022: Finished Bio: Racing has been a part of my family history starting with my dad and uncle racing stock cars at Capital Speedway in Willow. My brother and I got into motocross, which progressed into snowmobile racing. This will be my 10th consecutive year running this amazing race as Team Sons Of Thunder (SOT) — Irondog Team 49. Each race has presented significant challenges. I’ve learned many life lessons about the importance of perseverance, enduring struggle, working hard — all requirements for finishing the World’s Longest, Toughest, Snowmobile Race. I’m so thankful for the many people that make up this team (family, friends, sponsors). It has been our desire to run this race in a way that points everyone to the victory available through Christ Jesus, the Savior of the World. For more info on Team SOT, visit us on Facebook at: Irondog Team #49 “Sons of Thunder”

Personal sponsors: My beautiful wife and best friend, Calli; my awesome kids Reese and Miles, who push me to be better; family and friends, for your continued prayers and support!

Brad George’s 2021 race victory brings to three the number of second-generation family names with a championship title: Faeo, Davis and George. Brad George’s father, Andy George, won the race in 2006 with Dwayne Drake. Scott Faeo won the race with Eric Quam in 2015, and Cory Davis and Ryan Simons took the 2017 title. Scott’s father, John Faeo, and Cory’s father, Scott Davis, are tied with the most victories at seven each.

Iron Dog Expedition Class 2023

Team 50

Sponsors: Polaris Industries, Bergeron Mechanical, Hatcher Pass Polaris Willow, KEBRT Leasing

Kim Bergeron

Age: 54 d From: Dublin, N.H.

Riding: Polaris Switchback Assault

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I’m a small-business owner who volunteers at the local, state and international level to foster and promote the sport of snowmobiling. My passion is getting people out on the snow. I like helping different user groups work together to find common ground so everyone can enjoy the outdoors. I live in New Hampshire and have property in Trapper Creek.

Personal sponsors: Special thanks to my personal support team including my wife of 25 years, Jennifer, son Jason and daughter Amanda. My family has supported my “adventures,” and I would not be the man I am without them. Thanks to Alaska friends Randy Bedard and Dan Bembenek who introduced me to Alaska and ride with me to this day on two wheels and snowmachine. Thank you to good friend JP Bernier for always “pushing me” a bit farther and being there when I need a pick-me-up. Thank you to all Iron Dog volunteers who put in countless hours to make the trail as safe as possible. Thank you, Hatcher Pass Polaris, Bergeron Mechanical Systems and Polaris Industries for your support.

Other race history: Expedition class finisher in 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022

Jean-Pierre Bernier

Age: 51 d From: Hancock, N.H.

Riding: Polaris Switchback Assault

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: Wilderness adventures were not a part of my early years; I was a city kid. After moving to northern New England, I began rock and ice climbing and mountaineering in my early 20s —traveling extensively for months at a time throughout North America to climb and hang from any mountain or cliff in my path. I developed my passion for motorsports a little later in life, in my late 30s. I am now an avid enduro dirt bike rider/racer who loves both the competition and the opportunity for time in the woods with friends. My wife would tell you that riding is a big part of what defines me. I have successfully completed two Expedition Class Iron Dog runs and am excited for my third! I am a proud father of two teenage boys. Our oldest son, Oscar (20), is currently enrolled as a student at SNHU. My son Harrison (18), is a high school senior and is deeply involved in soccer and tennis. My wife and I each own small businesses. I am the owner/ operator of a business providing logistical support for Amazon-based retailers. My brilliant wife of 23 years, Kristen, is a brand development consultant and executive coach. We both love our life together in the woods of New England. Personal sponsors: Klim, Red Barn Logistics, K.E. Bergeron Mechanical Systems, KEBRT Leasing, Hatcher Pass Polaris, Polaris Industries Engineering, Bedard Brother’s Racing

Other race history: Completed two Expedition Class Iron Dogs, 2021-2022

Iron Dog trivia

What is today called the Expedition Class has also been known as the Trail Class and the Recreational Class during past Iron Dogs. For a short time, there once was even a third category, called the Trophy Class.

Team 51

Sponsors: K.E. Bergeron Mechanical Systems, KEBRT Leasing, Hatcher Pass Polaris, Polaris Industries Engineering, Bedard Brother’s Racing

Randy Bedard

Age: 60 d From: Willow

Riding: Polaris 650 INDY XCR 136

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I am a warrior of winter. My dad and uncle took my brother and I ice fishing with our new 1971 Polaris snowmachine way back when. I have not been ice fishing since. I have been employed in the snow industry since 1986 and smile every time I ride. I start my riding season on the first pile of snow and end my season when my skags are worn thin. I belong to a short list of riders that have collided with a moose – we both walked away. I now ride a bit more cautious at night in the spruce woods.

