My story from #ITIalaska this year didn’t capture 1/100 of the drama, the difficulty, the adventure, the community. Athlete-led rescues. A 5-day campout with a cooler of bacon. A team of 4 winners who were the only official 1000finishers. Then, for the people’s [unofficial] champion, there was this🤍
The last ITI athelete is about to come in. He won't be an official finisher due to time but he has just walked the length of the Iditarod.
Gavan Hennigan is a beast, a driven man, and I think he signed up for next year from this year's trail.
#UglyDogs
#ITIAlaska
Four #ITIalaska bike co-champions: Ryan, Mayella, Kendall, and Erick. Mayella and Kendall’s rookie Nome Attempt results in a win, and Erick is the third ever to finish in all three disciplines.
🏆🏆🏆🏆
One athlete left: Gavan, on foot. Cutoff is 3pm Tuesday which he’ll miss for an expedition finish!
Not a drill 🚨 🚨 🚨
The #ITIalaska bikers are headed to Nome! This year was a freaking BATTLE and that anyone will finish is epic 🏆
Sorry I haven’t been sharing about the race here this year…my honest answer is I forget BlueSky exists 😂 I prefer the format and realtime discussions of discord
"Gavin got the furthest, probably due to snowshoes, but he was stopped by the trail, thigh-deep snow, and bivvied there. Same with Ryan, a few miles back, pushing the bike until he could go no farther and bivvied, waiting for the trail breakers." bikepacking.com/news/2026-id... #ITIAlaska
Screen shot of the action in the ITI Alaska from trackleaders.com
The mashup of the races begins - as teams leave Ophir they will meet up with the #ITIAlaska adventurers who are still on the trail! #MusherSky
Sorting through my photos as I write up my #ITIalaska 2026 experience and need to share this “high degree of difficulty” outhouse I stopped to document on the Yentna River. My only photo from that entire morning.
THIS IS NOW A MAELLA KRAUSE AND KENDALL PARK FAN ACCOUNT! #ITIalaska
Just came across this video of the #ITIAlaska - it's a great way to celebrate @lrushfeldt.bsky.social's achievement and pre-game the Iditarod. The competitors have some thoughts about the Happy Steps! #MusherSky youtu.be/4OwRXA7Xakg?...
@lrushfeldt.bsky.social is an absolute badass for all the winter adventuring she does, let alone attempting the ITI. She's had no luck in the weather department either year and I'm so proud of her I could bust - especially of her decision to call it a day. Safe travels home, Laura! #itialaska
Picture of a glass of beer? in front of stuffed bear. Text says: Hi friends -- Probably not the news you were hoping for, but I'm going to scratch here at Puntilla." She goes on to say that the winds, the cold forecast, her efforts this morning, her energy levels and ability to regulate her own temperature made her realize it was better to scratch than take the risk of moving on. She says they are rescuing people off the pass today - showing how bad it is. She's disappointed but knows she is doing the right thing. She was set up for success but needed the weather not to punch her in the face and in the Alaskan winter you don't always get what you want. So, c'est la vie, she'll live on to fight another day and do more cool things. For now it's a toast and then off to find more coffee.
Well, it wasn't the news we wanted, but it was absolutely the right call. Laura has decided to scratch in Puntilla. Here's the post from her Instagram account. #itialaska
There's a chance it warms up a bit early this afternoon (all the way up to about -10), so we might see Laura rest a bit and make another go in a few hours. Of course, whatever decision she makes will be the one that is best for her. #itialaska
On the map, the turn around point was about where the trail stops hugging a mountainside and opens up into a wide open area. It's likely the wind is funneling through there pretty badly with nothing to stop it. So, Laura made the smart decision to head back to a safe spot. #itialaska.
