Ida Kohnert Nears the Finish on Willow Lake

The Jr. Iditarod is a 150-mile race for mushers between the ages of 14 and 17.  They run 75-miles out to Yentna Station then park their teams and camp.  After putting straw down for the dogs to sleep on and taking booties off, the mushers prepare a nutritious meal for the hardworking canine athletes.  After a 10-hour rest, the mushers boot up the dogs and attach their tug lines then mush 75-miles to the Willow finish line.  There were seven mushers in Jr. Iditarod XLII.  The top five finishers and the winners of the Sportsmanship Award and Humanitarian Award receive scholarships for higher education or advanced training.