Buser In The Lead As Racers Approach Nulato
Big Lake musher Martin Buser is leading the Iditarod. After choosing an unconventional checkpoint for his 24 hour layover early in the race, he charged to the front of the race today. He’s now nearing the Nulato checkpoint with Sonny Lindner, Aliy Zirkle and Jeff King in pursuit. Iditarod Mushers and their dog teams passed in and out of the Yukon River community of Galena on various schedules throughout the afternoon.
Download Audio
Mushers Anticipating Tough Run Up Bering Sea Coast
Some mushers are still trying to hold dog teams back despite the fast Yukon River miles ahead. The most experienced mushers know the river miles can be fast, but there’s still a tough run up the Bering Sea Coast ahead.
Zirkle Bolts Ruby With Iditarod Lead; Buser Follows
Aliy Zirkle took the lead in the 2014 Iditarod early Friday morning leaving Ruby almost two hours ahead of Martin Buser who also took off from Ruby Friday. Both mushers dropped dogs at the layover and were racing with 14 dogs.
Buser Joins King and Lindner in Ruby
Jeff King was first to Ruby on Thursday in the 2014 Iditarod but Sonny Lindner was not far behind. The two leaders were joined by Martin Buser later Thursday night.
King Resting At Ruby, Competitors Close In
Jeff King is resting at the Yukon river checkpoint of Ruby. The four time Iditarod champion is technically in the lead at this point, but Martin Buser, Aliy Zirkle and Robert Sorlie are closing in, and they’ve already completed their 24 hour layovers. Once teams leave Ruby, they’ll have a chance to take advantage of any remaining speed they have on the flat river miles ahead.
Download Audio
Delta Western’s Pro-Union Fuelers Strike Again
For the past month, a group of fuel supply workers in Unalaska have been trying to unionize. And they’ve also accused their employer, Delta Western, of mistreating them for it. The workers took to the picket line on Tuesday to protest with other local union members.
Download Audio
Cyclist Obliterates Iditarod Trail Invitational Record
Most speed records are broken by seconds or minutes. Wednesday, a Fairbanks cyclist demolished the Iditarod Trail Invitational record by almost a full week.
Download Audio
Dogs Fare Better Than Mushers Over Rough Trail
Iditarod teams remain large. Most mushers are still running teams of 14 or more dogs. Mushers are surprised at how many dogs fared well through some of the roughest trail they’ve seen in the race’s history.
Download Audio
Iditarod Teams Rest Up for A Big Push as They Near the Yukon
As teams come off their mandatory 24-hour rest and head for the Yukon River, they’ll be thinking of how best to pick up the pace in what is turning out to be one of the most dramatic, but also the most competitive races in Iditarod history.
King Charges to Lead in Iditarod; First Out of Cripple
Jeff King took the lead in the 2014 Iditarod when he charged out of Cripple Wednesday night ahead of Sonny Lindner. King left about 8:30 and Lindner followed at 9:09. Both were racing with 14 dogs.
Aaron Burmeister First to Cripple, Leads Iditarod
Aaron Burmeister was the first musher to Cripple Wednesday afternoon, about an hour ahead of Jeff King. Burmeister arrived about 3:26 with 13 dogs. King had 15. Sonny Lindner also reached Cripple Wednesday afternoon. He was racing with 16 dogs.
Legislature Considers Changing Autopsies In Rural Alaska
When a person dies under suspicious or unusual circumstances, the state has an obligation to make sure that evidence is processed and that they can protect the victim and their family. In rural Alaska, that means sending the body to the medical examiners office in Anchorage. If the legislature acts on a bill, part of that examination could take place locally.
Download Audio
UAA Panel Discussing Pros, Cons Of Pot Legalization
Tonight the University of Alaska Anchorage will feature a panel discussion on the pros and cons of legalizing marijuana. Last night we brought you the perspective of a legalization advocate and this evening we offer the opposing side. Dean Guaneli is a retired assistant attorney general for Alaska. Guaneli says there is confusion over the current law regulating marijuana here. He says because of the privacy clause in the state constitution, a 1976 decision by the Alaska Supreme court made it impossible for the state to enforce the law for small amounts in one’s home. But he says in 2006, the legislature clearly re-criminalized marijuana.
Download Audio
Snow in McGrath Offers Relief for Battered Iditarod Mushers
The Iditarod trail continued to claim victims through Tuesday. Reports of everything from broken ankles to broken hands came filtering back from Rohn and Nikolai. It will take a combination of resilience and persistence for mushers to keep moving down the trail.
Sonny Lindner Takes Iditarod Lead
Sonny Lindner took the lead in the 2014 Iditarod early Wednesday morning and was heading towards Cripple. He left Ophir almost two hours ahead of Aaron Burmeister. Nicolas Petit was in third. Jeff King and Joar Leifseth Ulsom trailed Petit.
Petit First Out of Taknota, Heads Iditarod Field
Nicolas Petit took the Iditarod lead Tuesday evening when he was the first to dart out of Taknota about 8:35 p.m. He spent just a few minutes in Taknota and headed towards Ophir.
Iditarod Leaders Leave Nikolai
The Iditarod race leaders left the checkpoint of Nikolai around mid day today. Sonny Lindner, Hugh Neff, Aliy Zirkle and Nicolas Petit pulled out of Nikolai within an hour of each other. But five mushers, including DeeDee Jonrowe and Jake Berkowitz scratched today, because of broken equipment that was damaged on the extremely rough trail out of Rainy Pass.
Download Audio
Dust-up in U.S. House Hearing over Bypass Mail
Alaska’s Bypass Mail system took some punches in Congress today. The chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee is renewing his attack on the postal system that delivers everything from lettuce to lumber in the Bush. Alaska’s congressional delegation told him, essentially, to butt out.
Two Race Veterans Scratch In Rohn
DeeDee Jonrowe and Linwood Fielder, both of Willow, scratched this morning at the Rohn checkpoint at 6:00 a.m. and 6:21 a.m., respectively, both citing problems in Dalzell Gorge.
Fast Trail Forces Mushers To Ride The Brakes
Iditarod mushers are working hard to hold back teams on what has been an icy, hard packed trail. A snowless, rocky stretch of trail through a burn will slow them down, but most mushers are riding their brakes.