Personal sponsors: Thanks to all Iron Dog volunteers at the start line, check points, along the trail, and at the finish line! Special thanks to Bergeron Mechanical, KEBRT Leasing, Hatcher Pass Polaris, Polaris Industries Engineering, Bedard Brother’s Racing, Mike Bedard, Kim Bergeron family, Jim Huttemier, Klim, and my fellow Iron Dog brothers and sisters. Thank you, Polaris Industries, for their continued product improvement that allows us mature guys the ride, comfort and control we need to get to Nome. Thank you, family, friends, team members and my lovely girlfriend Dianne for all their love, encouragement and support.

Jim Huttemier

Age: 52 d From: Stillwater, Minn.

Riding: Polaris Indy XCR 136

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I am a senior engineering manager with a Medical Device Company. I grew up in Northern Minnesota with my hobbies focused on the outdoors. Many of the adventures continue to be in Alaska over the last 20-plus years. I have logged many miles riding snowmobiles in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Alaska. I am looking forward to my second run in the Iron Dog with good friends. Many of us participate in these events for adventure and to celebrate our health. Special thanks to all the volunteers who make this event a success each year.

Personal sponsors: Special thanks to my beautiful wife, Carolle, who along with my family and friends, enable me to participate successfully in these adventures. Special thanks to Bedard Bros. Racing, KEBRT Leasing, LLC, Polaris, Kim Bergeron and Hatcher Pass Polaris. Other race history: Expedition Class Finish in 2021

Russell Nelson

Age: 67 d From: Dillingham

Riding: Polaris 650 Assault Switchback

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I was born in Dillingham and grew up at a time when snowmachines were starting to replace dog teams. Our first family snowgo was a Snow Jet with a single cylinder motor and was much faster than Grandpa’s Arctic Cat with a 4-stroke motor then on the back. I raced snowgos at Beaver Round Up and won a cross-country race to Manokotak and back to Dillingham. My longest snogo ride is from Big Lake to Dillingham with four friends in 2010. I grew up fishing on my dad’s wood commercial salmon boat in Bristol Bay and now subsistence fish for salmon. I started flying airplanes in high school and still fly a Luscombe that I purchased with a cousin 35 years ago. I want to educate people on the value of the Bristol Bay Salmon

fishery and the threat that the Pebble Mine Project is to the last great sockeye salmon run on the planet. As Chairman of the Board of the Bristol Bay Native Corp., I am proud of the corporations stand against the Pebble Mine Project.

Personal sponsors: Thanks to the support of my wife, Debi McLean, and Kim Bergeron I can complete a reoccurring dream of going down the Iron Dog trail to Nome. Old age and physical ability has taken my ability to be a competitive Pro Class racer. I wish the best for all who participate in the Iron Dog. And a special thanks to Todd Palin for helping me to achieve this goal.

Other race history: Dillingham Beaver Roundup race to Manakotak and back in the 1980s, first place; numerous Ice Oval and Snow Cross Races at the Lilly Pond in the 1980s.

Team 55

Sponsor: Valley Imaging Center

Craig Davis

Age: 49 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Polaris XCR 136

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I’ve lived in Alaska for eight years with my wife and two children. I first came up here temporarily with my job and fell in love with the rugged beauty I’ve seen here in Southcentral Alaska.

Now that I have an opportunity to run the Iron Dog, I’m excited to visit the places that most people only know about from maps.

Personal sponsors: Valley Imaging Alaska

Stan James

Age: 46 d From: Palmer

Riding: Ski-Doo MXZ NEO

Pro Class Status: Veteran

Race history: Pro Class finisher

Bio: I enjoy doing Iron dog because I have 5 women in my house and would go crazy in the winter without it.

Personal sponsors: Klim, Trail Tank, Stud Boy, CC Ski-Doo, Anchorage Imaging Center, McKinley Imaging Center

Other race history: Iron Dog Expedition Class finisher, 2013-14, 2016, 2018-19 and 2021

Joshua Roach

Age: 46 d From: Palmer

Riding: Ski-Doo XRS

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: My family and I are super thankful for the opportunity I have to be a part of the Iron Dog this year. Like a lot of kids growing up in Alaska, I have followed the race since it began, and so being able to participate this year is a highlight of my life.

Daniel Thomas

Age: 42 d From: Salt Lake City

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade X-RS

Pro Class Status: Veteran

Race history: 2022: Finished

Bio: I am a middle-aged man going through an adventure mid-life crisis. I love to heli-ski, sail and ride snowmachines. I am delightfully married to my bride of 19 years. I figured raising four daughters has been a breeze so why not take on the World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race. In 2021 I DNF as a pro racer in Shaktoolik, but 2022 was the year I achieved “Veteran” status. My fame only grew larger when in the winter of 2022 I was the proud winner of a free cheeseburger at the Skwentna Roadhouse for Stan James and I being the first riders of the year to get there. 2023 is a year of adventure on a different pace as an Expedition Class rider. I am looking forward to seeing

what I have ridden through the past two years but never seen.

Personal sponsors: I couldn’t ride without the support of the hottest Iron Dog wife and the four maidens. I think I ride with the endorsement of the Creator of Alaska but I guess I’ll find out February 15th who He is backing.

