Fantasy Mushing - Join the Fun!

Several years ago Danny Seavey didn't have enough to do with running his family's tourism business, being a dad, and blogging about his dad and brother running Iditarod. No, Danny needed something more to do and he created a Fantasy Mushing League for everyone to join and add a new element of fun while following the Iditarod. What started out as a Google Spreadsheet with Danny computing everything, has now grown to its own website (run by David Hunt, volunteer extraordinaire). They've also expanded from just Iditarod rosters to include the Copper Basin 300, Yukon Quest, and Finmarkslopet.

The "league" is always free of charge and just a fun way to follow the sport. Improvement suggestions are encouraged, and there are simple ways to financially support the site should one want to.

You can even create your own "pack" so that you can play directly against friends, family, and fan groups.

If you want to join a pack, you're more than welcome to join "Iditafans".

Registration is currently open for the 2020 Copper Basin 300 and will close two hours after the race begins (so roughly 12pm AKST).


Do you have a team in Fantasy Mushing? Share your team name in the comments below!

2020 Copper Basin 300 Preview

After a snow free December, snow blew in and along with it came frigid temps in January. Early season races were cancelled for lack of trail and too warm conditions. Fans and participants alike worried if this would be another season with races few and far between. But, since the new year the weather has turned to make races possible. The first big race of the season is upon us this weekend with the Copper Basin 300 race starting on Saturday.

Weather forecast is calling for clear skies and temps between -25 and -35 degrees Fahrenheit. It is going to be a cold race and as such some teams are making the decision to withdraw from the race. Depending on where teams have been training can impact how teams run in these conditions. While most of Alaska has been under these very cold temps, not all teams have experienced it for days on end while training. At this time, there are at least four teams that are still listed as racing have made public statements saying they will not race this weekend. **Update 5pm, January 10: the roster is down to 30 teams now.**

Until the bib draw Friday, there's no real way to know just how many teams plan to make it to the start line, but the roster is a healthy number and even a few more withdrawals won't hinder a very difficult, yet promising race. A quick scan of teams' social media pages (ones that are known, anyway) it looks like most plan to race this weekend. Let's take a look at some of the top players in this weekend's race.

Aliy Zirkle - If you've followed mushing at all in the last two decades (wow, she won the Quest a long while ago!) you know who Zirkle is and what the SPKennel dogs are capable of. Zirkle trains in the Interior of Alaska and is no stranger to plunging temps. In fact, Aliy made a point to acknowledge the negative temps in a recent blog post. This is a great weekend for Yukon Quest like weather training. While most of the top names in mushing use the mid-distance races as "training runs" for the bigger races like the Quest and Iditarod, they are still competitive.

Brent Sass - Another Interior musher who also has a couple of Yukon Quest titles to his name. No stranger to cold, Sass's Wild and Free team will be a formidable team charging down the trail. The Interior has seen temps close to fifty below, so -30 will probably feel like a heat wave. Sass is coming off a fairly successful 2019 season (he won the Yukon Quest). Look for Brent to have some strong pushes along the trail.

Matthew Failor - The 2019 Kuskokwim champion can no longer be called an "up-and-comer", Matt Failor is another team that has the goods to be a spoiler to the "more experienced" teams out on any trail. Having a decade of mushing under his belt, Failor considers himself the "17th dog" (which I guess now that the Iditarod is down to 14 dogs per team he's the 15th dog?) Don't expect Matt to just be along for the ride. He'll run with his team to the finish. (In Nome for the Iditarod finish he actually picked up the sled because it had too much drag on the pavement. Quite the feat after a week on the trail with little to no sleep.)

Michelle Phillips - Girl power on the trail! in 2017 the top three teams to finish the Copper Basin were women. Phillips came in third that year, beating out Allen Moore. Phillips is a consistant competitor on the Yukon Quest and Quest 300 coming close to finishing first several times. Another team that's used to "brutal cold" this weekend should shape up nicely for them.

