Mushing season has officially kicked off on the Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) Delta.
On the afternoon of Dec. 13, 15 dog teams gathered on Charles Family Lake in Bethel to blaze cold and fast tundra trails to Atmautluak and back for the Kuskokwim 300 (K300) Race Committee’s Season Opener.
Akiak musher Mike Williams Jr. took the top spot, pulling ahead of second-place Spyridon Chaney of Napaskiak and third-place Michael Larson of Kwethluk. Williams Jr. earned $3,200 of a $25,000 total race purse. He completed the 32-mile trail in 2 hours and 14 minutes.
The victory also earned the Williams Racing Kennel 10 points in the K300’s annual Delta Championship series. The Season Opener is the first of five races in the series, which is ranked based on kennels, encouraging more mushers to participate throughout the season.
Next up in the series, the Holiday Classic will take place on Dec. 20. The final, roughly 50-mile route is still being determined. Register and find trail details by visiting the K300 website.