Other race history: Utah Yeti Rally Race Promoter

Team 57

Sponsors: Hatcher Pass Polaris , Eagle River Polaris/AC

Stephen Greene

Age: 45 d From: Anchorage Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade Pro Class Status: Rookie Bio: I am originally from Canada but have lived in Alaska for five years. I really enjoy spending time with my amazing family, camping, hiking and snowmobiling.

Ken Harding

Age: 57 d From: Wasilla Riding: Polaris XCR

Pro Class Status: Veteran Race history: 2002: Finished seventh Bio: I enjoy the outdoors, snowmobiling mainly, also river boating, four-wheelers, hunting, fishing, pretty much all the Alaska stuff. I am looking forward to riding the trail with my daughter this year.

Personal sponsors: Hatcher Pass Polaris

Other race history: Pro Class: 2001, DNF; Expedition Class: 2010, 2013 Finished

Lani Harding

Age: 18 d From: Wasilla Riding: Polaris XCR

Pro Class Status: Rookie Bio: I am a born-and-raised Alaskan and love spending time outdoors with family and friends. I grew up around snowmachines and have always wanted to race the Iron Dog. I am blessed to have this opportunity and to be doing it with my biggest role model, my dad.

Personal sponsors: Dad

Jesse Greene

Age: 19 d From: Anchorage

Riding: Polaris XCR

Pro Class Status: Rookie Bio: I am a five-year Alaska resident. I enjoy camping, dirt-biking, and snowmachining with my friends and family during my free time.

Team 60

Sponsors: Klim Technical Riding Gear, Team CC Ski-Doo , Woody’s Traction Products, Grip N Rip, Rugged Radios

Tim Koerner

Age: 53 d From: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade XRS Bio: I love to ride snowmobiles!

Personal sponsors: Koerner Furniture

Erik Painter

Age: 51 d From: Cooper Landing

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade X-RS

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I’m a lifelong Alaska, born and raised in Cooper Landing. I’ve been working in Prudhoe Bay for 28 years. I love all things Alaska, grew up spending my summers as a fishing and raft guide or on horseback in the mountains. Spent my winters terrorizing Cooper Landing and the mountains riding an elan anywhere it would take me.

Personal sponsors: My wife, Jodi, our family and friends, Koerner Furniture, Seacrets, Zugger Shocks, Fananys Farms, DEEZ Trees, E&J Rentals, Arctic Coast Customs, Forget Me Not Equine

Trevor Palaniuk

Age: 37 d From: Anchorage

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade XRS

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I’m a former slope worker, now working on rotation offshore in Trinidad. I’m an avid snowmachiner when I’m off. Recently married to my beautiful wife, Tori.

Personal sponsors: Koerner Furniture, Klim, Forget Me Not Equine, Rugged Radios, Grip N Rip, Zugger Shocks, Franny’s Farm

Team 63

Sponsors: None listed

Jerry Conlon

Age: 59 d From: Fairbanks

Riding: Polaris Maytrix Cross Country

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I was born in Bemidji, Minn. Our family has had snowmachines as far back as I can remember. We would go on family rides with parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and lots of friends. When the kids were born, we would bundle them up, slip them inside our jackets and head to the cabin. They were probably about 3 years old when they started riding by themselves. Most of my riding has been backcountry to the cabins, and mountain riding. I would like to thank my girlfriend of 18 years, Shannon Winner; together we have six kids, five grandkids and 1 more due in June 2023. We all love the outdoors hunting, fishing, camping, snow machining, and four-wheeling.

Personal sponsors: Shannon Winner (AKA Sugar Momma), Troy Conlon, Team Barber

Tanner Conlon

Age: 35 d From: Fairbanks

Riding: Polaris Matryx Cross Country

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I was born and raised in Alaska. I enjoy spending my time with my wife and two daughters hunting fishing and being at our cabin. My riding background is more of the adventure and freight-hauling type rather than racing. I’m excited to see what this long-distance adventure will bring.

Personal sponsors: Troy Conlon, Team Barber Racing

Iron Dog trivia

Team 69

Sponsors: Tri-state Disposal

Tommy Germany

Age: 66 d From: Palos Heights, Ill.

Riding: Ski-Doo Competition

Pro Class Status: Veteran

Race history: 2018: Finished, 2022: Finished

Bio: I have been riding a snowmobile since I was 13 years old. I especially enjoy cross-country riding in the peninsula of Michigan. After finishing the 2018 Pro Class I said I would never do it again. I came back in 2020 for the Expedition run and scratched. In 2022 ran in the Pro Class finishing last. The race camaraderie and energy keep drawing me back.

Personal sponsors: Sheryl (my wife), Jeff and Erica (son and daughter-in-law), many friends and one special one, Israel Hale.

Paul Sanfilippo

Age: 28 d From: Frankfort, Ill.

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade Competition

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: Born and raised in Frankfort, I currently live in the Indianapolis area and work in the commercial construction industry. I have been riding snowmobiles for as long as I can remember – from riding piggyback on the front of my dad’s sled as a kid, to cross-country trail riding in northern Wisconsin. Snowmobiling has always been a passion of mine. I’m extremely excited to partake in this year’s Iron Dog.

