In 1973, a Wisconsin teenager moved to Alaska; 12 years later, she drove into a storm her rivals avoided and became the first woman to win the Iditarod

When Libby Riddles left the Midwest for Alaska as a teenager, she was not setting out to make history. She was drawn instead to the wilderness, dogs and a life far removed from the one she had known in Wisconsin. More than a decade later, those interests brought her to one of the most demanding sledge-dog races in the world. In 1985, with a powerful storm stopping other leading mushers, Riddles made a decision that helped define the race: she kept going.

Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!