Tails from the Trail

Welcome to Unalakleet! Unalakleet is the largest village along the Iditarod Trail between Wasilla and Nome, with a population of 882. Unalakleet is the beginning of the mushers trek along the Bering Sea.  During this part of the trail the mushers can expect higher winds and possible snow storms. However today it was a warm 34 degrees.

Thomas Waerner in UNK 2015. Photo credits Terrie Hanke

Thomas Waerner was the first musher into Unalakleet.  Thomas is running his second Iditarod, he ran his first in 2015. He is quickly making his way up the coast. 

Wade Mars was the second musher into Unalakleet. Both he and his dogs were happy and excited to be here. 

The mushers that arrived in Unalakleet not only had warm weather, but they also were greeted with many, many pizzas gifted by friends, fans, and family and delivered by Peace on Earth Pizza! What a great meal to prepare them for the long trip up the coast.

Tribute to Perseverance

Several mushers have had to “run” parts of the Iditarod Trail, many times it is because of a storm, and the mushers will lead their dogs, or to help push the sled up a hill, or just to stay awake.  In 1975 Steve Fee, the Red Lantern recipient for that year, “ran” a large  part of the trail.  He traveled 90 miles from White Mountain to Nome on snowshoes, breaking trail, for his team.  IN doing so He finished the Iditarod 6 days after the second to last musher. That is perseverance!  

Teachers 

 The dogs have been out on the trail for quite a few days now.  If each team has 14 dogs and each dog has four feet.  How many booties does it take to have all the dogs on the team bootied?  At each checkpoint the booties are changed for each dog, how many booties does it take to supply one team down the trail?  If the musher is required to have two extra sets on the sled at all times, now how many booties does each musher need? If all 57 mushers were to finish the race, how many booties would be used during the Iditarod?