Mitch Seavey - The three time Iditarod Champion is known to use the mid-distance races as training runs. Doesn't mean he can't win them, just that it isn't the goal for the weekend. Mitch has won the Copper Basin several times... in the nineties. He's been around a while. Look for a strong run from Team Seavey, but don't expect him to have the dogs to balls to the wall.

Nicolas Petit - The speed demon of the trails, Petit will once again go for the win. Petit is known to "let the dogs" choose how to run. "Dad" is just there to make sure everyone does it safe. Petit and "the kids" have won before, and I wouldn't expect anything short of going for another win this time around.

Ryne Olson - Ryne was the woman to win the race in 2017, and has also seen some pretty cold temps in the last week or more. Olson's posts seem confident about her race weekend, and it wouldn't be surprising to see her post some good runs and make a push for the front. Ryne's positive approach to racing is always good for the team, and she'll need it with temps reaching -33 by weekend's end.

How to Follow
Unlike the bigger races like the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod, there is very little promise of any video coverage. With the temps dropping so low, even the facebook live feeds we've grown accustomed to cannot be guaranteed. Cold air zaps batteries faster than lighting, and who has the time or ability to keep their fingers exposed long enough to even press "start"?! So, how can race fans follow along when a race doesn't have Iditarod Insider like coverage?

GPS Tracker
Real time updates will come through the trackers as always. With the cold there may be more glitches than we'd like (I blame the aliens!) but there's not much we can do. Cold and technology don't get along. You can follow the trackers here, but they won't go live until closer to go time on Saturday.

Radio Broadcast
KCAM Radio will broadcast the start beginning with musher interviews at 9:30am. If you're in the area you can listen to the broadcast on AM 790, or online through this link.

Social Media
Updates will most likely be posted on the race's facebook page, and possibly their twitter account. There may even be live video feeds, but again with the cold don't count on it. If you are tweeting, instagramming, etc. the traditional hashtag is #CB300.

KCAM is also posting updates on their facebook page, starting with the musher meet and greet Friday night.

Schedule of Events

Friday, January 10
9am-3pm Food Drops
10am-4pm Vet Checks
3pm-5pm Community Dinner and Musher Meet and Greet

Saturday, January 11
10am - Race Start



Will you be watching? Who are you hoping takes the win? Comment below with your thoughts!

Movie Review: The Great Alaskan Race

The story has been told before. Hollywood has made its spin on the heroic story of the Serum Run several times over the past 90 years. Each time it has been deemed as not dramatic enough as is, and they add to the story. Each time Balto, the dog who would lead the final team on the final leg into Nome, is the named canine hero - and Gunar the heroic human.

This time the independent film with a nationwide release takes a greater look at the Serum Run canine hero Togo and his human Leonhard Seppala. This is typically not the route the story tellers go. After all, it was Balto who ran the AntiToxin Serum down "front street", but it was Togo who ran the furthest distance. Only true historians and mushing enthusiasts even seem to know the name Togo, so it was no surprise that the child I went to this movie with was confused when "Sep" kept talking about his awesome lead dog Togo.

The film starts with the note that the film is "Based on the True Story". This is Hollywood Speak for "yeah we didn't find the story compelling enough without embellishing". If you're a history buff, the "warning" can make you cringe because you expect the worst. The movie does change Seppala's story a bit with becoming a widower early in life and being angry at the world for it. It feels like they felt they needed to humanize a man that is more legend in history than human. The pacing of the film as they bring this emotional part of the story to light goes a little slow, but works to establish what motivates the film's hero.

Playing Leonhard Seppala is Brian Presley, who also wrote, directed and produced the film. He looks a little like Stephen Amell (Arrow) with the mountain man appearance. Presley's take on Seppala is as a romantic turned hard due to the loss of his wife. He grumbles, seems angry all the time, and runs head strong into danger. The one constant is his love and loyalty to his dog Togo and his daughter whom he has to save from the Diphtheria outbreak.

