What is the Iditarod?
Whether you've lived in Alaska for decades or you're a newcomer to the state, you're probably still curious about the "Last Great Race on Earth." How long does the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race take to finish? Where does it go? What's with all those dogs? Alaska Public Media answers all of your questions about the most popular sporting event in Alaska.
Sled Dogs in Slow Motion
The dogs were ready to pull on this unseasonably warm day in downtown Anchorage at the ceremonial start of the 2015 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
Iditarod Mushers Prepare For New Route Through Interior Alaska
The Ceremonial start of the 43rd Iditarod filled Downtown Anchorage with dogs, fans, and snow trucked in from Goose Lake. Unusually warm weather has hampered Southcentral Alaska's winter snowpack and led officials to move the race start to Fairbanks for only the second time ever. The new route through the Interior will challenge even the most tenured seasoned racers as long-held strategies are scrambled.
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Iditarod Leaders Pull Into Manley Hot Springs
Girdwood's Nicolas Petit pulled into Manley Hot Springs just after 3 a.m. Tuesday, with Martin Buser, Hugh Neff, DeeDee Jonrowe and Aaron Burmeister less than two hours behind. The competition in this year’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race can only be described as stiff. There are six returning champions and a handful of other mushers vying for a top-10 finish. But, mushers are all feeling a little new to the race as they travel down an unfamiliar, rerouted trail.
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Aliy Zirkle Leads Iditarod Mushers Out Of Tanana
Aliy Zirkle's team was the first out of Tanana Tuesday night, leading the field down the Yukon River toward Ruby on the race's longest leg. Mushers are required to take a mandatory eight-hour rest at a checkpoint along the river. Sub-zero temperatures helped some mushers decide to take the rest early.
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I Am An Iditarod Musher
Long-time Iditarod racer DeeDee Jonrowe shares her experience of life on the Iditarod Trail, her connection with her dogs, and perseverance through health struggles.
“One Hot Mess” Gets National Attention
There are a bazillion blogs these days but what does it take to write one people will actually read? Juneau writer Libby Bakalar has figured out the formula with her blog “One Hot Mess.” Bakalar mixes it up when she writes- using humor, self-deprecation, social media and even a Stephen Colbert-like character to connect with her audience. Her most-read post, titled “Alaska Airlines-to-English Dictionary,” received more than 8,000 hits, and the blog is getting national attention too. Boston’s Women in Comedy Festival has asked Bakalar to submit to their blog.
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Iditarod Mushers Continue to Gamble with Rest, Long Runs and Extreme Cold
According to the Iditarod race rules, teams have to rest for 24 hours somewhere along the trail. They also have to take an eight-hour mandatory rest before they leave the Yukon River and again near the end of the race.
Iditarod Mushers Consider All Their Options As They Head Up The Coast
Iditarod teams began the final push up the Bering Sea Coast Sunday night. Everything from the condition of the dogs, to the weather can change dramatically and quickly on the sea ice, and that has mushers scrutinizing their own decisions and those made by their fellow competitors.
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Fresh, Drifting Snow Slowing Progress Along Iditarod Trail
In the final push for Nome, Iditarod mushers are making big moves and cutting rest, but fresh snow, and drifted trail isn’t only slowing the leaders – trail conditions have also slowed dog teams in chase mode.
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I Am A Winter Cyclist
Winter weather doesn't stop Ellie Mitchell from hitting the road (or the trail) on her fat bike. She picked up cycling from her dad, and now she regularly competes against him and other cyclists in the Anchorage winter racing circuit.
Dallas Seavey Wins The 2015 Iditarod
Dallas Seavey crossed under the burled arch in Nome at 4:13 a..m. Wednesday, securing his second-consecutive Iditarod win, and his third four years. He made the 22 mile run from Safety, the Iditarod's final stop before the finish line in Nome, in three hours.
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Iditarod Front-Runners Looking Forward To Time Away From Competition
The top-10 Iditarod mushers have arrived safely in Nome and their sled dogs are tucked in for a long rest in the dog yard. For most of the front-runners, a top-10 finish is nothing new.
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I Am An Ice Fisherman
Elmer Brown knows that it takes patience, and a willingness to weather the cold, to catch sheefish on Kotzebue Sound.
Proposal to Privatize Trash Already Drawing Criticism in Anchorage
Mayor Dan Sullivan is considering privatizing part of the municipality's trash collections service. But some members of the Anchorage Assembly are upset at not just the prospect, but the process.
Out With The Old, In With The New: Up-And-Comers Outpace Longtime Career Mushers
For decades, a few big name mushers have dominated the standings in the Iditarod, but after decades of racing, many of them are reconsidering their priorities. Professional mushing may be in the midst of a “changing of the guard” as a small group of young mushers start to post top finishing times.
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AK: Hip-Hop Message Encouraging Drug-Free Lifestyle Resonating With Dillingham Youth
Samuel Johns grew up in the community of Copper Center surrounded by drugs and alcohol. After years of struggling with alcoholism, he is now sober and trying to make it as a musician who blends Athabascan culture with modern hip hop. Johns is traveling to villages across the state to perform and talk about living a drug free life. And it’s a message that seems to be resonating with kids in Dillingham.
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Police Confident Remains Belong To Missing Kenai Family
Police investigators in Kenai are confident they’ve found the remains of a family missing since last May.
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$50 Million For SAP Software To Come On-Line, Says Anchorage Candidate For Mayor
The criticisms are part of the politicking ahead of the April 7th election, but carry extra weight because of how close the candidate is to the topic.