Poland Spring Seppala Kennels is a family owned and operated, working sleddog Kennel who are devoted, solely, to the preservation of the Seppala Siberian Sleddog.
Jonathan Nathaniel Hayes, the chief poop scooper (aka owner) has his BS in Wildlife Biology from the University of Maine. He is a former Infantryman in the US Marine Corps and an ordained minister.
He is the author of 4 books, including “The True Tales of Togo the Sleddog” and “MUSH! Leadership Lessons Learned from a Lead Dog”
I recently had the honour of interviewing Jonathan about his upcoming history making trip.
I am a 6th generation Tennessean. But I served in the US Marines as a cold weather infantryman and fell in love with the north.
I have been living in the north and running sled dogs for the past 25 years now.
Can you tell me what brought you to Maine?
A half blind horse, A jug of moonshine and a blizzard
just kidding- When i was a kid I felt that snow was magical- and had always wanted to live where there was good snow. I did military SERE school training here and fell in love with the state and its people
Did you already have love for sled dogs before moving to Maine and deciding to run them?
I had never seen a dog team or even met a musher- I just loved dogs and loved snow- This was 1995- Before internet was really much of a thing- so I just started checking out mushing books from the library and taught myself mushing in the “school of hard knocks”
It’s not just a love for huskies, but a certain type of husky you love right?
I made the mistake most new mushers make starting out- I watched a bunch of disney movies and then started adopting pet quality Siberian Huskies from the local swap and sell magazine. After 5 miles or so they were done for the day.
Then I started doing my research and transitioning to Seppala Siberian Sleddogs, which are basically what Siberians Huskies were a hundred years ago.
For anyone who doesn’t know about the Seppala Siberian could you please elaborate?
Leonhard Seppala was the winningest Musher in the world with what was commonly regarded as the best team in the world at that time. His team was comprised of Siberian dogs imported for the norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. Seppala inherited the team when Amundsen decided to shoot for the South Pole Rather than the North Pole.
He was a consistent winner of the All Alaska Sweepstakes Race.
In 1925, there was an outbreak of Diphtheria in Nome Alaska. The only way to get antitoxin to the dying children was a dog sled relay across nearly 750 miles of interior Alaska during the coldest and darkest days of the year. Seppala travelled further than any other musher- more than 261 miles- to save the children of Nome.
In 1927, he toured the United States with his team, led by the famous Togo. He received a challenge to race here in Maine. He came. He won. And then he decided to stay- founding the first Seppala Kennels at Poland Spring, Maine. Our “Poland Spring Seppala Kennels carries on that tradition here in Maine to the present day.
How long has it taken you to develop your kennel?
Building a purebred registered team of rare Seppala Siberians- when there are only a handful of such teams left in the world, is a slow process. I fielded my first 6 dog racing team of Seppalas 4 years after I got into mushing, and it has taken me 20 years to develop the purebred kennel of 20 Seppalas that I now have.
When did you get your first husky and where was he/she from?
My first Siberian Huskies were rescues from local swap and sell magazines.
But my first Seppala Siberians were from Seppalta Kennels, Tay Mar Kennels, Seppala Kennels, and Deer Creek Seppalas.
How often do you go out running your dogs?
Beginning in September we run 5 days a week Every week we slightly increase the mileage
We start by running only 2 miles. By the end of December we are doing 40+ mile runs.
Do you use them for trapping? Racing? Or just to generally exercise them and have fun?
I have trapped in the past- and I have raced both in New England and in Alaska- but for the most part- these are my adventure buddies. We just love exploring new regions of Maine’s Northwoods and camping out.
A few years ago, you embarked on a journey with your beloved dog team that was made into a documentary, what was that journey all about? What is the name of the documentary? Where can someone watch it?
During the Covid Pandemic, my friend Cyndi Robbins- the owner of Poland Spring Resort- decided she wanted to erect a monument to Togo at his final resting place there.
I did a solo expedition called the “Togo 261” to help raise funds. I travelled approximately 280 miles from Fort Kent to Grenville Maine through the wilderness interior of our state to raise awareness and funds for the statue. The monument stands today!
You can read the memoir of the expedition in the book, “Togo 261” You can also watch the documentary “True North, Legends of Dogs and Men” on YouTube
Anyone that shares a passion as you and I do for Leonhard Seppala and his dogs and the serum run, will know that January 2025 will mark the 100 year anniversary of the saving of Nome and earlier this year you made a very exciting announcement regarding this, could you please tell us what that was?
Yes! On January 27th, 2025- I’ll be leading an expedition team across the interior of Alaska some 750 miles to retrace the original Serum Run on its very anniversary.
I will be joined by Polar Explorer Eric Larsen, Adventure Filmmaker Jeremy Grant, and back country adventurer and friend, Jamie Nichols.
Now that you plan to rerun the serum run, has the training you do with your dogs changed and how so?