The movie does not fully go into the history of the dogs in the relay and the danger they faced. They do make mention of the storm and how dangerous negative temps can be, but we don't see a whole lot of the struggle the teams faced other than Seppala shivering in the cold and his face getting frostbite sores. The film only shows one child passing, but doesn't fully grasp the full impact. While there was the drama of getting the serum in time, it sometimes was lost as the film continued to focus on Seppala's grief (most of his flashbacks involve his late wife).

If you're worried about seeing trauma or death to the dogs - none of that is shown. Togo becomes tired and needs to rest in the sled but it's split second, blink and you miss it. There isn't anything that should trigger emotion based on the dogs - until the end when the real dogs are tributed through historic footage and photography. I dare any dog or mushing enthusiast not to have a sense of pride for what these four legged athletes accomplished. Working dogs are incredible.

The most positive part of the film is the spotlight brought to Togo and Seppala. Sitting with a 10 year old movie goer, she was very confused at the beginning when the focus was on a dog named Togo. After several questions of "but where is Balto" I finally leaned over and said he comes in only at the end. She was emotionally invested in the plight of the children - and was quite upset when one of them died - and cheered as the team ran into Nome (I did manage to point out that Balto was leading). When the film ends with some factoids about the dogs and mentions the Balto having a statue in New York City's Central Park, my young friend got on her soapbox and declared it completely unfair that Togo did not get the honor considering how far Togo traveled.

The film is supposed to be about the amazing feat that the teams of sled dogs accomplished in saving the town of Nome, but a lot is focused on Seppala's grief. A lot of the politics of the event were also rushed through. It would have been interesting to meet some of the other players, they did give a couple of the mushers a few lines - and some great musher attitude - but the film bounced quickly back to Seppala's plight as a father and widower. One of the more interesting parts of the story was the governor's battle over who was going to get the serum to Nome: the dogs or an airplane. The Governor of Alaska makes mention of "the lower 48" not understanding how Alaska works, while the pro-airplane guy (the news paper editor? I couldn't figure it out) kept saying that Alaska was the laughing stock of the world because they wouldn't fly planes.

Creative license is always the right of the storyteller, and while I may have done it differently, Presley's film hits the mark in most ways. The mispronunciations of Alaskan towns and villages will give Alaskans a chuckle, but will be lost on those not familiar. The historical inaccuracies are mainly ones that have been around for decades - and probably existed as history was unfolding. One fact that needs pointing out is the film claiming that the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is run each year to commemorate the Serum Run - while this "fact" is often shared, it is not true. Official News of the Last Great Race detailed the history of the start of the race in a recent article to clear up confusion.

The film is a good matinee, and one worthy of the big screen. It has a nationwide release in the states with a hope to expand into Canada judging by their comments on social media. If nothing else it's a good excuse for a trip to get movie popcorn, but I feel most movie goers will be happy with the film. I hope this review doesn't come off sounding too down on the film, because I did enjoy the movie for what it was.

Have you seen The Great Alaskan Race? Tell me what you thought in the comments below.

Skaters at Skate America 2019

This is just really for me as I will be attending Skate America next month (first time for me to attend an international competition AND my first trip to Vegas). I like to have an idea of what the programs look like, especially since I hope to snap quite a few pictures. I can't help it, I love the challenge of shooting sports! I know people say to make sure to enjoy the moment and not just live through the camera, but I really do enjoy it so much more when I'm also trying to get the shot. I'm weird.

Here's hoping the lists don't change much due to injury. I've got 28 days till I'm in Vegas!


