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As Iditarod Has Changed, So Has Its Relationship With Its Native Roots, Mushers Say

Man in black baseball hat and black puffy jacket standing on a busy Anchorage street.

Longtime Bethel musher Pete Kaiser surmises it’s become more difficult for some in smaller, rural communities to manage an Iditarod-caliber team. “It’s really not a hobby or anything else, it’s a lifestyle, and it requires my time 365 days a year. And when you have other things going on like family and kids, you kind of need a job to support this job. It gets very complicated.”

Musher Swap In Kusko 300 Lineup As Race Start Approaches

Mike Williams Sr. speaking to KNOM during 2013 Iditarod sled dog race. Photo Credit: KNOM (2013)

According to race manager Madelene Reichard, Mike Williams, Sr., has selected his alternate Thomas Carl to race in his place for the 39th running of the K300. Besides this registration swap, the newest musher to add their name to the list was Jessie Holmes. The 2018 Kuskokwim 300 begins at 6:30pm next Friday, January 19th.

Elder Voices: Mike Williams, Sr.

Hear Mike Williams, Sr., from his interview with Elder Voices from the KNOM archive: “We need to speak up… and do what is right for the generations that are coming.”

Elder Voices: Mike Williams, Sr.

Mike Williams, Sr. is a well-regarded man. An Iditarod veteran, Yupik elder, and prominent tribal rights advocate, Williams is the type of musher who draws a big crowd at the finish line, even if he comes in 45th place. He shares some of his stories on the latest edition of KNOM’s Elder Voices. Williams has mushed for […]