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5..4..3..2..1.. Go!

Mushers on the Trail to Nome after a Willow Restart

by Andy Moderow

03/05/2006

With fully loaded sleds, eighty-three mushers and their dogs began the long journey to Nome yesterday afternoon. Cheering spectators lined the first few miles of the trail, which cut right accross Willow Lake, and small planes flew overhead, giving avid race enthusiasts a bird’s eye view of the scene. Just a few hours after the final team had left the Willow restart, several teams had checked in and out of Yentna Station, continuing their journey up the Yentna River towards the Alaska Range. By tonight (Monday) evening, the leaders of Iditarod XXXIV will have negotiated the trail over the Alaska Range, through some of the most rugged terrain the state has to offer: For those who are not in the lead, however, the infamous Happy River steps and the treacherous Dalzell Gorge will be a challenge at hand, to be taken on at night.

To follow the race progress and learn more about the Iditarod, check back often to the Iditarod Homepage, where, among other information, the in and out times are posted for each musher. To view additional race information, become an “Iditarod Insider” and gain access to an interactive trail map, exclusive video content and more.