Rookie musher Pat Moon of Chicago was injured after crashing into a tree in the notorious Dalzell Gorge on Tuesday and was flown to Providence Hospital in Anchorage for evaluation, according to Chas St. George, the Iditarod's public relations director.

He was expected to be released Tuesday night, St. George said.

Moon, 33, became a musher after taking the Idit-A-Rider tour at the Anchorage start of the race four years ago. He suffers from ulcerative colitis, an auto immune disease that targets the intestines and kidneys.

The 15 dogs in Moon's team weren't injured and were flown out safely.

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