6 takeaways from an Iditarod unlike any other
Bethel musher Victoria Hardwick won her second Red Lantern Award as the race’s final finisher to mark the end of the 49th annual race.
Some Iditarod veterans are seeing the trail from a new perspective
On their return trip on the out-and-back course, Ryan Redington struggled up the Happy River Steps and Joar Leifseth Ulsom crossed the Farewell Burn in sunshine and loved it.
Our favorite photos from the 2021 Iditarod
Here’s a collection of memorable images from a unique race.
Subzero cold takes a toll as Iditarod front-runners race to finish line
This year’s competitors have few opportunities to thaw and dry out, and veteran musher Martin Buser was facing his own challenge: unresponsive fingers that turned white and swelled.
Minus-55 weather, an ‘unnerving’ COVID-19 case and a gang of top contenders on the Iditarod Trail
“That was the worst-case scenario, that it could happen to a musher,” 2018 champion Joar Leifseth Ulsom said. “We’re all at risk for it, so it can happen to any of us.”
Iditarod drama: Former champion Pete Kaiser of Bethel scratches as lead changes hands overnight
Burmeister, Brent Sass, Dallas Seavey and Ryan Redington all reached Nikolai early Saturday morning.
Mushers at the Iditarod’s midpoint prep for a new challenge: Head-on traffic
There’s almost no margin of error in places with steep climbs and tight turns on wooded hills. “You just gotta hope you don’t smack into a team,” says Alberta musher Aaron Peck.
As the Iditarod prepares to shift into reverse, mushers dread what’s ahead
For the first time, the race goes out and back, letting competitors know what they’re in for as they head toward the finish. Several said they’re not looking forward to it.
As the Iditarod heads to its namesake checkpoint, the detour to Flat has been eliminated
Deep snow and limited trail-breaking resources prompted the change.
As the leader of the Iditarod pack in McGrath, Seavey draws a lot of attention — but his focus stays on his dogs
Dallas Seavey had the checkpoint to himself for 90 minutes, and he spent much of it working methodically through an elaborate set of chores.
Aliy Zirkle out of Iditarod after suffering concussion and other injuries in ‘significant impact’
Zirkle, a perennial race favorite, was treated at an Anchorage hospital and released.
Revamped Iditarod brings equipment adaptations and a fast pace as mushers cross the Alaska Range
With limited amenities at checkpoints, some are hauling sleeping options in their sleds, and a rookie from Fairbanks has a homemade battery-charging bay attached to his handlebars.