In 1978, Dick Mackey claimed the most dramatic victory ever in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, crossing the finish line in Nome a mere one second ahead of Rick Swenson after a two-week, 1,149 mile-run from Anchorage. Many years later Alaskans still shake their heads in amazement. In One Second to Glory, Mackey shares this and many other adventures: Making a home in the forntier state in the heady first day s of Statehood; Surviving the 1964 earthquake and helping rebuild Alaska; Mushing against “Doc” Lombard and George Attla in the heyday of sprint racing; Helping Joe Redington organize the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race; experience 82 degrees below zero at Coldfoot, his famous Arctic Circle truck stop; Mackey’s colorful stories are told in his own words in interviews with Lew Freedman, outdoor adventure writer for the Chicago Tribune and longtime former sports editor of the Anchorage Daily News. Freedman has written seventeen books about Alaska.
Known as the Winningest Musher in the World, Jeff King remains one of the top mushers in the history of sled dog sports. King has racked up thirty years of first-person stories that offer a glimpse into the heart of a champion, the rugged Alaskan lifestyle, and the charismatic world of dogs.
The Iditarod has been called the “Last Great Race on Earth.” Spanning over 1,150 miles of the roughest terrain in the world, this race crosses jagged mountain ranges, frozen rivers, forest, tundra, and miles of windswept coast. Add to that the below-zero temperatures, winds that cause complete loss of visibility, long hours of darkness, treacherous climbs, and you know this nickname is no joke. A race this rugged would not even be possible for the human competitors (or “mushers”) without their sled dogs! With between 12 to 15 per team and over 50 teams competing, there are nearly 750 dogs that compete in this race every year. Doggy-lovers and children everywhere will love to learn about these dogs and just how exactly they manage to compete in this grueling race. MUSH! will teach young readers about the Iditarod, the mushers, and the dogs whose history dates back to the famous Balto. Full-color photos will be used throughout to complement the informative text.
Alaska’s famous furry citizens, the dogs of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, are the most athletic canines in the world. From puppyhood to first days in the harness, from championship runs across a thousand miles of snow to years of pampered retirement, these spectacular dogs are indeed man’s (and woman’s) best friends.
Photographs combine with lively illustrations and engaging, age-appropriate stories in DK Readers, a multilevel reading program guaranteed to capture children’s interest while developing their reading skills and general knowledge. Snow Dogs! Racers of the North takes readers into the exciting world of dogsled racing, revealing what it takes to be the leader of the pack.
Sherwonit recounts the history and past three decades of the Iditarod and looks forward to its promising future, while photographer Jeff Schultz provides thrilling new photos, from the arctic landscape to the competitors and the dogs they rely on.
In her first-person narrative, Jonrowe describes her year preparing for the racing season and living the sledder’s life. The book begins with the 1993 Iditarod, in which Jonrowe placed second, and ends with the 1994 race. The authors cover dog training, the raising of pups for future teams, other races such as the Alpinrod in Europe, and the politics of the Iditarod.
Lance Mackey, the incredible Iditarod Champion, writes about his Alaskan childhood, his knock down battle with throat cancer, and how his obsession with dog mushing saved his life. Mackey has the distinction of being the only musher to win four Iditarod races. Not only that, he did it back to back two times by also winning the famous 1000 mile Yukon Quest. He did all this after overcoming battles with addiction, and after surviving cancer. Mackey’s loyal and boisterous fans believe he is the greatest musher ever.
As the Iditarod’s official photographer since 1981, Jeff Schultz has documented this amazing combination of frontier spirit, physical endurance, and human-dog connection in a stunningly beautiful and sometimes brutal landscape. In Iditarod Glory we see the best photos from a man who has dedicated himself to this race for twenty-five years, and who nearly lost his life one year in a plane crash on the job. His evocative photographs capture all aspects of the race from the pre-race frenzy on 4th Avenue in Anchorage to Burled Arch finish in Nome. Rare, behind-the-scenes photos that only the official photographer could manage, are also included.
This picture book for older children tells the full story of the legendary 1925 race to Nome, Alaska, to deliver diphtheria antitoxin serum. The run was actually a relay, completed by many mushers and teams (a chart showing the name of the musher and the distance covered is included in the back of the book).
45 minute video about the world’s preeminent long distance sled dog racer – and a true Alaskan legend! In 2007 – and again in 2008 – Lance Mackey made racing history when he won two 1,000 mile races back-to-back, the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod, with most of the same dogs – an incredible feat of endurance, long considered almost impossible.
For those of you who love all things Alaska and Jeff’s Photography consider signing up for Jeff’s free Quarterly journal which includes: