Iditapod: A joyful, more normal Iditarod start

Alaska Public Media | By Casey Grove

Published March 5, 2022 at 11:54 PM AKST

A man with a light blue parka holds his arms up as he stands on a sled in heavy snow. A nother man in a fur-ruffed parka sits on the sled in front of him and crowds watch on the sidelines. — Wearing bib #3, Jeff King waves to fans at the 2022 Iditarod ceremonial start in Anchorage. A four-time winner of the Iditarod, King was asked to tap-in for Nic Petit who tested positive for COVID earlier in the week. As part of his last-minute preparation for the race, he had to try to get to know Petit's dogs, who he compared to enthusiastic golden retrievers. On course, he'll have to make due with supplies that Petit shipped out, and King said he's hoping the trail snacks the frenchman packed won't be too strange. "I’m hoping it’s not full of french sardines or something," he said. (Jeff Chen/Alaska Public Media)

The 2022 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race kicked off Saturday in Anchorage with its usual fanfare, after not holding a ceremonial start in 2021. Alaska Public Media reporters Casey Grove, Tegan Hanlon, Lex Treinen and Jeff Chen were out in the snow with the mushers, dogs and race fans, including plenty of kids and other trailgaters.

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Casey Grove

Casey Grove is host of Alaska News Nightly, a general assignment reporter and an editor at Alaska Public Media. Reach him at cgrove@alaskapublic.org.

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