
07/19/2025
Mary Shields, the first woman to complete the Iditarod, dies at age 80.
Even more than 50 years after her historic ride, Mary Shields was still inspiring the next generation of female mushers. Shields, the first woman to finish the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, died earlier this week in Fairbanks at age 80. She was remembered as an amiable Alaskan whose love for her dogs and adventure outpaced her inclination to race. Shields finished 23rd in the 1974 Iditarod, a spot ahead of Lolly Medley, to secure her spot as the first woman to finish the race. RIP