From the replay, there were a couple of foot athletes ahead of her on the trail who also turned back. Laura turned back after meeting up with them, so their report of what was ahead must have been pretty bad. #itialaska
Well, the warm thoughts must have frozen on the way to Alaska. Right after I posted the morning update, Laura turned around and head back to Puntilla. She's currently about a mile from the checkpoint and should be back soon. #itialaska
I haven't seen a weather report on the wind today, but it doesn't take much more than a breeze in these kind of temps (forecasted for -55F at Puntilla last night) to make it pretty nasty. But, Laura is moving well right now and let's all send warm thoughts for a safe and uneventful trek. #itialaska
Laura headed out of Puntilla about an hour ago after about 13 hours of rest. Today is the big push over Rainy Pass, then down through the Gorge to Rohn. Last time, Laura had to bivouac just over the pass due to wind and cold. It's heckin cold there now, and was very windy yesterday. #itialaska
Screen shot of the action from http://trackleaders.com/iti26
Checking in on the #ITIAlaska and the party is ON at the Rainy Pass Lodge! I do hope @lrushfeldt.bsky.social, Sunny, and the others are getting some good 💤💤💤 with no Pony Mafia issues! The folks showing as FIN are the bike adventurers who completed their 350 mi journey to McGrath. #MusherSky
Picture of a woman in a wool hat, wearing a red coat with blue tape on her cheeks sitting in a lodge with wooden tables and chairs. The caption says: "Doing good! About to have a big dinner at Rainy Pass lodge (Puntilla Checkpoint)." It also says "Weather was GNARLY on Wednesday, horrid windchills. Ive been very careful and avoided any issues, but saw some GNARLY frostbite on other racers (with a grimacing emoji).
Laura posted this to her Instagram account, so there must be WiFi in Rainy Pass. Sounds like the conditions were pretty difficult up there. #itialaska
Laura arrived in Puntilla 7.5 hours earlier than she did in 2024, so she is really doing great. Tomorrow will bring the big climb up to the actual Rainy Pass & then the drop down through the Gorge to Rohn. It's 35 miles to Rohn, but some of the toughest terrain and very, very cold temps. #itialaska
After a long and climbing road, Laura has arrived in Puntilla (aka Rainy Pass checkpoint for the doggy Iditarod folks). It was a 13.5 hour, 30 mile trek down the Happy River Steps and then climbing back up. That is 3 hours faster than her trip in 2024 where her boots froze to her skis. #itialaska
I can't do screen shots right now but @lrushfeldt.bsky.social is now almost 140 miles along the trail in the #ITIAlaska because that's how badass women roll! #MusherSky
Laura is up and at it early this morning. She's currently about 5 miles out of Finger Lakes and 25 miles from Puntilla. Today she'll go over the notorious Happy River steps and this start the climb back up to Rainy Pass (bear right at the river, Laura!). #itialaska
Congrats to Justinas Leveika who was the first ITI bike athlete into McGrath and the 350 finish! He did it just 3 days and 5 hours (approximately).
Laura is still resting in Finger Lakes. In the interim, there was mild panic watching a different Laura go about 7 miles off track. 😬 #itialaska
After about 10 hours on the trail (with a minor detour), Laura has made to the Finger Lakes checkpoint! Last year, Laura was a volunteer at this checkpoint so I bet she is very glad to arrive this year.
Up front, Justinas Leveika is just 26 miles from McGrath! #itialaska
Screen shot of trackyboi action at https://trackleaders.com/iti26
Over 120 miles under her skis and about to hit the Finger Lake checkpoint. Rock on @lrushfeldt.bsky.social! #Mushersky #ITIAlaska
Laura got off to an early start this morning, heading out of her camp about 4 hours ago. She's starting the long climb up to Rainy Pass and is continuing to make good progress. She is currently 13 miles from Finger Lakes! Go Laura!!
Up front Justinas Leveika is in Nikolai. #itialaska
Screen shot of the trackyboi action at https://trackleaders.com/iti26
Awwww yeah @lrushfeldt.bsky.social has passed the 100 mile mark in the #ITIAlaska! The adventurers on the other side of the Alaska Range are on bikes - talk about mountain biking! #MusherSky
