The Wild Iditarod Trail

Ah, the excitement is building! Can't you just feel the energy as thousands of athletes and spectators prepare to brave Alaska's weather in early March. Mushers and their dog teams have been preparing all year for this event. They've practiced on training trails, and entered other contests to see their competitors. It is time to test their skills in the last great race on earth, the Iditarod.

Crowds gather at Fourth and D streets in Anchorage, Alaska anxiously hoping to see their favorite mushers start the race. All contestants have their numbers, and all dogs have been marked by veterinarians. It is time to hit the trail, and head out of the city to Eagle River before meeting up in Wasilla.

In Wasilla, the teams gather their equipment that has been flown in by plane. From here on out, they are on their own. They will be required to stop at checkpoints throughout their journey. This is to ensure the safety of the team, and allows injured animals to be flown home. The next checkpoint is 14 miles away in the little town of Knik.

The Iditarod Air Force keeps watch over the trail, flying volunteers into the various check points along the way. Iron dogs are employed to keep the trail clear from debris and hazards. The sled teams are ready to push forth into the Alaskan Range.

From Knik, racers mush past Rabbit and Finger Lakes, about 115 miles north of Anchorage. There are wild animals out here. Moose have been known to attack Iditarod contenders. In the 1985 Iditarod Race, Susan Butcher had to drop out of the race due to a moose attack. The team got badly hurt, which caused a new mandatory rule to be written for future races. All mushers must now carry a weapon for protection.

When teams reach Skwentna, they have been on the trail for about 151 miles. The river is usually frozen. Teams often rest here before making the 45 mile climb into the Alaskan Range. Villagers are eager to see them and wish them well.

At the top of the Alaskan Range is a cabin where mushers sign in and out. From here they prepare the ascent to Rainy Pass. The climb gets steeper as teams journey through the Happy River Valley and up the Happy River Gorge, located between the lower peaks of the Alaskan Range.

The sleds are heavy, around 400 pounds each with gear and driver. When they reach the Rainy Pass area at around 3,200 feet, they are able to see Alaska. This is the highest point on the Iditarod Trail. Mushers can view the Interior region, which is where they are headed. This is a huge area that is approximately 1/3 the size of the entire state.

As they descend down the mountain, teams make their way to the Rohn checkpoint. The drop from Dalzell Gorge is quick and furious, as sleds race down 1,000 feet within the first few minutes of hitting the trail. Spills and rollovers have been known to happen. It is a dangerous descent, and one taken with extreme caution.

When the teams make it through Rohn, often bruised and battered, they make their way to White Mountain. Many of them take their mandatory 24 hour rest here. They travel through the Interior region which is flat. The weather is cold, and the wind whips strongly against their sleds. It is barren land as they travel through Farewell Burn.

There are a few villages along the Interior region. A checkpoint at Nikolai has been established where the Kuskokwim and Tokotna rivers meet. Sled teams have been on the trail for just over 400 miles now. They are cold and tired, but eager to see the villagers after their lonely trek across the Interior.

The teams leave the Nikolai checkpoint and make their way to Ophir. This is where the trail divides into a northern and southern route. On even numbered years, mushers take the southern route and travel through Iditarod, Shageluk, Anvik, Grayling, and Eagle Island before meeting up at Kaltag. On odd numbered reaching Kaltag.

At the halfway point of the trail, a little past Ophir, the Alascom Award is won. The first person to reach this point receives $3,000 in silver ingots. The weather continues to be unpredictable, as runners make their way to Nome. Even though the trail is fairly open, the winds and snow can be blinding.

Teams must prepare to make their move. It is time to chase the rabbit, the person at the front of the race. Strategy and skill come into full play as runners make their way through the wilderness. One of them will win the First to Yukon award, and receive a 7 course meal, plus a night in a warm hotel, among other prizes.

With temperatures that can drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the Yukon challenges the best of competitors. The river is frozen as it winds through trees and snowy wilderness. Getting through the Yukon to the Kaltag checkpoint is dangerous and tricky.

Teams rest and enjoy a quick snack before getting back on the trail. They are now making their way toward the ocean in Unalakleet. Suddenly, teams are traveling along the Bering Sea. Eskimos are happy to see them, as the drivers begin to lighten their loads. They have almost made it, and only need survival supplies from this point on.

Travelling through Shaktoolik, and through Norton Bay is treacherous. It is cold and stormy. Frostbite and hypothermia threaten the mushers. Some of them even hallucinate as they make their way to the village of Koyuk.

As the teams travel across the Seward Peninsula, to Elim, village people meet them by the ocean. Mushers sense the end of their long journey, and are eager to reach Golovin. They hike 28 miles over the Kwiktalik Mountains to get there.

White Mountain is just ahead. There is only one more checkpoint at Safety. The mushers race to the finish line at Nome. They run along the coast line of the Bering Sea, eager to make it to their final destination.

After weeks on the trail, all sled dog teams are accounted for, and the Widow's Lamp can be extinguished. Another year at the Iditarod has proven challenging and exhilarating, for sled teams and spectators alike.