Mar 11, 10:12 PM EDT

Susan Butcher's ashes scattered on Iditarod trail

By MARY PEMBERTON  Associated Press Writer

UNALAKLEET, Alaska (AP) -- While two four-time champions were among those fighting for the lead Sunday in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a fourth champion was making a last stop at her favorite spot on the trail.

Dave Monson, husband of four-time champion Susan Butcher who died last August of leukemia, said some of his wife's ashes would be scattered Sunday afternoon at a place called "Old Woman," between Kaltag and Unalakleet on the Iditarod trail.

Monson is traveling by dog team 700 miles from Manley, where he and Susan homesteaded, to the end of the trail in Nome. He said he feels like Susan is going to Nome one more time.

Tekla, their 11-year-old daughter who not only looks like her mother but has some of her same spirit, is driving her own team of eight dogs.

Tekla is driving a team of her mother's favorites and wearing the red suit that her mother wore. Monson is wearing a blue wind breaker that belonged to Susan that sports an Iditarod patch.

"She said that was her favorite place on the trail," Tekla said, of the stop at the base of Old Woman Mountain.

Susan Butcher was made the honorary musher at the ceremonial start of this year's race from downtown Anchorage on March 3. The honorary musher is the first musher out of the chute. Tekla drove the first sled out of the chute. Her younger sister, Chisana, rode along.

Monson said he hopes that race officials will allow his daughter to drive the sled across the finish line and under the burled arch in Nome.

"What would be pretty cool is if she can mush up Front Street and under the arch," he said.

Monson said he expects to arrive in Nome with his daughter on Friday or Saturday, several days after the race leader.

Butcher dominated the 1,100-mile sled dog race in the 1980s, winning in 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1990.

"She always loved it," Monson said of the stop at Old Woman. "People always get a spiritual feeling going through there, a little shiver like someone is watching you."

This way, when the Iditarod mushers go through there, a little bit of Susan will be there to make sure they are "doing it right," he said.

Monson said Tekla, who was introduced to dog mushing when she was 4 years old, has been handling the trail remarkably well. She even camped out in a tent in 50-degree below zero temperatures.

"She never complained once and is taking good care of her dogs," Monson said. "What I've seen improving every day is that Tekla is becoming more self-assured."

Tekla had a bit of trouble on the trail - like most Iditarod mushers do eventually - when her sled went one way and she went the other. She was dragged down a hill before losing hold of her team.

The team, like sled dogs are inclined to do, took off.

"They could have disappeared into the sunset," Monson said.

But they didn't. The dogs were about a half-mile away when the lead dog looked back and noticed Tekla was not on the sled. The dog stopped the team and slowly brought it around.

"They ran right back into Tekla, right into her arms," Monson said.

Tekla - showing some of her mother's toughness - said it didn't have to do with love.

"I'm the food provider," she said.

Tekla said she might one day race in the Iditarod.

"I don't know, mushing seems really easy for me," she said.

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