THE CENTENNIAL SEPPALA EXPEDITION FILM

In January of 1925, in the coastal gold mining town of Nome, Alaska, a rampant outbreak of diphtheria was claiming many lives, mostly the lives of children.

A small team of brave mushers agreed to transport antitoxin to the remote village- nearly 750 miles through the low arctic interior, during the blizzard of the century—by the only means possible—dog team.

No dogteam did more to save the children of Nome than the Siberian dogs of Norwegian immigrant, Leonhard Seppala.

With his famed leader, Togo, Seppala mushed over 261 miles in the relay—and risked the treacherous Norton Bay Sea Ice twice in the effort.

January of 2025 marked the one hundred year anniversary of their heroism.

To commemorate this historic event, US Marine, explorer, high school teacher, Jonathan Nathaniel Hayes lead a dogsled expedition- retracing the entire original 750 mile route during the darkest and coldest time of year, across Alaska’s frozen arctic interior, across the Norton Bay sea ice to the village of Nome, Alaska.

His dog team comprised solely of Seppala Siberian Sleddogs, the registered descendants of Leonhard Seppala’s team.

Along the way, the team connected with original relay village schools and families.

The team consisted of Jonathan Hayes, Jamie Nichols, Jeff Kelley and filmmaker Caleb Gingras.