Wasilla's Gwenn Bogart was the first musher to reach Yentna Station, the first checkpoint in the Northern Lights 300 sled dog race.
The race began at noon Friday, with 30 mushers leaving Martin Buser's Happy Trails Kennels near Big Lake in two-minute intervals.
Bogart was the ninth musher to hit the trail. She reached Yentna at 6:48 p.m., two minutes ahead of Timofei Gynuntegin and Damon Tedford. Gynuntegin was the second musher to leave the start line and Tedford was the fifth.
The next to reach Yentna Station was Jodi Bailey of Fairbanks at 6:55 p.m. and Charlie Bejna of Illinois and Mark Selland of Anchorage at 6:56. Bailey started 24th, Bejna 23rd and Selland 10th.
The race goes 300 miles from Big Lake to Finger Lake and back. From Yentna, mushers go to Skwentna, Tavista Lodge and Finger Lake.