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The Tripod APRIL 2023 Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance, PO Box 2323, Seward AK 99664 http://www.Iditarod100.org IditarodHTA@gmail.com The Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. The Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance promotes awareness of the Iditarod Trail and its gold rush and Alaska Native heritage by encouraging education programs and historical research, assisting in the protection, improvement, maintenance and marking of the Trail and developing partnerships that foster stewardship, commitments and support. IDITARD TRAIL SLED DOG RACE Ryan Redington crossed the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race finish line in Nome on March 14 to earn his first victory in the race his grandfather pioneered more than half a century ago. Redington is the first member of his family to win the Iditarod.
"We've waited 51 years for this, ladies and gentlemen," emcee Greg Heister of Iditarod Insider told the crowd in Nome to a roaring cheer. Redington made the nearly 1000 mile run in 8 days, 21 hours ,12 minutes and 58 seconds. Hundreds of people lined the race chute in excitement as he jogged beside his sled and up toward the finish line. Ryan's grandfather Joe Redington, senior was instrumental in putting together the first race in 1973. Ryan is the first musher from his family to win the nearly 1000-mile race. Joe Redington was also instrumental in having that Iditarod declared a National Historic Trail. FROM THE PAST… Iditarod Pioneer April 27, 1912 WINTER MAIL NEARING END This is the land of surprises. Ice having moved in the river and the side streams being in flood, it was considered a tossup whether the mail would arrive this week or not.
Some remarked that it made little difference anyhow, for they said if it gets through at all there will only be what the carrier can pack on his back and that will not be much over the overflooded swamps. The unexpected happened again, therefore, when Al Chapin hove insight Wednesday afternoon, on time. His 11 dogs were all tuckered out and mayor Barnes hastened to his assistance with his favorite mule. The mayor and Maude soon found out they had taken a big contract, for the load aggregated 600 pounds. Chapin only knows how he ever got through with it. Another surprise was in store for the people who cheered the big incoming consignment. There was little in it but catalogues, congressional records and other junk. The letters and newspapers were very scant. But Chapin did his part well, and Mayor Barnes and his mule did theirs. Chapin left with outgoing mail yesterday.
This time he took a boat and a helper. He will abandon the boat at the Indian village, halfway between here and Diskaket. Hence, he will go across country to 1 The Tripod April 2023 Diskaket, then take a launch down to Mud River, hence up Mud River to a point opposite Nulato, and from there he will go overland to the Yukon and keep going till he Al Chapin meets Bob Griffith. Griffith will come in over the same route, taking the launch and that boat sidetracked by Chapin. Griffin was due to leave Nulato last Tuesday, but word has been received that he had not started up to Thursday. It is believed he was waiting to connect with a mail recently reported at Fairbanks, said to be the largest ever arriving at that place. It is also believed in an extra consignment, in a double limit weight, will be authorized by the department this trip, but there is no positive information to this effect.
Word was received that traveling was perfect on the Yukon last Thursday, so mail movement should be ultra expeditious along that famous watercourse. PHOTOS NEEDED FOR ALASKA LONG TRAIL WORKBOOK A draft of the Alaska Long Trail Workbook has been put together and is now available for you to peruse: https://www.alaskatrails.org/workbook-draft. This document is a compilation of proposed routes that identifies existing trails, potential issues and areas of trail that need work, gaps in the route, and analyzes routes to determine their time of completion. The workbook is still a working draft. If you have high resolution photographs, you'd be willing to share from portions of the Alaska Long Trail route, please contact xlopez1818@gmail.com.
ALFRED LOWELL STATUE Pat Garley of Arctic Fires Bronze in Palmer is working on the clay models for the Alfred Lowell statue to be erected in Seward by the Seward Iditarod Trail Blazers. The clay models are used to make the molds for casting the statute in bronze. Pat believes the statues of Alfred and the dogs will be ready to mount in May. Pictured here is Alfred and two of the dogs at the present time. Pat will be starting on third dog soon. 2