Category Archives: Sled Dog History

Pre-Publication Special

Posted on December 2, 2022 by Helen Hegener

Now available for ordering in softcover only, The History of Sled Dogs in North America, by Helen Hegener and several contributing writers, showcases the history of the working sled dogs which helped shape the future of the North American continent. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, News & Information, Sled Dog History, Sled Dog Races, Transportation | Tagged Helen Hegener, Iditarod, mushing history, Northern Light Media, sled dogs | Leave a comment

Spirit of the Wind

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Helen Hegener

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 →

Posted in Alaska History, DVD & Video, Iditarod, Movies, News & Information, Sled Dog History, Sled Dog Races, Transportation, Uncategorized, Videos | Tagged George Attla, Iditarod, mushing, Northern Light Media, Spirit of the Wind | 2 Comments

The History of Sled Dogs in North America

Posted on May 7, 2022 by Helen Hegener

Scheduled for publication in the fall of 2022 by Northern Light Media, The History of Sled Dogs in North America, by Helen Hegener and several contributing writers, will highlight the working sled dogs which helped shape the future of the continent. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, News & Information, Sled Dog History, Sled Dog Races, Transportation | Tagged Helen Hegener, Northern Light Media, sled dogs | Leave a comment

History of Sled Dogs

Posted on April 7, 2022 by Helen Hegener

Scheduled for publication in the fall of 2022 by Northern Light Media, The History of Sled Dogs in North America, by Helen Hegener and several contributing writers, will tell the many and varied stories of the teams of working sled dogs which helped shape the future of the continent, whether hauling the mail, gold, freight, passengers, or racing each other for winning purses for their owners. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, News & Information, Sled Dog History, Sled Dog Races, Transportation | Tagged mushing, mushing history, sled dogs | Leave a comment

Hudson Stuck’s Sled Bag

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Helen Hegener

The Episcopalian minister Hudson Stuck, known as the Archdeacon of the Yukon, published five books about his travels and adventures in Alaska, including Ten Thousand Miles with a Dog Sled, published in 1914.

In that book a photograph appears, and a sled bag can be seen hanging from the handlebars. That sled bag is on permanent display at the University of Alaska Museum of the North in Fairbanks. Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska History, Books, missionaries, photographs, Sled Dog History | Tagged Archdeacon of the Yukon, Athabascan, Gwich'in, Hudson Stuck, Project Gutenberg, sled bag, sled dogs, sledbag, Ten Thousand Miles with a Dogsled | Leave a comment

Leonhard Seppala House

Posted on May 11, 2020 by Helen Hegener

The Leonhard Seppala House was named as one of the Ten Most Endangered Historic Properties for 2020 by the Alaska Association for Historic Preservation, Inc., which is dedicated to the preservation of Alaska’s prehistoric and historic resources through education, promotion and advocacy. Preservation of the built environment provides a vital link and visible reminder of the past, emphasizing the continuity and diversity of Alaska. Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska History, Gold Rush History, News & Information, Sled Dog History, Sled Dog Races | Tagged Balto, Fritz, Leonhard Seppala, Nome, Seppala House, Togo | Leave a comment

Togo’s Serum Run

Posted on April 18, 2020 by Helen Hegener

As the worldwide fight against the coronavirus goes on we are reminded almost daily that pandemics and epidemics have happened before, and we have struggled through them with far fewer resources and much less medical and scientific knowledge than we have now. That is a very real comfort, and lends a bit of perspective to what we are facing. One such epidemic was a deadly diphtheria outbreak which raged across Alaska almost 100 years ago. Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska History, News & Information, Sled Dog History | Tagged Bering Sea, Bluff Roadhouse, Dexter Roadhouse, diphtheria, Dr. Curtis Welch, Elizabeth Ricker, Golovin, Governor Bone, Iditarod Trail, Isaac's Point, Kaltag, Leonhard Seppala, Manley Roadhouse, Minto Roadhouse, Nenana, Nome, Nulato, Olson Roadhouse, Port Safety Roadhouse, Scott Bone, Seppala, Serum Run, Shaktoolik, Siberian huskies, Solomon Roadhouse, The Cruelest Miles, Togo, Tolovana Roadhouse, Unalakleet, Unlakleet | 1 Comment

Sled Dog Movies

Posted on December 7, 2019 by Helen Hegener

Last year, 2018, was noted by the Chinese calendar’s zodiac as being the Year of the Dog, but this year, 2019, seems to be the Year of the Sled Dog, as film after film featuring heroic sled dogs is released to movie theaters and home streaming services. There are two movies about the great Serum Run to Nome during the 1925 diphtheria epidemic, one focusing on the champion musher Leonhard Seppala, and the other on his favorite lead dog, Togo. One is an independent production, the other is from the powerhouse film company Disney Studios, but both are absorbing stories, beautifully filmed. Another champion musher, the sprint racing legend George Attla, is the subject of a new PBS documentary, and one of the greatest dog stories of all time is brought to life by a great film legend, Harrison Ford. Pass the popcorn! Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska History, DVD & Video, Movies, News & Information, Sled Dog History, Sled Dog Races, Videos | Tagged Attla, Brian Presley, Disney, George Attla, Harrison Ford, Huslia, Joe Bifelt, Leonhard Seppala, Nenana, Nome, Serum Run, Siberian huskies, sled dogs, The Call of the Wild, The Great Alaskan Race, Togo | Leave a comment

Mush with PRIDE

Posted on April 1, 2019 by Helen Hegener

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 →

Posted in Iditarod, News & Information, Sled Dog History, Sled Dog Races, Yukon Quest | Tagged Iditarod, kennels, Mush with P.R.I.D.E., Mush with PRIDE, mushing, organizations, sled dogs, Yukon Quest | 1 Comment

The Ascent of Denali

Posted on March 24, 2019 by Helen Hegener

Hudson Stuck (1865–1920), known as the Archdeacon of the Yukon and the Arctic, was an Episcopal priest, social reformer, and mountain climber in the territory of Alaska who co-led the first expedition to successfully climb Denali (Mount McKinley) in June, 1913. He wrote a book based on the climb, The Ascent of Denali (Mount McKinley): A Narrative of the First Complete Ascent of the Highest Peak in North America, which was published in February, 1914 by Charles Scribers Sons, New York. Continue reading →