Remembering Dan Seavey: A mushing passion from a young age

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Loved ones are continuing to remember the life of Dan Seavey, who played a pivotal role in crafting the first Iditarod race.

Seavey died Thursday at the age of 87, according to family members.

Mitch Seavey, Dan’s son and three-time Iditarod champion, spoke with Alaska’s News Source on Monday.

“[He was] a pioneer of sorts,” Mitch said. “His passion and dream of running dogs helped lead to the formation of the Iditarod, along with Joe Redington and others.”

Seavey ran the Iditarod five times. On his first attempt in the inaugural 1973 running, he finished third.

Mitch remembers as a young teenager his dad discussing and planning the Iditarod route at Redington’s house.

“He was the history teacher and had the maps and the old books,” Mitchell said. “He had input as far as, you know, logistics and where to route the race.”

Seavey’s passion for running dogs was passed down to the next generations, Mitch said, crafting a legacy out of the Seavey name.

In addition to Mitch’s wins, Seavey’s grandson Dallas Seavey has won the Iditarod six times, breaking the record for the most wins in 2024.

According to Seavey’s Iditarod bio page, he described himself as a “hard-core Iditarod junkie” who first became interested in the historic trail when he started teaching Alaska History in 1963.

“[He] was fascinated with the old ways, the old days, and sled dogs,” Seavey said. “His original passion for mushing dogs started when he was a young kid, listening to radio programs about Sergeant Preston … there were dramatizations on the radio about Sergeant Preston and his — I think, his lead dog [Yukon] King or something like that. And my dad had this imagination and always wanted to run dogs.”

Seavey said that childhood passion later led his father to move them to Alaska when he was a child.

“[He] was very kind, but yet a very straight shooter. You always knew where he stood. It actually really led to some very strong relationships that he had over the years. It goes without saying, he will be missed,” Mitch said.

A memorial will be planned at some point in the future in Seward, where Seavey lived for the past several decades.

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