Ladies

Bradie Tennell skates her Long Program.
2018 US National Championships
San Jose, CA / January 5, 2018

Veronik MALLET (CAN)
Short Program / Long Program

Wakaba HIGUCHI (JPN)
Short Program / Long Program

Kaori SAKAMOTO (JPN)
Short Program / Long Program

Mako YAMASHITA (JPN)
Short Program / Long Program

Elizabet TURSYNBAEVA (KAZ)
Short Program / Long Program

Eunsoo LIM (KOR)
Short Program / Long Program

Stanislava KONSTANTINOVA (RUS)
Short Program / Long Program


Anna SHCHERBAKOVA (RUS)
Short Program / Long Program

Elizaveta TUKTAMYSHEVA (RUS)
Short Program / Long Program

Karen CHEN (USA)
Short Program / Long Program

Bradie TENNELL (USA)
Short Program / Long Program

Amber GLENN (USA)
Short Program / Long Program



Men

Nathan Chen skates his Short Program.
2018 US National Championships
San Jose, CA / January 4, 2018

Keegan MESSING (CAN)
Short Program / Long Program

Boyang JIN (CHN)
Short Program / Long Program

Michal BREZINA (CZE)
Short Program / Long Program

Romain PONSART (FRA)
Short Program / Long Program

Koshiro SHIMADA (JPN)
Short Program / Long Program

Kazuki TOMONO (JPN)
Short Program / Long Program

Junhwan CHA (KOR)
Short Program / Long Program

Dmitri ALIEV (RUS)
Short Program / Long Program

Roman SAVOSIN (RUS)
Short Program / Long Program

Jason BROWN (USA)
Short Program / Long Program

Nathan CHEN (USA)
Short Program / Long Program

Alex KRASNOZHON (USA)
Short Program / Long Program

Pairs

Ashley Cain & Timothy LeDuc's Free Program
2018 US National Championships
San Jose, CA / January 5, 2018

Ekaterina ALEXANDROVSKAYA/Harley WINDSOR (AUS)
Short Program / Long Program

Camille RUEST/Andrew WOLFE (CAN)
Short Program / Long Program

Cheng PENG/Yang JIN (CHN)
Short Program / Long Program

Daria PAVLIUCHENKO/Denis KHODYKIN (RUS)
Short Program / Long Program

Natalia ZABIIAKO/Alexander ENBERT (RUS)
Short Program / Long Program

Ashley CAINGRIBBLE/Timothy LEDUC (USA)
Short Program / Long Program

Haven DENNEY/Brandon FRAZIER (USA)
Short Program / Long Program


Jessica CALALANG/Brian JOHNSON (USA)
Short Program / Long Program






Dance

Madison Hubbell & Zachary Donohue's Short Dance
2018 US National Championships
San Jose, CA / January 4, 2018

Laurence FOURNIERBEAUDRY / Nikolaj SORENSEN (CAN)
Rhythm Dance / Free Dance

Hong CHEN / Zhuoming SUN (CHN)

Rhythm Dance / Free Dance

Marie-Jade LAURIAULT / Romain LE GAC  (FRA)
Rhythm Dance / Free Dance

Sofia SHEVCHENKO / Igor EREMENKO (RUS)
Rhythm Dance / Free Dance

Alexandra STEPANOVA / Ivan BUKIN (RUS)
Rhythm Dance / Free Dance

Tiffani ZAGORSKI /Jonathan GUERREIRO (RUS)
Rhythm Dance / Free Dance

Olivia SMART / Adrian DIAZ  (ESP)
Rhythm Dance / Free Dance

Christina CARREIRA / Anthony PONOMARENKO (USA)
Rhythm Dance / Free Dance

Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE (USA)
Rhythm Dance / Free Dance

Caroline GREEN/ Michael PARSONS (USA)
Rhythm Dance / Free Dance

Serum Run film partners with Iditarod Trail race

In a press release shared this afternoon, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race announced it was partnering with P12 Films to bring the company's film "The Great Alaskan Race" to theaters with a nation-wide release this fall. The film is a retelling of the real life story of the 1925 Serum Run to Nome that made Balto the husky a household name. "The Great Alaskan Race" will follow Leonhard Seppala, Togo and Balto as they brave the Alaskan trails to bring the antitoxin back to Nome to save the village children.

