Race Marshall Mark Nordman cites deep, impassable snow as the reason for this year’s first major route change since the start of the race. Rather than mush through the abandoned mining town of Flat to the Iditarod checkpoint and back, mushers heading to Iditarod will turn immediately back to finish the second half of the race.
In other news, Brenda Mackey is the latest musher to scratch in the interest of her team’s wellbeing.
Listen to tonight’s update in full for more on trail and weather conditions, and where the mushers are on the trail:
Image at top: An aerial view of the trail from Ophir to Iditarod (checkpoint). Photo: Ben Matheson, KNOM.