Personal sponsors: My close friends and family with special thanks to my teammate, Tommy Germany, for mentoring and encouraging me partake in the race. Thank you to everyone who has donated and been supportive of my endeavor.

Bob Streiff

Age: 51 d From: Trego, Wis.

Riding: Polaris XCR

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I am employed by RPS Construction, a custom homebuilder in Northern Wisconsin. I am married to a wonderful, compassionate, and understanding woman. We have two awesome children together. As a family, we enjoy the outdoors, fishing, hunting, camping, UTVs and motorcycles. My passion personally is snowmobiles. I still have my first sled, a 1971 Kitty Cat. Wintertime for us includes logging many miles on our sleds including destination rides with overnight stays.

Personal sponsors: A big, big shout-out to Bruce Olson and his family! I would not be participating in the Iron Dog 2023 event if it wasn’t for Bruce and his brother David. I would like to thank Tommy Germany as well for inviting me into Team 69. Looking forward to riding with Tommy and teammates. A special thanks to Brian Smith and Doug Meyers of RPS Construction. These guys are making it possible for me to spend most of February in Alaska! And finally, thanks to my wife, Wendy, son Chase, and daughter Jayden for the all the support and drive to push myself.

Other race history: King of the Lake Racer 1992-2000

Dan Zimmerman

Age: 58 d From: Nisswa. Minn.

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade X ID

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I’m self-employed with a marine boat storage business in the god’s country of Minnesota. I’m an avid outdoorsman with a passion for hunting, fishing and racing motor sports, including motocross

Besides the all-women team of Page and McClurg in 2001 (See Page 45), Jana Pevan-Peterson (2012) and Danielle Levine are the only other female racers to complete the Iron Dog Pro Class.

and snowmobiles, starting at a very young age. In 2022, I saw the ultimate race with the Iron Dog pro class. Unfortunately, a mechanical failure forced Team 38 Stoll / Zimmerman to scratch on the Yukon River. 2023 will bring another challenge by finishing four drivers with Team 69. Go CMF Racing!!!

Personal sponsors: Thanks to all the support from friends, family and sponsors. Bless you all! TOBE Outerware, G Boost Drive Belts, Northern Shores Boat Storage, Brainerd Recreational Supply, Snow Studs Traction, Team CC

Other race history: Heartland Racing Association 1985-1995; I-500 Thunder Bay, Ontario / Minneapolis, Minn., 1987-1992 three Top-10 finishes; 2022 Iron Dog participant, DNF

Team 73

Sponsors: Pollux Aviation Ltd., C&A Pro Skis, Klim

Jake Maxwell

Age: 36 d From: Anchorage

Riding: Ski-Doo Expedition Xtreme

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: Jake is a lifelong Alaskan, born and raised in Anchorage, and has been riding snowmachines since a kid. His wife, Alyse, and Jake have twin sons, Clark and Lewis. Jake has spent the past 18 years working as a land surveyor traveling all across Alaska. When he is not working or on snowmachines, he enjoys mountain bikes, jet boats and motorcycles. Jake looks forward to completing the expedition class with his father Sam, who is an Iron Dog veteran.

Sam Maxwell

Age: 65 d From: Anchorage

Riding: Ski-Doo Expedition

Pro Class Status: Veteran

Race history: 2000: Finished Bio: My wife, Theresa, and I, along with our four children and six grandchildren are all lifelong Alaskans. I have been involved with the Iron Dog and Iditarod for many years. I flew fuel and supplies for Iron Dog in the ‘90s and ran in the race in 2000. I rode in the first ever race to Nome, The “Top of The World 1,000” (also called the Nenana to Nome race) with my dad in 1973. Now, 50 years later, I am riding to Nome with my son, Jake. We are all very fortunate to live in the great state of Alaska.

Ambassador Team 77

Roger Brown

Age: 44 d From: North Pole

Riding: Polaris Pro Star S4

Pro Class Status: Veteran

Race history: 2013: Finished, 2022: Finished Bio: Roger loves spending time with his beautiful wife, Megan, and their three awesome children Emily, Aly and Alan. Roger is looking forward to visiting with the hard-working volunteers and communities along the trail. This year’s Iron Dog Ambassador Team will focus on spreading the word about snow safety and they are excited about helping the Iron Dog Helmet Safety Program give away more than 450 helmets while doing so.

Personal sponsors: Klim, Polaris, Zbroz Racing, Starting Line Products, Ice Age Performance, Specialty Truck and Auto, Fine Line Interiors, Carlile Transportation, Northern Air Cargo, Capstone Clinic, Pioneer Peak Orthopedics, Valley Imaging Center, Hatcher Pass Polaris, Outpost Alaska, 907 Safe Riders, Lead Dog Helmet Lights, Sled Solutions

Mike Buck

Age: 68 d From: Palmer

Riding: Polaris Cross Country

Pro Class Status: Veteran

Race history:

Bio: Moved to Valdez in 1978 and learned to ride with the Chaffin boys, Gene Winn and Mike Eder and some other crusty old mountain men. I’ve been teaching backcountry safety classes for 35 years in Alaska. I became an Iron Dog safety rider way back in 1990 and presently am Alaska Safe Riders director, working alongside a rock star board of directors.

