Susan Butcher, 4x Iditarod winner, dead at 51

[ShibbOleth]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Four-time Iditarod champion Susan Butcher died Saturday in a Seattle hospital of a reoccurrence of leukemia after a recent stem-cell transplant, her doctor said. She was 51.

Butcher dominated the 1,100-mile sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome in the late 1980s, bringing increased national attention to the grueling competition. She won the 1986 race to become the second female champion, added victories in 1987, '88 and '90 and finished in the top four through 1993.

Here’s the full article at ESPN.

[Tikki]

I saw that on the news last night. She was one of the great ourdoorswomen. Too bad she died so young.

[Zsofia]

Wow. I met her, maybe twelve years ago. She seemed like a neat lady.

[Chefguy]

Thank you for posting this. I logged in this morning to do the same. A better article is found here. Butcher was the quintessential Alaskan: a tough, persistent, no bullshit kind of woman. Her Iditarod feats aside, she lived and survived the bush life, living life on her terms. It’s a sad day here.

[ShibbOleth]

@Chefguy

Thank you for posting this. I logged in this morning to do the same. A better article is found here. Butcher was the quintessential Alaskan: a tough, persistent, no bullshit kind of woman. Her Iditarod feats aside, she lived and survived the bush life, living life on her terms. It’s a sad day here.

Great article. She was an amazing person.

[Beware_of_Doug]

There is a bunch of doggies wondering where their mama is tonight…

[Zoe]

She was one of my heroes. I used to have a picture of her with one of her dogs hanging on the wall here in the home office.

She was born in Massachusetts. What the hell made her think that she could just move to Alaska, live by herself for ten years and learn to be a musher? Some people are born with wild hairs up their butts and she was one!

Wasn’t she something? Only three others have four wins in the history of the Iditarod. She is still the only woman. She completed seventeen Iditarods before retiring to have children in 1994.

Just keep your eye out for daughters Tekla and Chisana. Who knows?

[ThisSpaceForRent]

RIP Susan…

I’m an Ididitarodaholic…

Peace SB…run with your friends,

tsfr

[Savannah]

Ah, damn.

The people (and of course, the dogs) that do the Iditarod are some amazing and tough folks. I always admired Susan Butcher.

51! So young.