Iron Dog

Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad are the 2022 Iron Dog champions. The two never gave up the lead after pulling ahead in the early hours of the race, and finally crossed the finish line in Big Lake at 11:21 a.m. on Feb. 26.

Frontrunners Tyler Aklestad/Nick Olstad, Team 7, are into Puntilla. They will be taking a mandatory 16 hour layover in Puntilla before heading off to finish the race tomorrow morning. Race officials plan to let the race leaders depart just before 6am Saturday.

Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad are closing in on the Rohn roadhouse checkpoint as their path to victory in this year’s Iron Dog seems more and more secure. About 20 miles behind them are Brad George and Robby Schachle.

Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad had yet to give up their lead in the 2022 Iron Dog by when they pulled into McGrath at 8:04 p.m. on Feb. 24, nearly an hour and a half ahead of second-position racers Mike Morgan and Chris Olds.

As of 4:15 p.m. team seven, Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad passed through Poorman with team six of Brad George and Robby Schachle less than five miles away.

Iron Dog racers Brad George and Robby Schachle, were the first in the race to leave Unalakleet the morning of February 24th, checking out at 9:45 a.m.

Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad continue to hold a strong lead in the 2022 Iron Dog. They completed the northern Red Dog loop in 13 hours of nearly non-stop riding on Feb. 23, then checked into Unalakleet that night at 9:19 p.m.

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, the unofficial GPS tracker shows about 60 miles separate the race leaders, team 7 from chasing team 10. Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad of team 7 checked out of Kotzebue at 4:09 p.m. while Mike Morgan and Chris Olds have yet to reach Kotzebue.

Second-position team 14, Casey Boylan and Bryan Leslie scratched due to injuries Leslie sustained while riding over an ice heave shortly before arriving in Nome Monday.

The Iron Dog racers returned to the trail on Feb. 23. Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad led the pack out of Nome at 8 a.m.