Personal sponsors: Eagle River Polaris, Alaska Safe Riders

Kellin Geisler

Age: 35 d From: Cohasset, Minn.

Riding: Polaris ProStar S4 INDY Adventure 137

Status: Rookie

Bio: I grew up in Grand Rapids, Minn., enjoying the outdoors and powersports. I’ve worked at Polaris Industries in Roseau, Minn., for just under 10 years, currently working with the Snowmobile Team. Snowmobiling is a passion outside of work with racing cross country in the classic class, ditch/trail riding, and mountain riding.

Personal sponsor: Polaris Industries

Leon Huot

Age: 42 d From: Roseau, Minn.

Riding: Polaris ProStar S4 INDY Adventure 137

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I have been a powersports and outdoors enthusiast my whole life. If it has wheels, tracks or propellers, I know there is fun to be had! I’ve worked at Polaris Industries for the past 10 years in the Powertrain Group. I’ve been married to my beautiful wife, Kristi, for 13 years and we have three daughters, Addie (10), Ivy (7) and Ruby (5). We love our outdoor family adventures like off-road riding, snowmobiling, boating, camping and hunting. Snowmobiling is one of my great passions. I love riding in the mountains, rough ditch and cross country. Enduro and point-to-point races are such an awesome test of man and machine, and the Iron Dog is the top snowmobile endurance race. I am grateful to Polaris for this opportunity and excited to be riding the new S4 Indy!

Personal sponsors: Polaris Industries, Polaris Lubricants, my family and friends

Kris Kaltenbacher

Age: 50 d From: Reno, Nev.

Riding: Polaris Matryx

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I grew up in Dillingham and moved to Reno to go to college. I got married, bought a home, had two boys and made a life here in Nevada. I was a basketball coach for 12 years for my boys in their traveling ball clubs, and their middle school coach. I’ve been sledding for about 40 years. I got big into the film industry where I become a big part of Boondockers Movies for the last 15 years, also been in the Crazy Canadian films, 509 video, Team Summit for three years. I’ve been featured in SledHeads magazine, have a number of great sponsors and now have the opportunity to be in the greatest sled race.

Personal sponsors: My wife, Tracy Kaltenbacher, sons Karson and Kohen, dad Kent Kaltenbacher, stepmom Susie Kaltenbacher; and in loving memory of my mom, Debi K. Newton. Also, Klim, Vohk, Zbroz, Starting Line Products, IceAge, Arctic FX Graphics, Truckboss, Oxbow, Sledsolutions , Snowbigdeal, 2coolairvents, Alpine Motor Sports, Mountain Valley Machine, The Bearded Craftsman U.S.

Sponsors: Polaris Industries, Klim, 907 Alaska Safe Riders, Avalanche Alliance

Dustin Pancheri

Age: 45 d From: Idaho Falls, Idaho

Riding: Polaris XCR

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I started working in the snowmobile industry at the age of 15 years old and have never left. I spent 18 years working for Starting Line Products and have been with KLIM for nine years. I love making things go faster and being in the mountains.

Personal sponsors: Klim, Arctic FX, Polaris, SLP, Walker Evans, Apex Cleaning and Restoration

Other race history: Two-time Jackson Hole Non-Pro Master World Champion, 2021, 2022; West Yellowstone Snow Drags 700 Imp & 800 Imp Champion, 2011

Team 78

Sponsors: Alaska Leather, Professional and Technical Services, Inc., MAC Federal Credit Union, 907 Surplus, Hometown Lenders, Finishing Edge Concrete, AK Chiropractic, Rally AK, Danchini Aero LLC, Alaska Auto Evolution

Jeremiah Brewington

Age:46 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Polaris Cross Country

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Race history: 2022: Finished Iron Dog Expedition Class

Bio: Jeremiah is an Alaskan born- and raised- U.S. Army combat veteran. His personal goal is to show other disabled veterans that they can still get out and do things. They can have a team and a mission in life again, post military service. Disabled veterans do not have to accept the stigma that they can no longer get out and accomplish goals. He believes that other veterans will see the team succeed and realize that they too can be successful in any endeavor they wish to pursue. Jeremiah is a proud pro-staff for the nonprofit veteran organization, Battle Dawgs, and hosts a monthly Peer Support Group Meeting for veterans funded by the Wounded Warrior Project.

