Herbst Wins Halfway Award for Reaching Iditarod

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race musher Trent Herbst was first into the ghost town of Iditarod -- the halfway point of the race -- Thursday morning.

Herbst arrived at 5:29 a.m. with 14 dogs, making it from Takotna to Iditarod in slightly over 14 hours. He said the trail from Ophir was in good condition, and added that the appearance of the northern lights overnight was a big bonus.

As the first musher into Iditarod, Herbst wins this year’s GCI Dorothy Page Halfway Award as well as $3,000 in gold nuggets. He will receive the award on March 20, during the Iditarod Awards Banquet in Nome.