Fairbanks woman claims Red Lantern as Yukon Quest draws to a close
Originally published Saturday, February 28, 2009 at 12:16 p.m.
Updated Saturday, February 28, 2009 at 5:21 p.m.
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FAIRBANKS -- After a fortnight on the Yukon Quest trail, Becca Moore said her confidence never wavered. Iris Wood Sutton of Fairbanks, however, had plenty of doubt about whether she’d complete her rookie run.
The pair, after partnering for the second half of the 1,016-mile race, crossed the Fairbanks finish line 28 minutes apart late Saturday morning to become the final mushers to close an epic journey.
“I’m thrilled beyond words, and to have my family here ... that’s the greatest,” said Moore, who among dozens of spectators was greeted by her Iditarod-mushing husband Ramey Smyth of Willow, their 2-year-old daughter Ava and her mother.
Wood Sutton said in an emotional interview: “Oh, my gosh. I didn’t think I’d get here. It’s great to be here, though. There’s so many people that have helped me along the way.”
Moore helped erase the memory of scratching early in last year’s Quest by finishing 17th in 13 days, 22 hours and 49 minutes.
“After having dropped out last year, I was determined to finish,” Moore said. “Scratch never entered my mind this year, and leaving (checkpoints) my motto was just ‘Keep moving. Get from one place to the next’ and I kept doing that. ... And now I’m here. It worked!”
Wood Sutton trudged through four inches of fresh snow on the final 45-mile run from the Twin Bears Campground, finishing in 13:23:17 to earn the Red Lantern Award almost exactly four days after Sebastian Schnuelle was crowned the champion. There was no competition between her and Moore for the Red Lantern, which goes to the final finisher.
“I don’t think we even talked about it,” Wood Sutton said. “I’m so glad to be here. The Red Lantern is wonderful.”
The trip was a struggle at times, and Wood Sutton said doubt creeped into her mind “about 50 times” whether she’d make it. One place was at Eagle Summit, where the pair helped each other march incrementally up and over the mountain pass off the Steese Highway. Another was negotiating a blizzard on Rosebud Summit early Friday.
Both credited a partnership formed along the way after starting the race as virtual strangers.
“On the (Yukon) River and over the summits, it was great to have somebody with you,” Wood Sutton said.
Added Moore: “We’re close buddies now. We are, I’m sure, friends for life after endless camping together and traveling over varied terrain and nights and days and it all blending together.”
Ultimately, of course, it was their dogs who brought the pair to the finish line, as Moore arrived with nine huskies and Wood Sutton had 11, several of them rescued shelter dogs. Only fellow rookies Mark Sleightholme and Colleen Robertia finished with 11 of their 14 starters, and nobody had more.
Wood Sutton’s team included her solo leader Twiggy, a stray she and husband A.J. Sutton found on Murphy Dome Road four years ago; a pair of 11-year-old Quest veterans, Gilmore and Murphy, obtained from former racer Bill Steyer; a one-eyed shelter dog named Pluto; and wheel dogs Guster and Belle, the final pairing to cross the finish line among the 406 canines who started the event Feb. 14 in Whitehorse, Yukon.
“I didn’t go fast, obviously, and I think that’s why they’re all here still,” Wood Sutton said. “I took breaks when I needed to and gave ‘em plenty of rest. ... I just tried to take the best care of them I could.”
Unlike some years, the final mushers reached the finish line with seven hours to spare before the Finish Banquet that will wrap up this year’s race.
“I’m ready for good food, some sleep and maybe a hot bath,” Wood Sutton said before her dogs, some of them barking, pulled her to an awaiting dog truck. “And to get these guys bedded down and fed really well.”
Wood Sutton savored her finish but wasn’t about to commit to another Quest attempt.
“For right now, it’s a one-shot deal,” she said, drawing a laugh from spectators. “We’ll see about that in a year or so.”
Community Discussion
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Congratulations to all the finishers. With the exception of this snow, it was probably the easiest YQ ever!! The weather could not have been better!
Congrats to all who finished and all who gave it their best. Good job!
Good work dogs and mushers!
Gotta love a race that celebrates everyone who can finish it!
No dogs died this year and to my knowledge, no mushers were seriously injured. That is always something to celebrate. Iris deserves much credit--this is her first Quest, and she finished it with rescue dogs most of which came from the FSB shelter. Two of them are 11 years old. Instead of dumping off older dogs at the Shelter as so many people do, she is able to rehab them into working dogs. Not every dog makes a Quest team, but not every person will be running the Quest. Please breed fewer animals and value those that are already here.
Doing this race is tough at best - and to do it with rescue dogs is awesome!
Congrats to all the Quest mushers and the Quest critters - winners all, and courageous as well.
No shame in the Red Lantern. Most of us haven't the gumption to start a race like this, much less finish it.
A big congrats to all who entered this year.
Congrats Iris and Becca, you both achieved an incredible accomplishment.
Way to go Iris!
"......but There's a Red Lantern waiting when I'm done...."
Yukon Quest, 1985, David Ruthstrom
Congratulations to Becca and Iris for a great race and for finishing....nice to see they get a $1,000 each for finishing....and a Red Lantern for Iris!
Congratulations for All the Mushers in this race, especially those who needed to scratch for various reasons at Circle, Central and Mile 101....and Dawson City, for various reasons.....May you have happier trails in the future!!
And the Quest Rolls on...hope there's another race and the Sponsors stay "on board" for next year...!!
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