Category Archives: Alaska History

The Early Days of Mushing

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Helen Hegener

“I spent almost the entire winter freighting with my dogs to the outlying creeks, and so was away from civilization most of the time. There was more money in it than in ordinary freighting to the mines, and the life … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska History, Books | Tagged Alaska, All Alaska Sweepstakes, Helen Hegener, Hudson Stuck, Iditarod Trail, Leffingwell, Leonhard Seppala, mushing, mushing history, Nome, Northern Light Media, Scotty Allan, sled dog racing, sled dogs, Yukon River | Leave a comment

1973 Iditarod, The First Race

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Helen Hegener

“W. A. Dikeman and Charles Peterson reported by Iditarod Nugget as “First Mushers Over the Iditarod Trail: Taking 45 Days from Seward to Otter, they meet several others on the trail including Harry Johnson and Bob Griffis.” (Iditarod Nugget, December … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska History, Books | Tagged Alaska, Helen Hegener, Iditarod, Iditarod Trail, mushing history, Nome, Northern Light Media, Serum Run | 1 Comment

The First Iditarod

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Helen Hegener

“Musher after musher agrees that no one – racers or officials – knew what to expect.” ~Bill Sherwonit in Iditarod: The Great Race to Nome (Alaska Northwest Books, 1991) This book is the result of several years of researching, interviewing, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska History, Books, Sled Dog Races | Tagged 1973 Iditarod, Alaska, Helen Hegener, Iditarod, Iditarod Trail, mushing, mushing history, Northern Light Media, sled dog race, sled dog racing, sled dogs | 1 Comment

The 1973 Iditarod

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Helen Hegener

The First Iditarod: Mushers’ Tales from the 1973 Race, by Helen Hegener. Published in March, 2015 by Northern Light Media. 156 pages. ISBN-13 978-0-9843977-6-1 Format 6″ x 9″ perfect bound, text only, no photos. $20.00 plus $5.00 shipping and handling … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska History, Books | Tagged 1973 Iditarod, Bill Sherwonit, George Attla, Helen Hegener, Herbie Nayokpuk, Iditarod, Joe Redington, mushing history, Northern Light Media, Old Iditarod Gang, sled dog race | Leave a comment

Leonhard Seppala’s Cabin

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Helen Hegener

The legendary Alaskan dog musher Leonhard Seppala, who won the All Alaska Sweepstakes three times and played a key role in delivering the life-saving serum to Nome in 1925, lived in many places, from Norway to Nome, Maine, and Seattle, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska History | Tagged Albert Marquez, Chatanika, Davidson Ditch, F.E. Co. Gold Camp, Fairbanks, Helen Hegener, Leonhard Seppala, mushing history, Steese Highway | Leave a comment

A One-Thousand-Mile Race

Posted on January 3, 2015 by Helen Hegener

Joe Redington, Sr., known as the “Father of the Iditarod,” was born on February 1, 1917, in a tent on the banks of the Cimarron River, north of Kingfisher, Oklahoma, on the famous Chisholm Trail. It was a fitting … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska History, Books, Sled Dog Races | Tagged Anchorage, Dick Mackey, Helen Hegener, Iditarod, Isaac Okleasik, Joe Redington, Knik, Leonhard Seppala, mushing, mushing history, Nome, Northern Light Media, sled dog race | Leave a comment

The First Iditarod

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Helen Hegener

The book I’m currently working on is the result of several years of researching, interviewing, and writing, beginning with an idea which took shape in 2007. That’s when I learned that a musher from the very first Iditarod Trail Sled … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska History, Books | Tagged 1973, Barry MacAlpine, Helen Hegener, Herbie Nayokpuk, Iditarod, Joe Redington, Northern Light Media, sled dog race, sled dog racing, sled dogs | 1 Comment

Baldy of Nome

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Helen Hegener

Scotty Allan’s Legendary Leader A chapter from Along Alaskan Trails, Adventures in Sled Dog History In Esther Birdsall Darling’s classic book, Baldy of Nome, a story is told of a driverless dog team in the 60-mile-long Solomon Derby, a race … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska History, Books | Tagged Alaska, All Alaska Sweepstakes, Allan Alexander Allan, Baldy of Nome, Helen Hegener, mushing, mushing history, Nome, Northern Light Media, Percy Blatchford, Scotty Allan, sled dog race, sled dog racing, sled dogs | Leave a comment

Spirit of the Wind: The George Attla Story

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Helen Hegener

Sorry, this DVD has sold out again! The film is available to watch on YouTube at this link. The award-winning 1979 movie Spirit of the Wind is based upon the early life and rise to prominence of the legendary Athabaskan trapper and dog musher … Continue reading →