Great question, and the answer is- not much. We have been conditioning our team for distance races, and this won’t be terribly different. Similarities include camping on the trail and not going back home to the kennel every night. Getting used to travelling day after day in new territory- a big difference will be the training speed. We will be breaking trail in back country with heavy loads rather than cruising down groomed race trails. So we will be training the dogs to march rather than to lope.
Was it your idea to embark on this expedition? Has it always been a dream of yours?
After the “Togo 261 Expedition” a couple years back- I really hoped to get this team built up for a 2025 Iditarod run. but building a distance team takes time. Qualifying for the Iditarod takes years.
trying to build an Iditarod team from a rare purebred breed, rather than just buying other folks’ dogs takes even longer. Add to that, most of the Iditarod qualifiers are 2500 miles away from us here on the east coast.
We tried to make it happen anyway, but after all the region’s distance races were cancelled last year any hope of qualifying in time was extinguished.
That said, I will be the first to say I have never been much of a racer. For me it is and has always been about being out in God’s creation with his creatures. Communing with Him and them. The expedition has always been biting on the heels of the 2025 iditarod in my mind. And many close to me have argued for years that this expedition is a better commemoration of the original Race for Life, anyway- since we will be on the actual route of the original on the actual day of the original.
How long do you expect it to roughly take you to complete this journey?
18 days- give or take
I am sure your emotions are all over the place, excited, worried, maybe even a little scared. How do you feel about your future trip?
In many ways this is far more difficult than the Iditarod. Imagine putting on a race all by yourself- being the trail crew- the promoter, race president, marshal, checkpoint staff etc all by yourself- then add to that training up two teams and also running that race, then you’ll get an idea of what Im facing.Add to that we will be embarking during the coldest and darkest month of the year, a full month earlier than the Iditarod. On unbroken trails.
Oh, and I almost forgot- just getting to Nenana Alaska from the east coast with 20 dogs will be an adventure all its own.
You and your team will be going out into the unknown, where no one can predict the weather, the wildlife or the dangers that may be out there. Is there anything that really worries you ahead of your trip?
Most of the challenges we will face, we face here in Maine. We have had moose attack our team before here- a standoff that lasted 45 minutes before we had to put the prehistoric beast down.
Mountains, overflow, drum ice, etc. But in Alaska all of this is just on a much grander scale.
Of it all, the one thing that gives me the most pause is the temperatures. It will often be -20 to -50 in the interior Alaska during this time of year and we will have only 6.5 hours of daylight.
Here in Maine we hit -40 for a day or two each winter. But this will be the order of the day- every day.
I believe it is possible to sponsor you, and support you on your upcoming adventure. How can someone sponsor you?
Thanks so much for asking!
As you might imagine- taking a team of four men, twenty dogs and two camera men snow machines across the entire continent, and then across 750 miles of the low arctic- is a massive financial undertaking. We would welcome all the help we can get!
There are lots of ways to sponsor our team, sponsor a dog, or buy things from our store! Every little bit helps! And you can find it all including rerun merchandise on our website www.MushMaine.com
Is there any part of your trip that you are not looking forward to, due to the uncertainty of dangers that could be lurking out there?
We will be leaving so early in the season that local native villagers are telling me they themselves are not even travelling the Rivers until a couple weeks later in the season. For this reason the first 250 miles or so will be the toughest. Once we trudge through that we will at least have village traffic between villages to follow.
Then there are the notorious blowholes on the 200 miles of coastline we will be travelling to contend with. We will do it- much as one would eat an elephant- one bite at a time. one day at a time
Is there a “icing on the cake” (so to speak) part of your trip?
I’ll be honest- if my past adventures are any indicator, the answer is no. You spend the expedition wondering why you put yourself through such things and will not find a good answer for it. But the finish offers no cake icing either because when you see the finish in sight- you don’t want it to be over- you want to live forever out there with your dogs- in rhythm and harmony with them
Overall, what do you plan to achieve? What is the purpose of this journey?
I am proud to serve as the current president of the International Seppala Siberian Sleddog Club. And for me it is about their legacy- not mine. About celebrating one hundred years of this noble breed and bringing them full circle back to their roots.
In a very real sense- in DNA and in spirit, Seppala, Togo, Fritz etc- will be returning to Nome- their first home, through their descendants on my team.
In your opinion, what was it that made Leonhard Seppala the greatest musher in history, so much so that he became known as the “King of the Trail”?
Some people “speak dog”
Here in Maine, his competitors said he would not use words, but would cluck and make noises to his team.
But when i say speak dog- I don’t just mean that- Dogs can read humans far better than most humans can read dogs. But Seppala could talk to them- by his sounds, yes- but more so by his demeanour and spirit.
Once your journey is complete, all of us here at Northernwolf agree that you should then be known as the “Prince of the Trail”. What do you think?
Ha! I’ve embraced the nickname “Husky Hayes” and I think that one is about as pretentious as I dare get
Do you have any other future plans in mind, such as expeditions or sled dog races?
