Category Archives: Iditarod

The Iditarod Trail Review

The Iditarod Trail: From Resurrection Bay to Norton Sound, by Helen Hegener, published in March, 2026 by Northern Light Media, was reviewed in June for the Anchorage Daily News and the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner by Alaskan author and literary critic David A. James. Continue reading

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The Iditarod Trail

The newest book published by Northern Light Media is a complete history of the Iditarod Trail, from long before its founding as a route to the Innoko-Iditarod gold fields, to its official designation as a dogteam mail trail from Seward to Nome, to decades of becoming overgrown and unusable, to its resurrection as a race route and the northernmost Congressionally designated National Historic Trail!  Continue reading

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In Gentler Valleys Roaming

Julie Verrette’s Summer Place Kennel provided a safe haven for retired sled dogs from some of the premier racers in the world, such as four-time Iditarod Champion Susan Butcher and Yukon Quest Champion Aliy Zirkle. Continue reading

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Sled Dogs in America

The important place of sled dogs in American history as portrayed by the sled dog paintings of Veryl Goodnight is the subject of this new book from Northern Light Media: Sled Dogs in America: The Art of Veryl Goodnight, by Veryl Goodnight and Helen Hegener. The historically accurate paintings by the award-winning Colorado artist have elevated the history of sled dogs to an exhibit at the prestigious Smithsonian-associated Western Spirit Museum in Scottsdale, Arizona. Continue reading

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Adventures on the Iditarod Trail

Adventures on the Iditarod Trail: Fast Dogs, Freezing Mushers and the Alaska Wild, by Lew Freedman, features engaging interviews with mushers from several decades of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. In his introduction, Lew Freedman writes, “March in Alaska belongs to the Iditarod. The throwback nature of the event in a hurry-up world, the romance of the wilderness, the challenge of conquering the elements, all figure into why the Iditarod is so popular.” Continue reading

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Ordering Books

Books by Alaskan author Helen Hegener, including The History of Sled Dogs in North America, The Alaska Railroad, Alaskan Roadhouses, The First Iditarod, The Matanuska Colony Project and many more. Continue reading

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Northern Journey

In his newest book. Northern Journey, Lew Freedman tells the stories behind the adventures which became his award-winning books and articles. Continue reading

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50 Years of Iditarod Adventures

“If you’re a race fan, you need this book. Kudos to Freedman for putting together his love and extensive knowledge of the sport together in such a readable, usable fashion.” -June Price, Sunhusky Reviews, on Amazon Author Lew Freedman reported … Continue reading

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Spirit of the Wind

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 George Attla, Jr., Continue reading

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Mush with PRIDE

The organization Mush with P.R.I.D.E., established in 1991 as an organization of mushers who were concerned about the care of sled dogs and public perceptions of mushing, supports the responsible care and humane treatment of all dogs, and is dedicated to enhancing the care and treatment of sled dogs in their traditional and modern uses. Continue reading

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