Personal sponsors: Bambi Brewington, Junior Daniel, Marty Rhett, Josh Seagrave, Battle Dawgs

Other

Race

History: Expedition Class finisher

James Chopik

Age: 45 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Polaris 600 Cross Country

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: James Chopik is a U.S. Air Force veteran who grew up in Naples, N.Y. During his youth, he enjoyed the outdoors, fishing through the year, hunting in the fall, and skiing in the winter. In 1996 he joined the U.S Air Force where he was involved in multiple deployments throughout multiple countries to include combat tours, where he was assigned to the U.S Army. He retired in 2016 with his family in Wasilla after serving for 20 years. James and his family have lived in Wasilla for 12 years where they enjoy all the wonderful adventures Alaska has to offer. When not enjoying these activities with his family, he continues to enjoy the outdoors just as he did in his youth; however now he has added backcountry snowmachine riding to his background for more than a decade.

Trent White

Age: 40 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Polaris Indy 650 XCR

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I moved to Alaska in 2015, where I began my career as a construction manager/field engineer. I served six years in the Army. I am a Pro Staff member of a nonprofit organization called Battle

Dawgs. I am racing as part of Operation Iron Warrior to help veterans with disabilities get out on snowmachines and to show them that even with disabilities you can achieve your goals if you set your mind to them. Our ultimate goal for Operation Iron Warrior is to get veterans out on snowmachines and ultimately to race in the Iron Dog in years to come.

Personal sponsors: Jaimie White and Mike and Joyce Haug Jessy Lakin, Battle Dawgs, and PTS, Inc.

Team 80

Sponsors: Polaris Industries, Polaris Racing, Three Bears Alaska Inc., KLIM, Stud Boy Traction, Walker Evans Racing

Darrin Kelly

Age: 59 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Polaris XCR

Pr Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I was born and raised north of Seattle, where I lived for most of my life, and met my wife. Since 1990, we have traveled to various parts of Alaska to visit her family. In 2014, she and I made the decision to move here, so she could join the family company. I retired from the fire service after 36 years in 2016. Since moving here, I have enthusiastically enjoyed all the outdoor activities Alaska has to offer. I have participated in snowmachining in the winter to four-wheeling, hunting and fishing in the summer. My nephew has participated in the Iron Dog several times before and has motivated me to ride in the Exhibition Class this year. I am looking forward to the experience.

Jason Sanford

Age: 50 d From Tok

Riding: Polaris XCR

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I was born and raised in Alaska. I enjoy outdoor activities such as hunting and boating. I have been riding snowmachines for most of my life. I really started following the Iron Dog when my nephew, Zack Weisz, started racing in the Pro Class. I am looking forward to running the Expedition Class this year with three of my brothers-in-law, Dave, Darrin, Larry, and nephew Zack. Hoping for a safe, memorable and fun trip to Nome!

David A Weisz

Age: 60 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Polaris XCR

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I have lived in Alaska for over 40 years and have ridden for many of those years. I’ve been following the Iron Dog Race for quite some time, and then my son Zack started racing the Iron Dog, it then became one of my Bucket List items to complete. I enjoy my free time outdoors, hunting, fishing and riding with family and friends. I look forward to meeting new folks along the way.

Personal sponsors: I’d like to thank my wife and family, and Kim Bergeron.

Larry Weisz

Age: 55 d From: Tok

Riding: Polaris

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I’m from Tok, and I have been an avid snowmachine rider since I was a kid. I never had the opportunity to race in a big event like the Iron Dog when I was younger, but now that I can, I’m taking it.

Zack Weisz

Age: 29 d From: Wasilla

Riding: Polaris Cross Country

Pro Class Status: Veteran

Race history: 2018: Finished 11th as top rookie team, 2019: Finished fourth, 2020: Finished third, 2021: Finished fifth, 2022: Finished fifth

Bio: Zack is a lifelong Alaskan living in Wasilla. He works for Three Bears Alaska and is a third-generation worker. Zack enjoys the vast outdoors Alaska has to offer. You can find him having fun with friends or enjoying time with family.

Personal sponsors: Three Bears Alaska Inc., Polaris Industries, Hatcher Pass Polaris, and I would like to give a big thanks to my parents and all my friends and family.

Other race history: 2017 Big Lake 500, first; 2015 Arctic Man XC, first; 2014 Mayor’s Cup, first semipro; 2014 Alyeska Motor Maddness XC, first

Team 84

Sponsors: Woody’s Traction, KLIM, Alaska Mining & Diving Supply (AMDS), Zugger Shocks, Tara Barndt-Residential Mortgage

Dylan Barndt

Age: 18 d From: Eagle River

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade XRS

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I was born and raised in Alaska. I grew up around riding and racing snowmachines my whole life, from weekend runs to the cabin with family to spur of the moment rides up the river. I’ve participated in the Skwentna 200 for a few years now. I am currently attending college in Kenai, studying Process Technology. I would like to thank everyone for their support getting to here and especially my race partner/father James.

Personal sponsors: A big thanks to my mom and dad, sister, grandparents, aunts and uncles; as well as The Iron Dog and the volunteers for making this race happen. Zugger Shocks, JB Welding Services, Woody’s Traction, AMDS, Hilcorp AK, Tara Barndt Residential Mortgage

Other race history: Semipro Skwentna 200: 2021, second; 2022, second

James Barndt

Age: 51 d From: Eagle River

Riding: Ski-Doo X-RS Competition

Pro Class Status: Veteran

Race history: 1999: Finished

Bio: I have lived in Alaska over 44 years, enjoy outdoor activities and anything motorsports-related. I am looking forward to experiencing the race with my son Dylan and want to thank my wife, Tara, daughter Sydnee, as well as all my family and friends who have helped support this adventure.

