For the past ten days, SVI Media has been in contact with Alix Crittenden, one of the top dog mushers in the upcoming Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race. The purpose was of course to speak with the Bondurant resident about her second-place finish a year ago and how her hard work and experience perhaps had her poised to take that next step to the front of the pack. 

Last year she finished the race with a time of 16:02:27. The 2024 version is slated to begin on January 26 with stops in Kemmerer on January 31 and in Alpine on February 2. 

Then a text came that was a first for us and obviously for Crittenden. Our interview would have to wait, as would the race, as she found herself at the University of Utah Neuro Acute Care Team undergoing tests for a brain tumor. 

Crittenden is known in musher and media circles for her work ethic and her positive outlook. Even the text informing SVI of why she was unable to do the interview came with an apology and with gratitude that we were trying to cover the sport that she invests herself into. She also promoted her understudy, Jess Moore, in the same response.

“Fingers crossed,” she said. “I’m super disappointed not to get to run the race after all the hard work but the brain is kind of important so…”.

A GoFundMe account has been set up for Crittenden by Martina Hansen which has already taken hold throughout the region and the musher world. But for area residents who know Alix and her dogs from years of competition of mushing through Lincoln County, that number should grow. 

Look for an interview with Jess Moore from SVI soon.