Takotna or Elsewhere: Teams Begin 24-Hour Mandatory Rest Time
Iditarod teams are taking their 24-hour breaks at checkpoints across Alaska’s Interior. KNOM’s Ben Matheson has more from Takotna about how mushers are making the most out of their biggest rest period of the race and preparing for the miles to come. Tim Pappas is cooking up a big meal for his dogs in an […]
Temperatures Drop, New Leaders Forge Ahead on Trail
North of the Alaska Range, along the Iditarod trail, temperatures dropped significantly below zero on Tuesday. As most mushers were resting during the heat of the day and running in the colder weather, a few leaders started to emerge from the race pack of 56 mushers. Back-to-back Yukon Quest champion Brent Sass has returned to […]
Royer Maintaining Lead to McGrath After Sass Surprised out of Nikolai
Brent Sass led first out of the Nikolai checkpoint this afternoon – a surprise after Aaron Burmeister, Richie Diehl, and Pete Kaiser were keeping top positions on the trail last night. Sass spoke with KNOM trail reporter, Davis Hovey, about his plans when departing Nikolai this afternoon. Davis spoke via phone during the 2 p.m. […]
Deep Snow Leads to Adjustments in Speed & Strategy
33 teams made it into the Rainy Pass checkpoint before 7pm Monday night. KNOM trail reporter, Davis Hovey, reports from Rainy Pass: In spite of earlier trail reports indicating the deep snow would slow teams down, some mushers made adjustments to maintain their dogs’ health and speed. Mille Porsild of Denmark said in Rainy Pass […]
Western Alaska Mushers Lead into Rohn
Aaron Burmeister of Nome was the first into Rohn this evening, after departing first from Rainy Pass. Richie Diehl of Aniak and Pete Kaiser of Bethel followed out of Rainy Pass earlier today, showcasing Western Alaska mushers leading the pack into Rohn. After pushing through a snowy trail, some teams opted to rest for some […]
13 Rookies Test Training and Dreams in 2020 Iditarod
Among the 57 mushers running the 2020 Iditarod, 13 rookies are on their way to Nome following the restart Sunday in Willow. KNOM’s Ben Matheson reports: As Quince Mountain plots his run and rest schedule for his first Iditarod, he’s weighing his options for camping between checkpoints and facing an unpredictable trail. He’s not sure […]
Deep Snow, Moose Encounters, Possibly ‘Trench Warfare’ Await Iditarod Teams
The 2020 Iditarod Sled Dog Race started over the weekend. 57 mushers and roughly 800 sled dogs took off from frozen Willow Lake and are beginning the long trek toward the Alaska Range this morning. According to mushers at the Ceremonial Start in downtown Anchorage, the state’s powerful winter this year is expected to make […]
57 Teams Leave Willow, Kaiser Pulls Ahead
At 2 p.m. this afternoon, all 57 teams left Willow, AK to start the 2020 Iditarod Sled Dog Race.
One of 12 Rookies Will Lead the Mushers Out in 48th Running of the Iditarod
Rookie Martin Massicotte of Canada will be the first of 57 mushers to race along the trail in the 2020 Iditarod, which starts this weekend. Last night’s musher’s banquet saw Massicotte pull bib #2 out of the traditional mukluk. Bib#1 went to this year’s honorary musher Gail Phillips, who was raised in Nome, served on […]