Chloe Beatty built dog mushing experience at her family’s Ely cabin, and next March she’ll race the longest annually-held sled dog race in the world: Alaska’s 1000mile Iditarod.
“It’s been years in the making,” Beatty said. “I’m feeling all the emotions. I’m super excited, a little nervous, just everything.”
Beatty grew up on a farm in Lakeville but relocated to Alaska to commit to dog mushing. She currently resides in Talkeetna.
“It reminds me so much of Ely,” Beatty said. “I think that’s why I love it so much. Everyone is super friendly, super happy. All the mushers, we’re all here because we love dogs and we want to run (them).”
She first began to learn the ropes with her dogs on the Gunflint Trail and at her family’s cabin north of Ely on Moose Lake.
Beatty said some of her favorite memories growing up involved running dogs out of Ely, which “really got me hooked,” she said. Her family still has dogs at Jake Hway’s Chilly Dog Tours.
“I’ve always had a strong connection to animals, and sled dogs specifically,” Beatty said. “As a gymnast and college athlete, seeing that teamwork and a driven animal was impressive to me.”
Several Ely-area mushers fostered many of Beatty’s early experiences in the sport, including ice fishing excursions with the dogs. Beatty additionally recalls winter camping trips into the Boundary Waters via dog sled.
“The Ely mushing community has been super supportive,” Beatty said. “I know I can pick up the phone and call them and ask them a question.”
“If it wasn’t for Ely, I don’t know if I would even be here,” Beatty said of her dog mushing career.
The Iditarod’s 2027 roster currently features 24 mushers, with registration slated to close on Nov. 30. Mushers will take off from Willow, Alaska, into the wilderness the first weekend in March. The first team to reach Nome takes the top prize.
“It’s kind of like the Olympics for dog mushing,” Beatty said. “You’re going over and through a lot of Alaska’s most difficult terrain.”
Mushers and their 16 dogs complete the race entirely without outside assistance, which does not include help from race volunteers, other mushers or race officials like veterinarians.
Mushers must qualify for the Iditarod by finishing two races of at least 300 miles and one race of at least 150 miles in advance.
“It’s a lot like climbing a big mountain. You have to really prepare for it and get the dogs ready,” Beatty said.
Beatty’s dog team is about a month into training for the race, she said, now that temperatures are dropping. Dogs train with four-wheelers in autumn before the snow falls. As weather gets colder, the team adds distance.
“These (dogs) are true athletes. They impress me every day,” Beatty said. “They love to run. They love to work together.”
Most of her 19 dogs grew up in Minnesota and have run Ely’s trails.
“If I can help these dogs do what they love as easily as possible, that’s the greatest gift,” Beatty said.
Beatty would like to extend a shoutout to several local businesses who will be supporting her 2027 Iditarod run, including Wintergreen, Paddle Inn, Arrowhead Outdoors, Chilly Dogs, the Grand Ely Lodge, Three Jewels Pottery and Ely Mercantile Co.
