Ruby, Alaska has nicknamed itself the “Gem of the Yukon,” and given the views from around the checkpoint building, it’s not hard to imagine why.
When the Iditarod runs on the northern route (even-numbered years, including, obviously, this year), Ruby is the first checkpoint on the Yukon River; it’s situated on hilly terrain on the Yukon’s southern bank.
Iditarod competitors, by the way, must take an 8-hour layover somewhere on the Yukon, which means that some mushers will have plenty of time to enjoy the food, and the view, from the Ruby checkpoint building.
