Photo courtesy of Bailey Vitello

Bailey Vitello is a second-generation musher and has been running dogs since he was a child. He got more serious about competitive mushing as he got older, and the more he learned, the longer he wanted to be on the trail with his team. Hailing from Milan, New Hampshire, he completed his first Iditarod in 2023 and second in 2024. He was named the Rookie of the Year at the Kobuk 440 last year, placing fifth. He has also run the Copper Basin 300, Knik 200, and Kuskokwim 300. His sponsors are Mountain Ridge Sled Dog Equipment and Dog Sponsors and he would like to thank his friends, family, his dog handler, and his fiancé for always being ready for the next adventure. He’s looking forward to experiencing the community and culture at all the amazing villages that the Kobuk 440 visits throughout the race. He had such a great time last year that he just had to come back!