Jenny Roddewig is a second-generation musher who was riding in a dog sled before she could walk. She started out running her father’s dogs before beginning a successful breeding and training program of her own, Sage Mountain Sled Dogs. She has logged many thousands of miles on a dog sled and is most proud of receiving eight Humanitarian Awards over the years. As a junior she placed top 5 with her own team in the Junior Iditarod from 2011-2013, receiving two Humanitarian Awards and two Blue Harnesses. She has competed in many mid-distance races in the lower 48. She won the Race to the Sky 350 in 2014 and received the Humanitarian Award. She was 5th place in the 2015 John Beargrease Marathon, and has won numerous 100 mile races including Race to the Sky, Eagle Cap, and Beargrease 120.
Jenny took a pause on competitive distance racing to finish her college degree, during which time she met and married her husband, Michael Roddewig. Though she didn’t race as much, her and Mike honed their skills of backcountry travel by dog team and maintained their kennel. They moved from Montana to Fairbanks in 2022 and have been bringing up a young race team. She and her husband enjoy camping and traveling with their dogs and have spent many nights in the winter backcountry. She is excited to run her first Iditarod and travel across Alaska with her canine family.
What is your full name?
Jenny Roddewig
Do you have a nickname?
No
Do you have a kennel name?
Sage Mountain Sled Dogs
How old are you?
28
Where were you brought up?
Montana
Where do you live now?
Fairbanks, AK
How many sled dogs do you own?
20 with a few puppies on the way
How long have you owned sled dogs?
I grew up with sled dogs but I have owned my own personal team for 16 years
What races have you competed in?
Race to the Sky 350 and 100, John Beargrease Marathon and 120, Eagle Cap Extreme, International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race, Jr. Iditarod, Red River Sled Dog Derby, and T-Dog 110.
What’s your greatest achievement so far?
Receiving 8 Humanitarian/Best Cared For Team Awards over the years is my proudest accomplishment in racing. This year I was so proud to race with and watch my husband be very competitive in his first race, the T-Dog 110.
Has it always been a dream to run the Iditarod?
No, actually. I just enjoy traveling with my dogs and races are a fun way to see new terrain and meet new people. I also really enjoy training the dogs for a specific goal, whether it be a big camping expedition or a big race. I have the opportunity to run Iditarod this upcoming year and didn’t want to turn down a chance to travel across the state on such a historic trail. It may be a once in a lifetime experience.
What made you decide that this year would be the year to sign up for the race?
Encouragement and support from my great friend Josi Thyr and 21-time finisher Jessie Royer. Josi and I grew up running Junior races together in our teens in Montana and the West, following her Rookie of the Year run last year really inspired me to run it.
What can you tell me about your team?
All of the dogs on my team were bred by me and born into my hands with the exception of one which I got at 8 weeks old. Our dogs are very much our family and do nearly everything with us. They are all leash trained, house-broken, and most nights they all sleep in the house. My breeding program has focused on raising versatile dogs with exceptional temperaments for being both stellar athletes and canine companions. I have also tried to maintain the traditional Alaskan Husky phenotype of dogs with size, substance, thick coat, and good feet that resemble their freighting kin of the past and racing dogs of the 1970s/1980s.
Do you have a website?
sagemountainkennels.com
Do you have sponsors?
Sponsors for this year’s Iditarod will be featured on my webpage and social media, but I specifically want to thank my husband, Michael, for all the support and care he gives to our family. My dogs are just as much his as they are mine, and he has spent countless hours helping train and raise them. I also want to thank my mother and father who have supported me for years and fostered my mushing passion growing up.
Do you look up to a specific musher?
There are so many great mushers that I have had the privilege to race with and learn from over the years. I am a firm believer that every musher can always learn something new from other mushers whether they be recreational mushers, sprint mushers, or distance mushers. If I had to choose one specific musher, I would choose Mary Shields. I am so lucky to be able to visit and hear her stories of all the amazing places she has travelled by dog team.
Have you handled for an Iditarod Veteran musher in the past?
No
Have you won any awards during a race?
