Lolo Johnson Archives - KNOM Radio Mission

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Story49: The Kobuk Comes to Ambler

By Zoe Grueskin | May 23, 2018

Kobuk 440 champion Nicolas Petit tries on a pair of fur mittens sewn by Myra Yupikson.

The village of Ambler, 45 miles above the Arctic Circle, is the main stop on the Kobuk 440 dogsled race. Volunteers at the checkpoint say it takes the whole village to make it happen.

Making Ambler’s Checkpoint Run Takes a Village

By admin | April 14, 2018

Handmade musher signs plaster the walls of the Ambler checkpoint building (Photo: Gabe Colombo, KNOM)

People like Lolo Johnson, who’s been a race cook in Ambler for 12 years, make the busy checkpoint run smoothly as mushers come and go and come again.