Jessie Holmes was the first into White Mountain, remaining at the front of the pack with under 100 miles to go in Iditarod 54
WHITE MOUNTAIN, Alaska - With just under 100 miles left in Iditarod 54 , it seems the result becomes more certain with every new paw print. Alabama musher Jessie Holmes was the first of the pack into the White Mountain checkpoint, arriving at the river-based community at 3:10 a.
m. Tuesday. “I’m going to get some sleep,” Holmes said while finishing up tending to his team. “Hopefully longer than ever on an 8-hour layover.”Taking into account historical averages, and assuming Holmes maintains his current pace, a winner could emerge on Front Street in Nome around 9 p.m. Tuesday.had been preparing for the arrival of the first dog teams since Sunday evening. The checkpoint marks the last place where mushers and their fur-clad roster are required to conduct an 8-hour layover before pushing to Safety and the eventual finish in Nome.Well aware of how close he is, Holmes hasn’t thought much beyond the care of his athletes and his gear. “What’s going through my head is just try to dot all the I’s, cross all the T’s and make sure I don’t let nothing trip me up,” Holmes said. That mindset also extends to the final stretch. Though technically just 77 miles from the burled arch, the push from White Mountain to Nome is notorious for its typical high winds and other unexpected hazards. “You never know what this last run can bring to you as far as weather goes,” Holmes said. “We’ve been training in wind all year. We’ve been enduring wind this whole race, and we thrive in it, so if there’s a challenge come the weather, we’re just going to push through it and seal the deal.” Historically, the first musher to White Mountain goes on to win the race. Holmes did the same last year in Iditarod 53. This time, though, he says he’s learned even more, especially when it comes to the puppy chow. “I just really learned a lot about the feeding and actually how much calories I can pack into these dogs,” he said. “All the vets are really raving about their hydration.” Holmes is scheduled to depart White Mountain at 11:10 a.m. Based on past finishes, a steady pace could see him reach the burled arch as early as Tuesday evening. Behind him, Travis Beals remains firmly in line for the runner-up spot. The Seward-born sled operator is now on the cusp of his sixth top-10 finish and the best overall for him in 12 tries at the last great race.Second driver killed by falling tree on same roadway in less than a year‘We cried as a team’: Alaska town rallies around girls basketball team weeks after tragic deathJessie Holmes arrives at White Mountain
Iditarod 54 Iditarod White Mountain Nome Alaska White Mountain Alaska Trail Tracker Tyler Lane
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