Susan Butcher
Edit ArticleSusan Howlet Butcher (December 26, 1954 – August 5, 2006) was an accomplished American dog musher, renowned as the second woman to secure victory in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in 1986. She further solidified her legacy as the second four-time winner in 1990, becoming the first to achieve four wins in five sequential years. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Butcher developed a love for dogs and the outdoors, later attending Colorado State University and becoming a veterinary technician. Drawn to Alaska, she moved to the Wrangell Mountains area to pursue her passion for dogsled racing and immersed herself in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
Butcher's dedication led her to work for Iditarod founder Joe Redington in exchange for dogs, and in 1979, she made history with Redington by achieving the first dog-sled ascent of Denali. Despite early setbacks, including withdrawal due to a moose attack in 1985, Butcher rebounded to win the Iditarod in 1986, followed by consecutive victories in 1987 and 1988, becoming the first to secure three consecutive wins. She triumphed again in 1990, setting an Iditarod record of four wins in five years.
Married to fellow musher David Monson in 1985, Butcher retired from competitive sledding in 1995. Her contributions revolutionized the sport, emphasizing year-round care and training for dogs. She earned numerous accolades, including the National Women's Sports Foundation Amateur Athlete of The Year Award and the Tanqueray Athlete of the Year. In 2007, Butcher was posthumously inducted into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame.
In December 2005, Butcher was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia, receiving treatment and undergoing a stem-cell transplant. Despite her valiant fight, she succumbed to the disease on August 5, 2006. She is commemorated annually in Alaska with Susan Butcher Day.