Iditarod

ll news stories about the Iditarod or mushing in general are categorized “Iditarod.”

Sled Dog Death in Unalakleet will be Investigated

An Iditarod Sled Dog described as "otherwise healthy" has died in Unalakleet. Race Marshal Mark Nordman said in a news release that the 5-year-old male dog named Dorado was from 38-year-old Fairbanks rookie musher Paige Drobny's team.

Iditarod to tighten race trail security, rewrite “gag rule”

The Iditarod Trail Committee (ITC) is taking steps to tighten security along the race route in the near future. Listen now

Mitch Seavey Takes Back Iditarod Lead

Mitch Seavey is back in the Iditarod lead. He passed Jeff King halfway through the run from Koyuk to Elim along the Bering Sea Coast. King surprised everyone by speeding through the Koyuk checkpoint at 8:20 this morning, stopping less than six minutes. That put him out front for most of the day. Mitch Seavey left the checkpoint three hours after King. Aliy Zirkle, Ray Redding Jr and Aaron Burmeister followed a few hours later. APRN trail reporter Emily Schwing is in Koyuk. She says King’s dogs looked good when they passed through the checkpoint.

Warmth and Illness Slowing Lead Teams; Buser Up Front

Steve Heimel, APRN - Anchorage and Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage It's become a Martin Buser style race, with teams taking their twenty...

Preparing Iron Springs Cafe's Famous Gumbo

Photo and Video by Josh Edge, APRN - Anchorage In McGrath, amid the outdoor preparations, Chef Todd Bulock was hard at work cooking food for...
A person in a black underwear suit drinks coffee as others walk through the door

At the Takotna checkpoint, Iditarod mushers indulge in sleep and pies

The only things that disrupted the peace: mushers snoring.

Meet Sean Underwood, the musher who found out last week he’d be racing the 2020 Iditarod

Four-time Iditarod champion Jeff King tapped Underwood, a 28-year-old from Atlanta, to take over his sled dog team after he had emergency surgery.

Iditapod: Iditarod ceremonial start, and a participatory parade

The Iditapodders took to the streets of downtown Anchorage, and the trails of midtown Anchorage, for the ceremonial start of the 2020 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Alaska Public Media reporters Zachariah Hughes and Tegan Hanlon joined Iditapod host Casey Grove in talking to mushers, but then Casey hopped on a sled with Quince Mountain, riding the entire 11-mile course. AKPM reporter Liz Ruskin also joined in with an audio postcard from the trail-side parties.

King Takes Iditarod Lead from Zirkle; Dallas Seavey Bolts into Third

Jeff King overtook Aliy Zirkle early Monday morning in the 2014 Iditarod. King took off from Elim about 1 a.m. and Zirkle, who had battled King and Martin Buser for the lead, left less than 10 minutes later. Dallas Seavey, who won two years ago, jumped into third place and was out of Elim about 2:52 this morning. While Zirkle, and King had spent more than an hour in Elim, Seavey was in and out of the checkpoint in minutes.
An Iditarod sign

Iditapod: An Iditarod restart switcheroo (and more snow)

The 2020 Iditarod began in earnest Sunday with the official restart in Willow, where, to the surprise of many, musher John Schandelmeier replaced his wife, Zoya Denure, who reportedly had some last-second health issues. What wasn't a surprise, at least for this winter, was more snow!

Iditarod Noon Update

Video by Patrick Yack, APRN - Anchorage Lance Mackey  was the first out of Koyuk today - just a couple of minutes before 6 a.m....

Nome Health Groups Hold Vaccination Drive Amid Iditarod Festivities

Health groups took advantage of Iditarod visitors last week by holding a vaccination drive at the Nome Recreation Center. Download Audio

Iditarod Leaders Reach Nikolai

More than a dozen mushers have reached Nikolai, including reigning champion Lance Mackey. Others who have reached Nikolai include: * Martin Buser. * Ray Redington, Jr. * Ramey...

Homemade Treats Await Mushers

Photo by Ellen Lockyer, KSKA - Anchorage So far, each of the three mushers who have made it to McGrath, as of 8:08pm Tuesday have...

Trail Mix: McGrath’s Iditarod auction

Iditarod is far more than dog racing. Small Alaska communities celebrate the arrival of longer days and the people in the community. McGrath hosts an auction fundraiser each year when the Iditarod rolls through to raise money for a local organization and a family in need. KNOM’s Emily Schwing stopped into the bar Tuesday night to get a first hand look at what the auction is all about. Download Audio

Mackey Started Prepping for 2011 Race Years Ago

Iditarod champion Lance Mackey began preparing for the 2011 race years ago, saying he bred two of his dogs with this year's contest in...

Lanier, Herbst Nearing Cripple in Iditarod

Jim Lanier and Trent Herbst were nearing Cripple about noon on Thursday and leading the field in this year's Iditarod. Mitch Seavey was moving up rapidly in third place and gaining on Lanier and Herbst. Aliy Zirkle, who had led early on, was in fourth position. Chasing those four leaders were defending champion John Baker and Aaron Burmeister. Ray Redington, Jr., Paul Gebhardt and past champion Lance Mackey were running together and chasing the leaders. Cripple marks the official halfway point in the race. The first team to reach Cripple wins a trophy and $3,000 in gold nuggets.

‘It’s pretty much everywhere’: Iditarod mushers should prepare for deep snow, race officials say

Iditarod race marshal Mark Nordman said the word for this year’s race may be “patience” as teams navigate deep snow along much of the trail.

Zirkle takes Iditarod lead out of Ophir as top teams coordinate rests

A trio of Iditarod teams declared their 24-hour rests immediately on pulling into Tokotna Tuesday night.

44th Iditarod: what, who, and why to watch

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