Checkers, camera crew, volunteers, vetrerinarians are all suited, headlamps poised, for the first arrival to White Mountain;   Usually the first musher to White Mountain wins the iditarod, which makes sense when you consider that the mushers have probably sorted themselves out after a 1000 miles on the trail.   Many of the volunteers in White Mountain are saavy veteranbs and know they can watch for a light from the checkpoint porch (city hall turned checkpoint) and have plenty of time to walk down the hill to the river ice.  Check out our videos on the Insider and see that white Mountain is spread out on a hillside overlooking the Fish River.

An eight hour mandator rest is required in White Mountain. This allows veterinarians time to completely go through teams.  It also lets the dogs and mushers get some deep sleep.  Generally the 77 mile run to Nome is a victory lap, but this years race might make the last 77 miles a grueling race to the finish.

The order on the trail Mitch, aliy, King, REdington and Dallas Seavey, who is pushing hard to the front, followed by Aaron Burmeister.