8 Humanitarian Awards, a couple lead dog awards, and a couple Sportsmanship Awards.
What’s your favourite sled dog race?
Montana’s Race to the Sky will always hold a special place in my heart. I was 5 months old at my first Race to the Sky where my mother was handling for my father and taking care of me at the same time! I grew up being at that race almost every year and then from 2010 to 2015 I raced every year from the Junior division to the 100 mile all the way up to the 350 mile race.
A close second was the T-Dog (Tanana Valley Sled Dog Race) which my husband and I both ran this year. This is a new race, or fun-run rather! I really love what Tekla is doing with this event and would love to see more like it, I feel it really captures the spirit of dog mushing and traveling by dog team.
How are you preparing for your first Iditarod?
Gleaming as much advice and info from as many veteran mushers as I can talk to. I am also doing a lot of planning for how to train and slow my team down from the mid-distance training speeds of 11-12 mph to the steadier Iditarod pace. I am also working on a lot of individual leader training with my young dogs so we can have a full team of leaders when we set off for Nome. Fortunately, the team has a lot of experience and are great and camping thanks to years of backcountry camping by dog team.
What do you think you can expect from Iditarod?
I think it is definitely going to be challenging, but I also expect it to be a breathtaking tour of what Alaska Wilderness has to offer. I am looking forward to spending all that time traveling with my dogs and strengthening our bond. I have a deep respect for the tradition of dog mushing and the rich history of traveling by dog team across vast stretches of wilderness. I want to experience that with my dogs that I have raised and cared for since their birth.
What’s the best advice you have received regarding mushing?
Love the dog first and the sport second.
Are you from a mushing background?
My father started mushing before I was born, so I have been involved with sled dogs and mushing my whole life.
Do you have any friends who are also dog mushers?
Many! Most of my friends are mushers, and if they aren’t they are dog people! One of my best friends is Josi Thyr. We grew up racing in Junior races together and I’m so excited that we are racing together again now in the Iditarod.
Is there a certain part of the Iditarod trail you are looking forward to? Like maybe the beautiful scenery from the Yukon River or the food from Takotna checkpoint?
I am excited for all of the scenery and new terrain. I am also really excited to see and meet all the people and villages involved with the race.
Is there any part of the Iditarod trail you are nervous about like the Bering sea coast or the Steps?
Getting caught in a bad storm on the coast would be my biggest fear.
If for some reason you don’t make it to the finish line in Nome, will you try again?
I don’t know, it would depend on the reason I wasn’t able to finish.
What kind of things do you like to do when not mushing?
I mostly just like to spend time with my dogs. Whether that be hanging out in the house or yard, hiking, free running, agility, obedience, or playing fetch. For the rare moments I’m not doing dog activities, mushing, or dog sports, I enjoy listening to music, cooking, and art.
What is your favorite food / drink?
I’ll eat pretty much everything, but one thing I adore is tea. I don’t ever drink coffee, but enjoy all types of teas and of course kombucha (fermented tea) as well!
What’s your favorite music?
I love music and I love a wide variety of music. My music playlist has EDM, rock, gospel, country, folk, pop, and everything in between.
What’s your favorite film?
There’s a lot of great films I enjoy, but I will say that my favorite mushing film is Iron Will and the best movies of all time were the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
What’s your favorite book?
I’m quite fond of “The Speed Mushing Manual” by Jim Welch and Adventures of the Iditarod Airforce by Ted Mattson.
What’s your favorite city?
Butte, Montana
What’s your favorite item of clothing?
I’m almost always wearing a ball cap!
Do you have a lucky charm?
This year for Iditarod I will be carrying the collars of some amazing dogs who have passed beyond the Rainbow Bridge. Without them I would not be running Iditarod and I owe them everything. Otter, Alice, and Emmett will be riding with me to Nome in spirit… though Alice and Otter will probably be leading the way up front. If I do encounter weather on the coast, they’ll help guide us on the trail.
Thank you to Jenny for taking time to answer our questions in the Meet the Rookie series.
We wish her the best of luck in the 2025 Iditarod.
You can follow her race on the Iditarod website.
