Jeff King (mushing)

Jeff King (mushing)

Jeff King (born in North Fork, California) is an American long distance musher who is well known for winning both the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race across the U.S. state of Alaska (four times) and the 1,100 mi (1,600 km) Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race across the U.S. and Canada (once).

King moved to Alaska in 1975 and began racing in 1976. A successful sled dog racer, he won the Yukon Quest in 1989, and the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in 1993, 1996, 1998, and most recently, in the 2006 Iditarod. Four other mushers have won the Iditarod four times (Martin Buser, Susan Butcher, Doug Swingley, Lance Mackey) and only one, Rick Swenson has won it more often (five times). King was 50 years old when he won the 2006 Iditarod, which makes him the oldest musher to win the event. As of 2006, he has competed in 16 Iditarods. His "Idita-Rider" for the 2005 Iditarod was a child sponsored by the Make-a-Wish Foundation. King has also won many other sled dog races. He continues to race and has a kennel near the entrance of Denali National Park.

Jeff King likes to invent. Several years ago, he added a comfortable seat to his sled. After falling asleep and falling off the sled, King added a seat belt: "Musher Jeff King has developed a new, sit-down sled that some have labeled the Iditarod Barcalounger. King said it helps him get more rest, although he almost lost his team this year when he got to resting so well he went to sleep and fell off. He's since added a seat belt."

While on a training run in Denali National Park in 1980, Jeff's team became entangled with that of a new volunteer ranger, and thus he met his future wife, Donna Gates.

In 2006, King added a heated handlebar to warm his hands and his food, which heats up to 200 degrees.

Jeff King was inducted into the Iditarod Hall of Fame in 1999.