P12 has also partnered with the premiere long distance stage stop race in the Lower 48, the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. They have also partnered with Iditarod finisher Rick Casillo's charity Battle Dawgs that supports US Veterans as they navigate life after war.

“On behalf of the Iditarod Board of Directors, mushers, volunteers, and the entire “Iditarod Nation” – we would like to extend our thanks to P12 Films”, said Rob Urbach, CEO of the Iditarod Trail Committee. “We believe our partnership with P12 will help advance awareness about one of the greatest athletes on the planet, and our ongoing commitment raise awareness about the standards of animal welfare that exist in our event and our culture.”

Director/Writer/Producer Brian Presley (who is CEO and Founder of P12 and also stars in the film) said that partnering with the Iditarod was a "no brainer." Citing Iditarod's continued work and research to improve the care of dogs as a main factor in the partnership, Presley stated, "We at P12 Films wanted to provide a new platform for them to voice that mission to a more general audience.”

The film premieres October 25, 2019 in at least 500 markets across the country including the city where the Iditarod begins - Anchorage, AK. There are plans to have a private screening at UAA prior to the premiere, and Iditarod promises to share the details of other events soon.



Do you plan to see the movie? Have you seen the trailer? What are your thoughts on this latest partnership? Comment below!

Tustumena 200 cancelled for 2020, future of race unknown

Hal Hanson's team charges down the trail at the start of the Tustumena 200.
Caribou Hills, January 26, 2019.

Rumors are all but officially confirmed today as reigning Tustumena 200 champion Dave Turner took to social media to share an email he received from the event organizers:

"The Tustumena 200 Sled Dog Race Association Board of Directors has decided that we will not have a race in 2020. The current board will take some time to reevaluate the future of the T200. We encourage you to support all the amazing sled dog races in Alaska.

Thank you for your support, we hope to reorganize and come back with something in 2021. Our Facebook and website will stay active, please check back for additional information."

The race had its share of problems in the last few years. Poor winter conditions lead to several races being cancelled due to warm weather and lack of snow for a trail. The race saw a significant change in course to counteract the effects of global warming, with the start and finish moving from Kasilof to the Caribou Hills where snow pack stayed relatively unaffected while in the lower parts of the trail were rained on. Freddie's Roadhouse became the hub, hosting the start, finish, and half way checkpoint in last year's race, and all seemed good to go for the 2020 season.

Then things took a wonky turn when Freddie packed up and left the Hills after a heated election cycle this spring for the Caribou Hills Cabin Hoppers. Freddie felt that his family and business were not respected by those in the area and decided to close his doors. With the closure of the roadhouse, the future of the Tustumena 200 was already a concern to fans and mushers alike. 

The Tustumena 200 started in 1984 when Dean Osmar decided to create a race to help his son, Tim, acquire the required number of miles needed to qualify for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race (which at that time was 500miles). Originally the "winner's purse" consisted of a case of beer. In 1994 the race was reorganized to become the race as mushers and fans know it today. It was a joint effort by Suzie Cook (Tustumena Lodge) and Evy Gebhardt (who was, at the time, married to local Iditarod musher Paul Gebhardt). 

For thirty years (several races were cancelled due to lack of trail due to weather) the Tustumena 200 was used as an Iditarod and Yukon Quest qualifier. Most mushers would claim the T200 as a great training run for the first part of the Iditarod with all of its miles in the Caribou Hills. It promised to be the hardest 200 mile race, and it rarely disappointed. Whenever it was discussed of making it a 250-300 mile race, mushers were often heard responding with "are you crazy?!"

Iditarod champions such as Jeff King and Lance Mackey were known to travel from their homes in Fairbanks/Denali to compete, and some near photo finishes happened a time or two. It was a premiere sporting event for the Kenai Peninsula for years. Fans followed the race as it changed the physical course, and mushers continued to come in record number - many years the race had a waiting list several teams deep.

