Iditapod: Bouncing back to Willow

Joar Olsom leaves the Ophir checkpoint with his dog team during the Iditarod Sled Dog Race on Friday March 12th, 2021. (Zachariah Hughes/for ADN)

Since we left off, an Iditarod musher has tested positive for COVID-19 and been withdrawn, Dallas Seavey has taken the lead in his return to the race and, instead of leaving problematic sections of trail behind, mushers are heading back over them, on a modified, out-and-back trail. We talk to three-time champion Mitch Seavey, who’s a spectator this year, as well as Iditapod co-founder Zachariah Hughes in McGrath, and we get an Iditarod veteran’s take on a listener question about dog booties.

a portrait of a man outside

Casey Grove is host of Alaska News Nightly, a general assignment reporter and an editor at Alaska Public Media. Reach him atcgrove@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Caseyhere

Previous articleValerie Nurr’araaluk Davidson to head Alaska Native health consortium
Next articleGrant Aviation plane goes off runway in Chevak