Personal sponsors: AMDS, Zugger Shocks, Woody’s Traction, Klim, Hilcorp Ak, Tara Barndt Residential Mortgage, JB Welding Services.

Team 88

Sponsors: Arctic Cat, Country Cat, Klim

Nicholas Harrington

Age: 35 d From: Frankford, Del.

Riding: Ski-Doo Renegade XRS-Comp

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I was born in upstate New York (not the city). I now live in Delaware with my family, where I have been a police officer for 10 years. I love anything that has to do with the outdoors, and I enjoy being

around anything that has a motor. As a child, I was fascinated with Alaska, and my first trip to Alaska was for the 2022 Iron Dog race (support member for Team 93). So, this is all Scott Campbell’s and Rebecca Charles’ fault. I also want to give my teammates, Mike Telkamp, Brian Jurenka and Dave Schreier, a huge thank-you for bringing me along for the ride.

Personal sponsors: Special thank-you to Mrs. Jackie Laucirica, Scott Campbell (Campbell Insurance), CrossFit Slower Lower, Grip N Rip, Blue Tech LLC., Woody’s Traction, RPM Composites, my friends and my family.

Brian Jurenka

Age: 40 d From: Eagle River Riding: Polaris XCR

Pro Class Status: Veteran Race history: 2013: DNF, 2015: Finished Bio: Brian is a 27-year resident of Alaska. He works as a mechanic on the North Slope. When not working, he enjoys being a full-time dad to his son, William. He also enjoys hiking, hunting, fishing, playing hockey and working around the house. This will be his sixth trip to Nome with Iron Dog.

Personal sponsors: Laura, William and family

Other race history: 2012 and 2021, 2022 Expedition Class, GCI Arctic Man Classic 2014 Men’s Adaptive ski fourth place, 2013 Men’s Adaptive ski fourth place, 2005 Men’s Snowboard fifth place. Alaska Moto Mushers Club semi-pro sno-cross series, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009. Alaska Moto Mushers Club cross-country race series semi-pro 50–200-mile races 2003-2015. Valdez Mayors Cup cross-country race semi-pro 150 miles, 2003-2018

David Schreier

Age: 51 d From: Avoca, Minn. Riding: Arctic Cat ZR6000 R-XC

Pro Class Status: Rookie Bio: I grew up on a farm near Avoca, Minn., and went to work for John Deere dealerships from 1992 to 2021. I helped on the family farm since a young age and have since started partnership farming with dad full time, with the help of family and friends. I have been married to my wife, Denise, since 1992. When not farming, we enjoy riding our Harley and taking our side by side out for rides.

Personal sponsors: Klim, Grip N Rip

Other race history: 2022: Finished Iron Dog Expedition Class

Mike Telkamp

Age: 53 d From: Hoffman, Minn. Riding: Arctic Cat ZR6000XC

Pro Class Status: Veteran Race history: 2017: Finished Bio: I was born and raised in Hoffman and have owned and operated my family farm for 33 years. I’ve been married to my wife, Kris, since 1992. We have two sons, Trevor and wife Madison, and granddaughter Cassidy; and Trenton and Bridget. When the farming gives us some time off you will find the family fishing, hunting, skiing or snowmobiling. In 2014, I decided to participate in a new challenge the Iron Dog Trail Class (typically you find me in the mountains snowmobiling) and I was excited to see Alaska for the first time. Since then, I’ve made many great friends and been back multiple times. In 2015, I did the trail class, 2016 rode the pro class with Dieter Strobel, but due to motor trouble, we scratched in Nome. Then in 2017, I finished the pro class with my partner Paul Johnson. In 2020, I did the Expedition class with Charlie Potter and Brian Jurenka and again last year with Brian Jurenka and David Schreier. Alaska has been a part of my life for many years now and it’s been a great experience with many new friends made along the way.

Personal sponsors: Thank you to my wife, Kris, as well as my family and friends. The encouragement and support from everyone is appreciated.

Other race history: 2014 Iron Dog Trail Class finisher with a team of seven. 2015 Iron Dog Trail Class finisher, 2020 Iron Dog Expedition Class finisher

Team 92

Sponsors: None listed

Joseph Everhart

Age: 54 d From: Anchorage

Riding: Ski-Doo Lynx Brutal

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: Joe Everhart grew up in Spokane, Wash., but has lived in Alaska for 32 years. He loves hunting, fishing, snowmachining, side-by-side riding, and all things outdoors. He and his wife will be relocating from Anchorage to Horseshoe Lake in the summer of 2023. He has been riding snowmachines for 25 years and this will be his first Iron Dog experience. One more item off the bucket list!

