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The Iditarod Sled Dog Race
On March 3, 2001 at 10:00AM, the most famous sled dog race in the word begins again in Anchorage!That's actually not quite correct - the start tomorrow is only ceremonial, and the teams will only be running 11 miles, to the Campbell Airstrip in South Anchorage.
The real start of the race is normally at Wasilla, about 40 miles north of Anchorage. However, the extremely mild winter we're having this year has caused major problems for Iditarod organizers, and there was talk only a few weeks ago that the race might have to be cancelled. High temperatures, winds, and rain are still wreaking havoc with the trail, and the start of the race has been moved another 25 miles further north, to Willow, where trail conditions are still acceptable. Following the short run in Anchorage, the dogs will be trucked to Willow, where the restart will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 4.
The name Iditarod is an Anglicized version of the Ingalik and Holikachuk Indian name for the Iditarod River. It meant "distant place." The discovery of gold in 1908 resulted in the establishment of the community of Iditarod.
Although the race trail is officially 1,049 miles, that is just for simplification and PR purposes (Alaska being the 49th state). There are actually two trails, used alternately. This year, mushers will run on the Southern Trail, which is 1161 miles when the snow conditions allow for an Anchorage start. This year it will be about 1065 miles.
There is a LOT of Iditarod information on the Net - a few minutes ago, a search at Alta Vista produced 23,793 pages! Where is the best information? Not always at the official race site as you might expect. The links below will get you to the best information in a wide range of topic areas:
- History
- Musher information
- Trail Information
- Guides to the Iditarod
- Teachers' Resources
- Husky information
- Miscellaneous Iditarod Stuff
History
Balto
A brief look at one of the heroes of the serum run.Iditarod National Historic Trail
This excellent site by the BLM details the history and current management of what is really a network of 2,300 miles of trail.Musher information
Mushing Terms
A glossary of terms used by mushers (sled dog drivers) - for dogs, equipment and commands.Trail information
Trail Maps
A great series of maps with details on each section of the trail, from Cabela's.Trail Weather
Current and forecast conditions for 17 points along the trail.Guides to the Iditarod
Cabela's Iditarod Coverage
The pre-race coverage by Joe Runyan has been exceptional, and you can subscribe to get email updates during the race.Sled Dogs: An Alaskan Epic
PBS "follows several teams as they race to overcome the many obstacles, physical and psychological, they encounter along the trail."Teachers' Resources
Learning About the North
Links to a wide range of curriculum-related resources for Northern and Arctic studies.Husky information
Dogsled.com
Lots of mushing information, including audio and video features.Everything Husky!
A complete resource for learning about Northern breed dogs.Mushing Magazine
"The" magazine for sled dog enthusiasts has lots of past features online.Sled Dog Central
"Your on-line sled dog advertising & information source!"Miscellaneous Iditarod Stuff
Anchorage Web Cam
The live view along 4th Avenue, just a couple of blocks from the race start.
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