Iditarod

Yukon Quest champion Hugh Neff is the first musher into the Rohn checkpoint, arriving at 3:57 with all 16 dogs. As of 5:00 Monday afternoon,...

Iditarod mushers are preparing for a particularly bumpy, brutal ride on the trail’s first leg on icy terrain with little snow. Many have modified their run strategies, and adjusted one of the main tools for keeping a competitive edge: their sleds. Many mushers say durability is trumping speed this year as they expect to take a beating along the early trail.

The lives of the 1,300 sled dogs running now to Nome have led up to this moment as they race to against the world’s best dogs and wiliest mushers. Years of training come down to a couple short weeks of elite performance, sometimes running more than 100 miles per day.

After arriving to Rainy Pass in third, Hugh Neff wasted no time in getting back on the trail.

Four-time Iditarod champion Martin Buser, has become an Alaskan icon through his exploits behind a dogsled team. Alaska Public Media's Lori Townsend sat down with Buser at Happy Trails Kennel in Big Lake, Alaska to talk about what it takes to build a career and business around mushing in FACES OF ALASKA. Wednesday, March 9. 10:30 pm

Iditarod veteran Jan Steves, of Willow, scratched early this morning at the Skwentna checkpoint - 83 miles into the race.

It was busy overnight in Skwentna as teams passed through the second checkpoint on the Iditarod Trail and made their way into the Alaska Range. Teams are shaking out the kinks early as they settle into race mode.

Red, white and blue flags flew high at this year’s Iditarod start line, but they weren’t the flags one might expect at an American race. These flags bear the Scandinavian cross and they were flown by fans who came out to cheer on more than ten percent of the race field. There are more Scandinavians in this year’s Iditarod than ever before. Iditarod - Day 1

Hundreds of race fans lined the chute on Willow Lake to send off one of the largest fields in years under warm March sunlight.

The 44th Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race kicked off with the ceremonial start to the race in downtown Anchorage Saturday.

The Iditarod parties in Nome at the end of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race are legendary. But at another party 1,000 miles behind on...

Iditarod 2016 photos from the trail by Alaska Public Media's Zachariah Hughes and KNOM's Emily Schwing.

The 44th annual Iditarod trail sled dog race gets underway on Sunday, although the festive ceremonial start in Anchorage happens tomorrow. This is one of the largest fields in the race's history at 85 mushers signed up to start. KNOM News Director Emily Schwing and Alaska Public Media's Zachariah Hughes will be reporting from the trail. Before they take off, let's find out who they're keeping an eye on and what to watch out for along the trail. Download Audio

In preparation for the 2016 lditarod Sled Dog Races, the Municipality of Anchorage will be closing off several downtown streets for event set-up. In order to provide ample notice, 'No Parking' signs will be placed within the closure areas at least 48 hours in advance of the road closures. Anchorage Police Department officers will be on traffic control detail for the duration of these events and will be able to assist drivers with directional instructions.

A lack of snow in Alaska's largest city has led the world's most famous sled dog race to shorten its ceremonial start this weekend. Download Audio

Organizers have decided that a lack of snow in the Anchorage area won't force a route change for this year's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. The start of the race will be staged as usual in Willow, about 50 miles north of Anchorage. Download Audio

Another low snow year in Alaska is playing havoc with the world's most famous sled dog race, at least for the start.

Iditarod organizers continue to look at Fairbanks for restarting this year’s race. Fairbanks North Star borough Mayor Karl Kassel met with race officials in Fairbanks yesterday. Download Audio

Fairbanks officials say the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is unlikely to start in the borough this year.