Darren Franz

Age: 55 d From: Anchorage

Riding: Ski-Doo Expedition

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I moved to from Spokane, Wash., to Alaska 30 years ago to pursue a career in banking. I have worked in banking all that time having lived in Kodiak, Fairbanks and Anchorage during that time.

Dave Jarrett

Age: 47 d From: Anchorage

Riding: Ski-Doo Expedition

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: Dave is a 23-year Alaskan who is originally from Utah. He loves fishing, hunting, motor sports and spending time at the lake with his family.

Personal sponsors: Great Harvest Bread Company, and my kids’ inheritance.

Cody Preuett

Age: 32 d From: North Pole

Riding: Ski-Doo Expedition Pro Status: Rookie

Bio: I have lived in North Pole for 17 years now.

Personal sponsors: Western Mechanical, Inc.

Team 99

Sponsors

Trent Johnson

Age: 42 d From: Hayward, Wis.

Riding: Polaris Cross Country

Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I was born and raised in Wisconsin. I played hockey for 18 years. I’ve been snowmobiling since the age of 5. I own my own construction and general contracting business in Hayward.

I personally put on at least 3,000 miles a year, if not more, and enjoy fishing and hunting as my other hobbies. I am married to April Johnson, and we have two sons, Jarrod and Addison.

Personal sponsors: David and Melissa Wagner, Anglers Bar and Grill, Anglers Haven Resort, Trails End Resort, Stone Lake Pub, Wayside Bar and Grill, TNTs Sports Bar, Steakhouse Lodge, Sno-Trails Snowmobile Club, Tim and Roz Peterson, Diane Sommerfeld

April

Rico Rossi

Age: 46 d From: Big Lake

Riding: Polaris Cross Country Pro Class Status: Rookie Bio: Originally from a small farm town in Northern California, I’m a country boy who enjoys everything outdoors. During high school, I was an accomplished track and field athlete, competing in the Junior Olympics. After high school I joined the U.S. Marine Corps and attended the University of California, Davis. Before moving to Alaska, I worked as a barber, a radio DJ, a respiratory healthcare worker and music producer. The love of the outdoors brought me to Alaska in 2017 and I haven’t looked back since. Being a father is my proudest accomplishment in my life, and I strive every day to be a man my children can be proud of.

Personal sponsors: Salon Demetri, Delta Breeze Labradoodles, Leangria

Cole Sabin

Age: 31 d From: Hayward, Wis.

Riding: Polaris Cross Country Pro Class Status: Rookie

Bio: I was born and raised in Hayward. The Hayward area has been listed on Top 10s for best places to ride the Lower 48. Having one older brother, and parents who love snowmobiling, riding was instilled in me from a very young age. Shane and I spent many winters riding our dad’s 340 Arctic Cat Panther he had gotten for us! Twenty-nine years of passion for riding and the sport is what has gotten me to Iron Dog, I have dreamed of running the Iron Dog race ever since I heard of it some 10 years ago. A typical riding season for me is 2,500 to 5,000 miles. Personal sponsors: Anglers Bar and Grill, Tim and Roz Peterson, Diane Sommerfield, April Johnson, Dani Sabin, Pat and Billie Jo Sabin, Bruce and Nancy Knight, Ken and Nicole Vessel, David and Melissa Wagner, Anglers Haven, Trails End Resort, Stone Lake Pub, Wayside Bar & Grill, TNT’s Sports Bar, Steakhouse Lodge, Sno Trails Snowmobile Club

FREQUENTLY ASKED IRON DOG QUESTIONs

The most frequently asked question is without a doubt, “Who grooms the trail?” This shows the common lack of understanding. Only the entrance to the race is groomed. Sometimes there is no trail. Sometimes the race course has been changed to avoid open water on some of the warmer years.

Another question is, “What’s the difference between a rookie and a veteran?” Unlike many other sports and races, the Iron Dog maintains a long-standing tradition of giving “Rookie” status to all racers who have never FINISHED the Pro Class race. Veteran status is only given to a person who has successfully completed the Pro Class race by crossing the finish line.

— See more FAQs at www.irondog.org/about/faqs

: All American Hero’s Foundation, Polaris Racing Lubricants, Klim, Iron Dog Team 11, Tope Transportation, Scheer’s Lumberjack Shows, Up North Retreats, Hayward Power Sports, Petits Outdoor Rental, Trent Johnson Construction LLC, Sabin Landscaping and Design, Route 63 Realty

Johnson, Pat and Billie Jo Sabin, Bruce and Nancy Knight, Ken and Nicole Vessel, Heartland Electric, Bates Plumbing, Broad Leaf Sawmill, Butterfield, Inc., Nelson Lumber and Home

IRON DOG RACERS

TRUST KLIM

PROUD SPONSOR OF THE IRON DOG

Proud Sponsors

of Iron Dog 2023 and Team 7

MTA applauds the dedication and determination of Iron Dog competitors. We understand the need to adapt and pioneer — it's what we've done for 70 years to keep our members connected. We wish all the riders a safe and amazing race, especially our very own Tyler Aklestad!