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They're Off!

-By Nelida Gonzalez Cutler Reported by Donna Freedman/Alaska

Gravel, slush and mud aren't usually part of Alaska's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. But with temperatures above freezing and little snow in Anchorage, Alaska, mushers turned into slushers! There was so little snow at the opening ceremony on March 1 that the powdery stuff had to be hauled in to create a trail.

Then for the first time in the Iditarod's 31-year history, organizers moved the starting line more than 200 miles north to Fairbanks. Bare ground, icy patches and rushing rivers had made the original trail too dangerous. So after an 11-mile opening run in Anchorage, 1,000 sled dogs were driven to Fairbanks. There, on March 3, they began the official race to Nome.

TOUGH SLEDDING

The Iditarod honors a heroic 1925 trek when dog teams delivered life-saving medicine to sick children in Nome. This year's trail closely follows the 1925 route, adding 70 miles to the traditional 1,100-mile journey. Race manager Jack Niggemyer said the new route "looks safe, looks good, looks doable."

But it is uncharted territory, even for experienced mushers. "I don't know what to expect, and that's the neat--and intimidating--thing about this year," said musher Jon Little. Temperatures in the high 30s can mean tough sledding for Idita-dogs. They have thick undercoats and are accustomed to running in much colder temperatures. But veterinarians at the first checkpoint, Nenana, said the dogs looked good. If mild temperatures continue, some mushers may decide to run at night and rest during the day.

BIG THRILLS ALL ALONG THE TRAIL

Residents of small towns along the new route are thrilled to be a part of the race. In Nenana, folks prepared soups, chili, spaghetti and loads of desserts for mushers and volunteers. "It was a very big deal for the community," said Nenana resident Rick Mackey, who has run the Iditarod 18 times. "Every street in town was packed."

DID YOU KNOW?

• Mush is believed to come from the French marcher, which means "go forward."
• The Iditarod winner gets $68,571 and a truck.
• This year, 64 sled-dog teams began the race; 50 mushers are men, and 14 are women.
• A musher must have eight booties for each dog.

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