03/04/2026
If you've been on our Denali Fall Colors Tour you've had a chance to meet Vern and his kennel crew! Cheer on the team as they compete in the Iditarod this weekend!
We’re counting down the days until race day! ❄️🐾
Up next in the 2026 Musher Roll Call—Rookie Iditarod Musher Sydnie Bahl 🏁
Sydnie Bahl was born in Minot, North Dakota, and now calls Willow, Alaska home. She works at Dream a Dream Sled Dog Farm, helping care for and train a team of 35 dogs alongside her husband, Nick.
Sydnie’s path to mushing began shortly after moving to Alaska, when one of her patient’s wives—an Iditarod finisher—sparked her fascination with the race. That connection led her to musher Vern Halter, where she started as a handler and quickly fell in love with the dogs, the lifestyle, and the dream of one day finishing the Iditarod herself 🐕❄️
Key races along her journey have included the Goose Bay 150, Copper Basin 300, and Yukon Quest Alaska 300—each one building toward her rookie run to Nome. Sydnie credits mentors Vern Halter, Dr. Susan Whiton, and Cindy Abbott for guiding and supporting her along the way.
For Sydnie, the Iditarod represents meaningful time alone with her dogs, deepening that bond, sharing camaraderie with fellow mushers, and traveling through parts of Alaska she’d never experience any other way 🌄🐾
When she’s not on the runners, Sydnie enjoys skiing, hiking, mountain biking, traveling, and spending time at the lake with family and friends. She’s incredibly grateful for her individual dog and checkpoint sponsors, sharing, “We could not do it without everyone’s support!”
Stay tuned as we continue introducing the incredible athletes of the 2026 Iditarod lineup!