The sport of mushing has had a lot of hits recently with the pressure from Animal Rights Groups waging war with the races, sponsors pulling out, and global warming concerns. There are fewer mid-distance races every year, and those that continue often have last minute cancellations when the weather turns foul (or winter never comes). With fewer qualifying races, rookie mushers are having a harder time qualifying for the 1,000 mile sled dog races. The T200 is one of the longest running qualifying races, and this is a huge blow for the mushing and race community.

Keep checking back for more info as it becomes available.


ETA: Soon after Turner took to social media with the news, the Tustumena 200 took to their facebook page to announce the cancelled 2020 race.

The Great Alaskan Race - Movie Trailer

Handler Wanted

Tustumena 200 Champion, Dave Turner, is looking for a handler for the winter season. Contact the musher for more details.

2019/20 Sled Dog Race Season

Summer is winding down, and before we know it it will be the fall training season. Mushers are no doubt counting the days to cooler temps and getting back to the dogs. The fireweed is in full bloom and tall, predicting an early fall and a deep snow winter (we'll see if that old wives tale holds true). With all of that in mind it's time to start paying attention to the 2019/20 Sled Dog Race season! Below are the dates and links to many of the races set. Most are Iditarod or Yukon Quest qualifiers, all celebrate one of the greatest winter sports.



Knik 200*
Cancelled
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Gunflint Mail Run
January 11, 2020
Website / Twitter / Facebook

MUSH Synnfjell
January 5, 2020
Website / Twitter / Facebook

Copper Basin 300*
January 11, 2020
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Two Rivers 100/200*
TBA
Facebook 

Kuskokwim 300*
January 17, 2020
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Caribou Classic Sled Dog Race
January 17, 2020
Website / Facebook

Eagle Cap Extreme Sled Dog Race*
January 22, 2019
Website / Facebook 

Tustumena 200*
Cancelled
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon*
January 26, 2020
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Willow 300*
January 30, 2020
Website / Facebook 

Femundløpet*
February 1, 2020
Website / Facebook 

Yukon Quest*
February 1, 2020
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Yukon 300*
February 1, 2020
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Bergebyløpet N70
February 4, 2020
Website / Twitter / Facebook

Amundsen Race*
TBA 2020
Website / Facebook 

Race to the Sky*
February 2020
Website / Facebook 

UP200*
February 13, 2020
Website / Facebook 

Canadian Challenge*
February 18, 2020
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Junior Iditarod
February 29, 2020
Website

Iditarod 47*
March 7, 2020
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Can-Am Crown International*
February 29, 2020
Website / Facebook 

Finnmarksløpet*
March 6, 2020
Website / Facebook 

Percy DeWolfe Memorial Mail Run*
March 20, 2020
Website / Twitter / Facebook 

Nome to Council 200*
March 27, 2020
Facebook 

Kobuk 440*
TBA, April 2020
Website / Facebook

*Iditarod/Yukon Quest Qualifying Race

Did I miss your favorite race? Comment below and let me know of races I need to add.

Where to watch - The Iditarod Restart

Willow Restart, March 2018.

If you've ever experienced the double start of the Iditarod (Ceremonial and ReStart) you know that both offer a completely different vibe. The Ceremonial is a party and relaxed (as much as one can be as you prepare to drive a dog team through the largest city in the state) with celebrations and high fives. The Re-Start has a bit of that as well, but it's all business. This is the last time mushers will have a team of handlers to help get the team ready, the last time they'll have someone else cooking their meals or snacking their dogs, the last time they'll have had the chance to have a good night's sleep (let's face it, they don't sleep the night before). While the crowd is all about "trailgating" and parties along the trail on both days, the mushers are more focused on the race as they leave Willow Lake for 990+ miles of wilderness travel with 14 of their best friends.

When to get there

While teams don't leave the lake until 2pm AKST, a lot of prep has to happen before hand. Most teams are on the lake no later than 10am. To beat the traffic it's recommended to get there as early as possible. The start isn't the only thing going on. The community center (which is right there on the lake) hosts a pancake breakfast and a craft fair. There are also food trucks in the parking lot. The community of Willow takes the opportunity to show off the "mushing capitol of the World", take time to mingle. 

