About half the Iditarod mushers in this year’s race have made it to Nome, including Bethel’s finest musher, Pete Kaiser, who earned his first Iditarod Championship on Wednesday.
After Aniak’s Richie Diehl drove his dogs across the finish line last night to take 11th place, there remain only two Y-K Delta mushers still out on the trail; both are rookies.
Bethel’s Jessica Klejka, who is in 32nd place in the standings, spent the afternoon resting her team in Elim. If her dogs run fast, she might make it to Nome friday, but certainly by Saturday in plenty of time for the musher's banquet Sunday.
It will take a few more days for Victoria Hardwick, who is running at the back of the pack, to make it to the finish line. She may get the red lantern, which would put Bethel mushers at both the beginning and end of the race.