2016 Iditarod trail photo gallery
Iditarod 2016 photos from the trail by Alaska Public Media's Zachariah Hughes and KNOM's Emily Schwing.
Lacking snow, a short ceremonial start to Iditarod 44
The 44th Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race kicked off with the ceremonial start to the race in downtown Anchorage Saturday.
“Trailgating” the Iditarod Trail
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...
PHOTOS: 85 Iditarod mushers head for Nome
Hundreds of race fans lined the chute on Willow Lake to send off one of the largest fields in years under warm March sunlight.
2016 Iditarod’s Scandinavian contingent the largest ever
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
Teams work out the kinks in the Iditarod’s early stages
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.
Jan Steves scratches in Skwentna
Iditarod veteran Jan Steves, of Willow, scratched early this morning at the Skwentna checkpoint - 83 miles into the race.
Neff first out of Rainy Pass, takes lead
After arriving to Rainy Pass in third, Hugh Neff wasted no time in getting back on the trail.
Mushing Explained Video: Feeding the furnace of elite Iditarod sled dogs
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.
Mushing Explained Video: Designing the perfect dog sled
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.
Koenig scratches at Skwenta checkpoint
At 2pm, Martin Koenig of Seeley Lake, MT scratched at the Skwentna checkpoint. The veteran musher had fallen ill and it prevented him from finishing the race.
Iditarod mushers battle “The Crud”
In the first couple days of racing, Iditarod dog teams are running along some of the roughest parts of trail reported on this year’s Iditarod. But the actual trail may not be the challenge. A handful of mushers are sick and others are making an effort to keep their dogs race ready.
Listen Now
Hugh Neff Arrives in Rohn in Iditarod 44
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,...
Trail Mix: An Iditarod reporter’s ambitious reading list
Trail Mix is Alaska Public Media's trail reporters' inside perspective on covering the Iditarod.
Whenever I travel, I bring something to read. Even...
Petit retakes lead on the way to Nikolai
After briefly relinquishing the lead Monday, Nicolas Petit is back in front on the way to Nikolai. But, the pack isn't far behind. Dallas Seavey, Wade Marrs, Mitch Seavey and Hugh Neff are within 10 miles of Petit.
Petit first to arrive in Nikolai
Girdwood musher Nicolas Petit is the first competitor into the Nikolai checkpoint. Dallas and Mitch Seavey are running in second and third place, respectively, with Wade Marrs trailing in fourth.
DeNure scratches in Rainy Pass
Delta Junction's Zoya Denure scratched in Rainy Pass this morning at 9:50 a.m. According to an Iditarod press release, Denure made the decision due to concerns for her team.
Tuesday, March 8th’s Three to Read: catch up on Iditarod 44
Two days into the race, Iditarod strategies are coming into sharper contrast. As mushers leapfrog one another, here's what you need to know to...
17 journeys for 17 Iditarod rookies
The vast majority of mushers driving dog teams in this year’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race are veterans. The field of rookies is small and their goals are varied, but they’re all taking cues from seasoned veterans.
Brent Sass, Noah Burmeister, and Dallas Seavey race on to McGrath
Dallas Seavey is surging to the front of the Iditarod trail between Nikolai and McGrath. The defending champion dropped one dog and rested four hours in Nikolai, about 250 miles into the race. His father Mitch Seavey and Wade Marrs followed closely behind this afternoon, according to the Iditarod GPS tracker.