Turning Heads Kennel

Alaska Dog Sledding Tours

Our Life

Weekend Reflections from the Mat-Su Outdoors Show

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We stopped by the Mat-Su Outdoors Show this weekend—not as vendors, just as a family excited to reconnect with Alaska’s outdoor community.

The show was full of energy—gear, guides, outfitters, and folks swapping stories about summer plans and past trips. We ran into our neighbors from the Seward KOA and enjoyed catching up with them. We also saw former Turning Heads Kennel glacier guide Allie Sargent who has one of our former dogs, TJ.

It was great to see so many familiar faces and new businesses all in one place, sharing what they love. Events like this are more than just booths and brochures—they’re about celebrating the lifestyle we live every day and the community that makes it all possible.

After the show, we grabbed lunch from one of the many food trucks (hard to choose just one!) and spent some time with Elias at the playground. It was the perfect way to cap off a sunny, spring weekend.

Going to the show reminded us just how passionate Alaskans are about wild spaces, adventure, and the small businesses that support it all.

Early April at the Kennel: A Quick Update

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Winter may have never arrived but it certainly isn’t in a hurry to let go either. Despite having no snow for much of the training season, now that it is April and the season for racing is at an end, the snow does not want to disappear. Sometimes we get a dusting, sometime an inch, and sometimes two. It is all gone by mid-afternoon but it has made for a sloppy start to the spring.

For now, are working on organizing the chaos after racing season. We will pick up our Iditarod drop bags and begin unpacking them. Travis’ “spare” sled, along with Ebbe’s, somehow ended up in Fairbanks. It means a roadtrip is in someone’s future. (Here is to hoping they hitch a ride south with someone!)

Sam finished the Kobuk 440 on Tuesday in 9th place. Flying to Kotzebue with 12 dogs, by himself is no small undertaking. The weather supposedly wasn’t great and even in good conditions it is a notoriously difficult race. I look forward to hearing about his race and sharing it.

The dogs who stayed home are happy but growing restless. The cycle of snow and sun making a muddy mess not suitable for running. Plus, this is the start of our brief off season: a time when the dogs can rest and recover after a hard season of racing and training and before tours begin. We are also taking time away: a quick trip to Hawaii is in our future with Travis’ family.

We are lucky to have had such a fun season. Luckier still at the adventures yet to come.

Congratulations to Ebbe Pedersen: 2025 Iditarod Red Lantern Finisher

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Congratulations to Ebbe Pedersen on completing the 2025 Iditarod and proudly earning the Red Lantern! Ebbe crossed under the Burled Arch in Nome with a traveling time of 13 days, 13 hours, 40 minutes, and 18 seconds, running a determined and spirited team of dogs from Turning Heads Kennel.

What is the Red Lantern Award?

In the Iditarod, the Red Lantern is awarded to the last musher to finish the race. Far from being a symbol of defeat, it’s a mark of perseverance and grit. The tradition honors the musher who refuses to give up, guiding their team all the way to Nome no matter how long it takes.

It represents the spirit of the race — determination, resilience, and the deep bond between musher and dog team.

We Are Proud of Ebbe Pedersen 2025 Iditarod Finisher

We are incredibly proud of Ebbe and the amazing canine athletes who powered down the trail, still charging into their harnesses all the way to the finish. Their strength, heart, and determination were on full display in what was the longest Iditarod ever run. Ebbe worked incredibly hard throughout the training season. We enjoyed his perspective as an outdoorsman and trapper of 20+ years here in Alaska and the unique perspective he brought from his time as a Norwegian musher.

Now, it’s time for some well-deserved rest. Congratulations, Ebbe — we’re so proud of you!

Travis Beals Finishes the 2025 Iditarod in 6th Place

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Congratulations Travis and team for an incredible 6th place finish with an official time of 11 days 12 hours 50 minutes and 21 seconds. Travis crossed the finish line on March 15 at 12:50am surrounded by friends, family, fans and the intrepid people of Nome.

The 2025 Iditarod will go down in history as the longest route the race has ever taken. With trail conditions forcing a start in Fairbanks, mushers journeyed west to Kaltag before making a southern loop along the Yukon River to Shageluk, then retraced their steps north back up the Yukon and onward to the coast.

This year’s route tested both teams and mushers with soft trails, long runs between checkpoints, and an incredible amount of miles. It was a true test of endurance, strategy, and grit. For those of us who love and follow this race, it was one of the most challenging and unique Iditarods we’ve ever witnessed.

Here is the 2025 Iditarod Team

  • Zydeco
  • Queen
  • La Niña
  • Tsunami
  • Twister
  • Switch
  • Foxy
  • Kaz
  • Keister
  • Nyvok
  • Tug
  • Rump
  • Copper
  • Hannah
  • Skunk
  • Ohmer

You guys made us so proud. In a tough training year, you all rose to the challenge. Well done!

Most importantly, we are so happy to have our dada off the trail.

Original Remarks Prepared for Senator Lisa Murkowski for Iditarod 2025

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As a lifelong supporter of the Iditarod and someone deeply rooted in Alaska’s mushing community, I was honored to contribute to a small portion of Senator Lisa Murkowski’s remarks delivered before the U.S. Senate on the morning of March [insert date], 2025. These remarks recognized the incredible achievement of Jessie Holmes, who claimed victory in this year’s historic and challenging race, and celebrated the enduring spirit of the Iditarod. It was a privilege to help put into words the values this race represents—perseverance, respect for the land, and the powerful bond between mushers and their dogs.

The Remarks I Prepared for Senator Murkowski

The Iditarod is a long distance dog sled race run yearly in Alaska that tests the strength and endurance of men, women and their sled dogs in a race across our formidable state. 

It honors the history of mushers and sled dogs who forged paths through some of the most rugged terrain on Earth and reminds us that in Alaska, the land does not yield to those who are unprepared—it rewards those who respect it, who understand its power, and who find strength in its challenges.

The Iditarod is Alaska in its purest form: wild, unpredictable, awe-inspiring, and demanding every ounce of grit and determination a person can summon. It is not for the faint of heart, and that is exactly why it remains one of the most revered and enduring traditions in our humble state.

This year, 33 mushers, both men and women, and 527 dogs set out on the trail. Adversity was in no short order. Normally a 1000 mile long event, low snow forced the Iditarod to change routes at the last minute. Mushers and their teams suddenly found themselves on a route nearly 1200 miles long. As teams traveled they battled snowdrifts, soft trail, open water, blizzards, and even a sandstorm. 

Alaska has always been a state of those who dared to traverse the unknown, to carve a life out of the wilderness, to forge ahead against impossible obstacles. The Iditarod stands as a living tribute to that pioneering spirit, a reminder that hardship is not to be feared but faced with courage.

Today, as we recognize this great race and the men, women, and dogs who make it possible, let us also recognize the values it upholds: perseverance in the face of adversity, partnership that transcends words, and the unbreakable will to keep going—no matter the storm.

That is not just the spirit of Alaska. That is the spirit of America.

You can watch Senator Murkowski’s full remarks and see the portion I contributed to starting at 34:13 in the video linked here. I’m incredibly grateful to have played a small part in honoring this race and all it stands for.