Posts by JoJo Phillips
Aklestad and Olstad Through Buckland, Southbound to Nome, in 1st Position
The lead racers in the 2020 Iron Dog Snowmachine Race are heading back to the Eastern Norton Sound after completing the Kotzebue loop amidst whiteout conditions. According to the unofficial GPS tracker, Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad of Team 7 checked out of Buckland southbound in first position within the last hour. At the time…
Read MoreField Down to 24 Racers, Aklestad and Olstad Leading Into Shaktoolik
The lead racers in the 2020 Iron Dog are bearing down on Koyuk as the field begins its northwards climb to the Kotzebue loop, a section of trail unfamiliar to many of the competitors. Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad have maintained their lead since our last update, checking out of Shaktoolik at 11:29am. According to…
Read MoreLocal & Traditional Knowledge Taskforce Works On Action Plan Under NPFMC
A newly realized taskforce has spent the last six months working to incorporate Local and Traditional Knowledge (LTK) into how federal agencies manage marine resources in the Bering Sea. Each year, Alaska fisheries account for over half of the marine fish caught in the United States, according to NOAA’s 2017 Fisheries of the US Report.…
Read MoreThe Yukon Quest Finish Line is in Sight for Reigning Champ Brent Sass
Barring catastrophe, Brent Sass will repeat as champion in this year’s Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, making this his second Quest win in-a-row. The mushing legend struck out from Braeburn at 10:37 AKST last night and hasn’t looked back. At the time of this update, Sass is less than eleven miles from the finish…
Read MoreTop Two Leaders Close in on Braeburn, Red Lantern Through 600 Miles of 1,000 Mile Race
Brent Sass and Michelle Phillips remain neck-and-neck as the leaders of the 2020 Yukon Quest bear down on Braeburn, the race’s final checkpoint. Officially, Phillips remains in first position after checking out of Carmacks this morning at exactly midnight, narrowly avoiding turning into a pumpkin. While the veteran musher is no Cinderella candidate in the…
Read MoreAK Board of Game Approves Changes to Moose Permits and Brown Bear Bag Limits
On Jan 16th, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) attended a Board of Game (Board) work session and regular meeting in Nome. The Board adopted a number of changes for this year’s hunting regulations, including extending harvesting seasons and expanding permit regulations in moose hunts. In sum, thirteen proposals were submitted for Unit…
Read MoreThe Long Wait Begins in Dawson for Several 2020 Quest Teams
The top mushers in the Yukon Quest field of 13 have reached the race’s figurative “Eye of the Storm,” a mandatory 36-hour rest period in Dawson City. Official leader Brent Sass and second position Michelle Phillips arrived early this morning. As of this update at 12pm, they were joined within the last half hour by…
Read MoreInternational Border Crossing, Hospitality Stops, and Trail-breaking Ahead for Quest Mushers
Brent Sass and Michelle Phillips continue to battle for first position as the 2020 Yukon Quest field approaches the halfway point of the 1,000-mile sled dog race. After descending American Summit, Sass and Phillips are a mere mile from each other. According to the unofficial live tracker, Sass currently has the lead with about thirty…
Read MoreFirst Scratches in This Year’s Quest, Leaders Resting at Trout Creek Hospitality Stop
The field has winnowed in the 2020 Yukon Quest 1,000-mile sled dog race. Citing the best interests of their respective dog teams, veteran mushers Jason Campeau and Denis Tremblay scratched this morning after spending the night in Circle City. All thirteen mushers left in the Quest continue to race along the Yukon River towards the…
Read MoreMichelle Phillips First Out of Circle City, Sass, Moore, and Strathe Close Behind
*5pm UPDATE: Quest veteran Michelle Phillips maintains her lead out of Circle City. According to unofficial results on the GPS Tracker, she’s about 12 miles away from Slaven’s Roadhouse with her team of 13 dogs. However, that’s only a dog drop. The next checkpoint is Eagle. 2019 Champion Brent Sass trails behind Phillips by about two…
Read More