Iditarod’s mid-pack mushers prepare final pushes to Nome
Iditarod mushers face a grueling next few days. Not just those fighting tooth-and-nail at the top of the pack but, also, everyone else with competitive ambitions jockeying for spots in the top 10, 20 and 30.
Iditarod changes dropped dog transport standards following Friday death
The Iditarod Trail Committee said it’s changing protocols for how it transports dropped sled dogs after an one died Friday while in the organization’s care. An early necropsy on the dog showed it had overheated, dying of hyperthermia while on board a plane. Listen now
Iditapod: Mitch Seavey leads the charge up the coast
In Episode 13, we talk about Mitch Seavey's rush up the coast, what's going on in the middle of the pack, a musher reflecting on his dog's death, and we address a bunch more listener questions.
Iditapod: Top-5 Mushers Sprint for the Coast
In Episode 12, we talk about Mitch Seavey taking the lead, the Iditarod's international contingent, and we hear harrowing Iditasport tales.
Iditapod: Mushers Head Back to the Yukon River
In Episode 11, we talk about: How few dogs have been dropped, the rookies are making a run for it, and Huslia's mushing tradition.
Why are mushing teams much larger at the midway point?
The first three mushers to arrive in Huslia all had 16 dogs on the line—the same number they started the race with nearly 500 miles ago. Up and down the leader-board mushers are arriving with big teams, and dropping far fewer dogs than in recent years. Listen now
The rich mushing legacy of Huslia
Huslia is hosting the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race for the second time ever. The Interior village is rich in mushing history as it is the home of the late sprint champion musher George Attla Junior and other top names in Alaska dog racing. And as elite teams pass through the home of mushing royalty, local dog drivers are looking ahead to the next generation of mushers. Listen now
Musher suffers dog loss at Galena checkpoint
A dog has died in this year’s Iditarod. It happened shortly before midnight at the Galena checkpoint. Listen now
Mitch Seavey is first to Huslia
Iditarod racer Mitch Seavey is the first musher to reach the halfway checkpoint of Huslia. The two-time champion was the first to leave Galena early Thursday and arrived in Huslia more than 80 miles up the trail at 8:18 p.m. A big crowd lined the main street to welcome in Seavey.
Iditarod strategies on view as mushers take “24’s”
At this point in the Iditarod, just about every top team has declared their mandatory 24-rest, and is either recuperating, or else charging back onto the trail. The rest gives both dogs and mushers a chance to catch their breath and rebuild some strength. And it’s one of the main indicators of a musher’s strategy, finally giving shape to the accelerating race in the days ahead.
Iditapod: Iditarod Mushers Reach Huslia
In Episode 10, we talk about: Mitch Seavey the first into Huslia, 24-hour rests and how mushers determine when to take them, and the Iditarod's educational aspects.
With sick dogs, Zirkle takes her 24-hour rest earlier than planned
Iditarod veteran Aliy Zirkle has had to upend her race plans and declare a 24-hour rest in Galena because of sick dogs. Listen now
Push or pause? Near Iditarod’s mid-point, mushers decide when to rest
It’s break time on the Iditarod trail, as teams hunker down for 24 hours of uninterrupted rest along the Yukon River or consider pushing down the trail to a later checkpoint. As the race approaches the halfway point mushers try to plan how to get the most from their tactical breaks. Listen now
Wade Marrs leads Iditarod 2017 into Ruby
Wade Marrs led two past champions into the Ruby checkpoint last night in the 2017 Iditarod. 350 miles into the trail, the racing is underway as teams plot their next moves along hundreds of winding miles on the Yukon River.
Iditapod: Wade Marrs is the first musher into Ruby
In Episode 9, we talk about Wade Marrs leading the way to Ruby, run/rest strategies, two-way communications,and a story from Iditarod past.
Mushers hit Tanana, weighing rests; as first to the Yukon, Petit feasts
Iditarod mushers reached the Yukon River last night at Tanana. Teams are ready to launch their race plans as the 8-hour and 24-hour rest periods come into view. But first, they must run the longest stretch of the race between checkpoints and make it through the early race with their teams intact.
After a bruising 2016, Martin Buser upbeat for 2017
Last year, Martin Buser had a tough Iditarod. He finished in 37th place, his lowest position on the leader-board in a decades-long career. But this year, as the four-time champion charges through the race’s early checkpoints, a lot of things are going better.
Iditapod: Nicolas Petit leads mushers to the Yukon
In Episode 8, we talk about Nicolas Petit being the first to the Yukon, Martin Buser's recovery from last year's injury, Yukon Quest v. Iditarod, and veteran dog teams.
Mushers adjust to deep cold near Manley Hot Springs
During the first night of this year’s Iditarod, teams endured frigid temperatures on the Tanana River to reach the second checkpoint of Manley Hot Springs. Teams are adjusting to the deep cold and preparing to push to the Yukon River, where the race will unfold. Listen now
Iditapod: Mushers check in at Manley Hot Springs
In Episode 7, we talk about: Early race trail conditions, new sled-building and packing strategies, and we hear interviews with Dallas Seavey and Lance Mackey.