Iditarod legend, Mitch Seavey and I were discussing that just this morning. I am considering doing the Can Am Crown two weeks after the expedition, here in Maine as an iditarod qualifier- Then- perhaps- a 2027 bid for the Iditarod- if my team of sponsors sticks with me that long. but I dare not let myself think so far ahead. This expedition deserves 100% of my attention and respect until it is accomplished.
Have you received any advice relating to your trip from other dog mushers?
I have to say that The legendary artist and musher, Jon Van Zyle has been the most eager and willing to help me hammer out logistics. More recently the great Aaron Burmeister has offered his counsel and guidance. I really couldn’t pull this off without such “boots on the ground” intel as only such men could offer.
Moving forward, once you have reached your destination of Nome, do you plan to stay in the area for a while? After all, it is the original home town of Seppala, so it will have a lot of history of him and his team. Do you plan on visiting any particular places in Nome, whilst you are there?
Sadly, no. I am a school teacher and will need to get back to my classroom here in Maine.
But we are leaving for Nome in the morning to work on Leonhard Seppalas old house there. We will be there for a week to work. I hope to steal away a few hours to see some sights while there on that work detail
Are people welcome to come and see you off? Where do they need to be and what time?
We will be coordinating with the Town of Nenana for their centennial celebration. This will all be on the 27th of January in Nenana Alaska- and we’d love to have friends and well wishers there to see us off!
Again, people may want to be in Nome to see you arrive. Where do they need to be and is there a way of knowing when to expect you?
Our plan is to arrive in Nome on Valentines day- but you know what they say, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans”
Can people follow your journey and how? Will you have a tracking device?
Yes- there will be daily social media updates- So please follow us on Facebook and Instagram and Youtube. There will be reels and youtube video updates as well.
We talked about how your dog’s training may have changed, but how have you prepared yourself for this journey? Change of diet? Change of exercise?
I used to run A LOT- but I ripped up my knee in an accident in Alaska mushing a couple years back- had to have major surgery on it.
But you can’t let that kinda thing stop you. So I am in the gym 5 days a week. currently doing 20 minutes of cardio, followed by lifting weights, followed by another 20 minutes of cardio
Will you be wearing a parka and bib and brace like most mushers do who compete in sled dog races or will you be going for the traditional Leonhard Seppala look?
I’d love to do the expedition in a traditional seal skin or caribou anorak- and if you know a quality maker of those willing to sponsor us by providing them, please send them our way- otherwise we will be going with the latest technology in clothing.
Do you have a plan regarding where you will eat, sleep etc? Or are you going to take it one day at a time and make decisions whilst out on the trail?
Good question- this expedition will be a departure from past reenactments in a few regards. We will be camping most nights on the trail- and out of villages, rather than pulling into lodges and schools.
In addition to this, we won’t be waiting for more daylight and warmer temperatures. I feel strongly that we must embark on the actual anniversary date to make this what it should be
By all accounts Sepps’ lead dog, Togo, was amazing. At 12 years old he made that historic journey unscathed. Can you tell us about your lead(s) dogs and what to expect from him/her out there in the unknown?
It appears my leaders for our two teams will be Druid, Vodka, Juneau, Halo and King- but we have some rising stars in the kennel that may give the old guard a run for their money and challenge their lead role- this early training season will tell the tale
I am sure many people have helped you in different ways just to get to this stage, to even make this journey be possible. Is there anyone you would like to mention or thank?
This is a dangerous question- because as you might imagine- there are far too many to name.
But I will name my major sponsors
Amie Nichols and all the great folks at NATIVE PERFORMANCE DOG FOOD
Mike Roy and all the great folks at the CONTINENTAL KENNEL CLUB
Cyndi Robbins at POLAND SPRING RESORT
Deb Unruh at 27WOLF PHOTOGRAPHY
and last but certainly not least, our web designer Richard Bailey at CULTRO
Those are the major sponsors- there are others. And of course I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank my family for their support and thank God for filling my heart with such a passion for His creation
Finally I would like to say, my friend the late great Lance Mackey was quoted after his first Iditarod win “If you are gonna dream, dream big”. What would you say to people that don’t chase their dreams, the ones that think it’s impossible to achieve the possible who are too scared to take a chance
Lance was an awesome dude and gave me several hours of his time on multiple occasions. Dreaming is great- but as I am sure he would also tell you- after you dream it- you gotta get up and make it happen. Turn your vision into a plan- even when it scares you.
Huge thank you to Jonathan for this interview.
We wish him the best of luck with his historic journey to Nome in January 2025 and we hope to see him in Anchorage in March 2027
You can find out more about Jonathan and the Seppala Siberian Sled Dog at Jonathans website – www.mushmaine.com
and also at The International Seppala Siberian Sleddog Club
You can follow the Centennial Seppala Expediton on the Facebook Page
You can also donate to the Leonhard Seppala House Project
Faye
