Well-known Beargrease musher and 2023 Iditarod champion Ryan Redington is back in the Northland and shared about a “dream come true” at Thursday’s Duluth Rotary Club meeting.

“It’s been crazy. Life has changed,” he said. “A lot of opportunities have come. So I’ve been on cruise ships, working on cruise ships talking about the sport of mushing, the Iditarod, and the Beargrease.”

Now, he’s back in Brule, Wis., where he spends around 4 months every year training sled dogs for races like the Gunflint Mail Run, the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon, and the Klondike Dog Derby.

“I’m excited for the cooler weather coming this weekend and excited to be back on the trails here,” Redington said.

When he crossed the Iditarod finish line in March, he became the first member of his family to win the race. It was a big deal because his grandfather, Joe Redington Sr., started the Iditarod.

He plans to run the Beargrease in January 2024, and he said he’s going into the training season with confidence.

“I definitely have confidence in the dogs. They’re amazing. I’m so proud of my dogs.”