The staging area for the mushers is not accessible to the general public, but you can walk around it. The barriers are just the plastic fencing, and the trucks park along it. You just cannot walk INTO the staging area. Most teams get there early and some mushers are willing to chat with fans at the fencing, but remember that this is race day and they are focused on last minute details. This is where the media gets in their face for that last soundbite, and where they schmooze with sponsors one last time.

Still it is interesting to see the different styles of preparation as the start draws near. Some, like Martin Buser, look like they're trailgating with the rest of us. Others are all business (hello, Mitch Seavey). You can see the dogs, see the "celebrities", etc. Get there by 10am, the longer you wait, the more people will be wandering around the fencing and it's harder to get a good spot to watch.

Where to watch

This gets tricky because in order to get further out away from the crowd you have to have transportation, but then you miss the energy from hearing GO! and the dogs and all of that. So we'll just focus really on where you can watch on the lake. There is orange fencing that lines the trail off the lake, so you can at least know where they will be. At intervals there are "gates" that allow you to cross to the other side of the trail.

Some sections are closed for private groups, these are typically set up right by the start line. If you are lucky enough to tour with someone like Salmon Berry Tours, they have a tent set up with goodies (and a little warmth) as well as a shuttle to and from Willow (which is a huge plus!). There is also a media box close by as well, so you may not be able to get as close to teh starting line as you'd think... BUT! you can get lucky, especially if you slip in (or go behind the line) in the last few minutes before go time.

If you don't mind the walk you can walk the length of the fencing and find a comfortable spot that suits you. You cannot lean over the fencing or put your camera inside the fencing, so keep that in mind. A lot of onlookers will do this, but give the race the respect and the volunteers the love they deserve. If you are really adventurous (and don't mind the long walk) you can cross the lake and head up into the trees. The fencing goes away and you can watch as they cross roadways down the trail.

If you have the ability and don't get caught up watching the action in the staging area, you can travel via snow machine or ski or car and watch as they run through the Mat-Su valley. Deshka Landing is a favorite spot of race goers. You can also look into cabins along the trail that you can snowshoe into. Though, if this is your first time to the restart, I suggest staying on Willow lake and not trying to see it away from the start line. The energy is something one must experience at least once.

How to get there 

The Iditarod offers a shuttle to and from the ReStart. They have shuttles going from Anchorage, Houston (Alaska, not Texas), Wasilla, and Talkeetna. Standard fare for Anchorage (which picks up at the Lakefront) is $25, and $2 for everywhere else. The shuttles are typically elementary school buses, so be prepared for them to be packed and cramped.

There are also tours like Salmon Berry who will shuttle you to and from the restart, and treat you well. There is a little more breathing room, and treats are involved!

You can also drive. If coming from Anchorage plan about two hours of driving time on the way to the start, and at least two and a half closer to three on the way home (traffic is SLOW until you get past Wasilla, and if there's an accident just be prepared to be there a LONG while). There is parking provided across the street from the community center, and they charge $10 for parking now.


Tips

If you can stay in one of the closer towns (Wasilla or Big Lake or even Talkeetna) and take the shuttle in, that will help a lot. Anchorage is fantastic but it can be a real hassle traveling to and from the restart.

If you can't swing the drive yourself from Anchorage, try to find a tour that will take you. A lot easier than being on Iditarod's shuttle schedule.

Be prepared to walk, in deep sometimes very slushy snow. The lake often experiences overflow... and you don't know you're going to step in it sometimes... until you do. This is especially the case when you are around the musher's staging area.

If you plan on bringing an atv or snow machine, check out the Willow Trails Committee group on facebook to find out the dos and don'ts of where to go, how to park, what trails to ride on, etc.




Where's your favorite spot to watch? Have any tips to share? Comment below!