Every year, hundreds of volunteers take on various roles and effectively make the Iditarod work. Some estimate that more than 1,500 people volunteer per a race. Volunteer positions include dog handlers, security, veterinarians, trailbreakers, communications (“comms”), cooks, logistics, and more. Arguably speaking, one of the most important group of volunteers is the Iditarod Air Force, …
Do you recognize that body of water in the background of the picture? Well, if you don’t, that is the Bering Sea, and as you can see, there is very little sea ice this year. When people think of the Iditarod, they often associate it with the 1925 Serum Run–a race against time in which …
This year’s Iditarod champion finish was quite an exciting, memorable, and historic one! Beginning just after midnight, Iditarod fans began to line the chutes of the finish line. There was a steady wind that seemed to pick up as the time waned, and the falling snow was incredibly fitting for the occasion. Industrial flood lights …
One of the things I’ve thoroughly enjoyed is talking to mushers about their dogs. When you speak to a musher, he/she is able to tell you everything about each dog on the team. You’ll hear them share about their personality, age, eating habits, lineage, and so on. It’s fun hearing the unique dog names across …
Did you know it is estimated that sled dogs use anywhere between 10,000-12,000 calories during one day of racing? Some people believe that figure is even higher! To put that into perspective: If the average sled dog = 50 lbs And if the average adult = three times that amount, or 150 lbs Then, that …
Mushers are consistently met with surprises along the trail: unexpected weather, a moose on the trail, poor trail conditions, a broken sled, etc. However, the things that come unexpectedly aren’t always negative, and Jessie Royer was the recipient of such a positive occurrence. Jessie was the fourth musher to reach Unalakleet following Nicolas Petit, Peter …
Many students and classes have reached out asking about those “shoes” on the dogs’ feet. Here’s some information to help you out! The little shoe-like slippers that dogs wear on their feet are called booties. In order to accommodate all dogs, booties come in small, medium, and large sizes. Although you will see some mushers …
All of the mushers have officially come and gone through the Takotna checkpoint. If you look at the description of Takotna on the Iditarod website, it says, “This is one of the smallest towns with one of the biggest welcomes.” Having had the opportunity to witness how this checkpoint operates, I couldn’t agree more! When …
The Iditarod and the mushers pride themselves on making sure that the dogs are always healthy and safe. Throughout the race, volunteer veterinarians can be seen routinely performing examinations on the dogs. Even if they appear to be in great condition, vets still check their health and status. This year, there’s approximately 50 volunteer vets …
Greetings from Takotna, where numerous mushers are currently using their mandatory 24-hour rest. For those of you who might not know, according to rule 13, mushers must take one 24-hour rest at any checkpoint. They are also required to take two additional 8-hour rests—one needs be completed at any checkpoint along the Yukon River, and …
