Episode 58 - Thomas Waerner

Our next guest is Kai Leddy. She and her partner, Elliott, run their own kennel in Talkeetna — Celestial Sled Dog Kennel. Leddy has been competing in mid-distance races for over a decade and most recently helped spearhead the newest Iditarod qualifier in the Willow area, the Su Dog 300.We talk about the inaugural event, and with Sean and Leddy having lived and worked together for over a year, it was fun getting the band back together and reminiscing. This was recorded pre-Iditarod — enjoy!

Our guest in this episode is Jonah Bacon, who is just days removed from completing the inaugural Yukon Quest 750. Naturally, we almost entirely talked about his experience on the trail, we were on the edge of our seat!In the intro, we talked about the Fur Rondy festival and sprint sled dog race. Sean thought you couldn't get funnel cake there but upon further review he learned that you definitely can (after the recording). Feels great to have our first guest in awhile, enjoy!Intro - 0:00Jonah interview/recount Yukon Quest - 16:18Frostbite.nip - 1:19:00Closeout on Yukon Quest - 1:25:00Dog team - 1:30:00Non Yukon Quest - 1:35:00

We are back after a winter Mushing Alaska slumber. We were able to catch up on some of the races in January, check in with the Quest (a lot has happened since we recorded), and just get the ball rolling as the sun comes back and all the dogs are in primetime shape, enjoy!

Sometimes the trail brings you exactly the right people at the right time. This summer, Sean crossed paths with musher Shane Blumentritt in the tiny coastal town of Seldovia, and that chance meeting turned into one of our favorite conversations yet.Shane has been mushing for years, building a kennel from the ground up with his fiancée on the Kenai Peninsula. He’s continuing his push toward qualifying for the Last Great Race with the Copper Basin 300 on deck, while she’ll be tackling the Knik 200 the week before. Their story is one of grit, growth, and chasing big dreams with a team of dogs who always keep things interesting, Enjoy!

Our next episode is with Thomas Wærner, an Iditarod Champion and Finnmarksløpet Champion, the two longest sled dog races in the world. He lives in Norway with his dogs while working a full-time job, and has spent decades surrounded by sled dogs — experiencing the wilderness, the hardships, and the rewards of the trail with them.This year, Thomas returns to the Iditarod for the first time since his win, bringing a new team of young dogs who have yet to see this trail. He isn’t aiming to finish first with them this year, but is building toward that goal in the years to come.Thomas is also close friends with Kjell Inge Røkke, a major Iditarod sponsor and this year’s Expedition Class musher — a new feature of the 2026 race. He’s looking forward to sharing the experience with Røkke while running his third Iditarod. Enjoy!Intro - 0:00Interview with Thomas - 25:25

We had ourselves some good ole-fashioned, clean fun with "the guy from that Nat Geo show" and 2025 Iditarod Champion - Jessie Holmes! Out of pure journalistic instinct, we didn't dive too deep into the 'Rod - after all, the race's documentary already has that covered.Instead, our conversation took as many twists and turns as the Susitna River (which, fun fact, doesn't actually have that many). It was an enjoyable, free-flowing chat, and we hope you'll enjoy it just much as we did!Intro - 0:00Jessie interview - 26:43

In March, Samantha Lalonde made waves by winning Rookie of the Year in the Iditarod while working out of Dallas Seavey’s kennel in Talkeetna. Now, she and her partner Tucker are starting an exciting new chapter—building their own kennel - Lost Sourdough Outfitters, just outside of Fairbanks, surrounded by their own pack of Alaskan Huskies. While they’re gearing up to race in various events in the winters to come, they’re also looking forward to simply enjoying the trails at their own pace in Interior Alaska.Sam was an absolute blast to chat with—fun, thoughtful, and full of great stories. It was also awesome seeing her out on the trail this year. You don’t want to miss this one!Intro - 0:00Sam - 27:24#MushingAlaska #Iditarod #DogMushing #AlaskaLife #RookieOfTheYear #SledDogs #WomenWhoMush #Fairbanks #NewEpisode

Bailey Vitello has completed three Iditarods (2023–2025), tackling the southern, northern, and the "way northern" routes. By his own words, he still feels like a rookie — he hasn’t run the same trail twice yet. But after a 5th place finish in 2025, and strong performances in both the Kobuk 440 and Kuskokwim 300, he's quickly proving he's a serious contender.Bailey grew up around sled dogs on the East Coast, and with the support of family and friends, made his way across the U.S. and Canada competing in races of all kinds — even taking a team to Europe. Now based in Nenana, Alaska, Bailey is focused on long-term racing in the Last Frontier and plans to run the Iditarod for years to come. Off the trail, he’s getting ready to marry his fiancée this summer.0:00 - Intro9:18 - Interview with Bailey#Iditarod #BaileyVitello #DogMushing #MushingAlaskaPodcast #MostImproved #SledDogs #MushingAlaska #LivintheDream

Our guest - Libby Riddles made history as the first woman to win the 1,000-mile Iditarod in 1985, racing through brutal conditions and proving her grit on Alaska’s toughest trail. She ran the Iditarod throughout the '80s and returned for one more run in 1995.Before her historic win, she trained and lived in Teller, Alaska, north of Nome on the Seward Peninsula. These days, she spends winters with her small dog team in the hills of the Kenai Peninsula, and in the summer, she shares her stories with cruise ship guests in Alaska’s capital.We had an incredible conversation packed with stories, insight, and wisdom from a true trailblazer. Don't miss this one — tune in and enjoy!#Iditarod #LibbyRiddles #DogMushing #AlaskaPodcast #WomenInHistory #SledDogs #MushingAlaska

For our latest episode, we welcome back Connor McMahon for his second appearance on the show. Based outside of Whitehorse in the Yukon, Connor brings his usual easy-going, down-to-earth energy—so much so that you’d barely know his truck broke down less than two weeks before the Iditarod!We catch up on what he’s been up to since last year’s race, his road to Nome this year, and all things mushing. You won’t want to miss this one! Join us in cheering Connor on as he heads for the burled arch in Nome, enjoy!For our latest episode, we welcome back Connor McMahon for his second appearance on the show. Based outside of Whitehorse in the Yukon, Connor brings his usual easy-going, down-to-earth energy—so much so that you’d barely know his truck broke down less than two weeks before the Iditarod!We catch up on what he’s been up to since last year’s race, his road to Nome this year, and all things mushing. You won’t want to miss this one! Join us in cheering Connor on as he heads for the burled arch in Nome, enjoy!Quick Intro - 0:00Interview - 10:52#MushingAlaska #Iditarod #ConnorMcMahon #SledDogs #MushingLife #DogMushing #YukonMusher #TrailToNome #Podcast #brothers