Iditarod 2020 - Got Snow!!!

Welcome back to IditaDacks.....the BEST Iditarod coverage from the Adirondacks in northern NY!  YES, its that time of year again, and unlike other more recent years, the Iditarod Trail has LOTS of snow....maybe even too much????  No....never too much right?  Well, we will see....I for one like it....this years race will be touched by the whims of Mother Nature....in the past it has been warm temps,  in fact last year Norton Sound barely froze over...and there was open water in Nome and rain up the Yukon...that is just not right! I'm hoping this year will be more like the Iditarods of old...lots of snow...a slower pace.....Teams taking turns breaking trail....and unfortunately moose.   Yes, moose...they much rather walk on a nice packed trail than wade through deep snow.....moose and dog Teams do not mix.....at all!  I am keeping positive thoughts that any moose encounter will end in the moose retreating from the trail.....we don't need moose drama....please moose....behave! 

SO....what has the build up to the race been like?  Well, some surprises have taken place....like Jeff King being hospitalized and giving the reins to his handler just 4 days before the start....a Iditarod Rookie....no pressure Sean Underwood....no pressure!  And then there is Buser.....he handed over of the reins to Tim Pappas, but that was the plan all along.  I have watched these 2 icons for decades...it will be fun to watch how these handlers take to the trail with the A Teams!

I have to wonder how Mitch Seavey will do this year.  Even Dallas (now a commentator covering the race) says at the age of 60+ its hard to stay competitive. Plus Mitch excelled at a hard fast trail....its not going to be his kind of conditions....I may not even have him in my top 10.  On the other hand, Teams who finished the Yukon Quest in the top positions are known to have good Teams for deep snow....Sass and Michele Phillips will be ones to watch.  Then there is Kaiser, Failor and Ulsom all doing well in the Kusko 300....and what about Nic Petit winning the bone chilling cold Copper Basin!!!!   

The race has started, just hours ago...check back often....I hope to have an update every morning and evening as the race progresses.  I really love the Iditarod Insiders new tracker.....for those of you who don't have it I will try to give updates in between the long stretches of trail.  So make IditaDacks part of your morning routine! 

Outlaw and Chena ran 3 Iditarods each with SP Kennel! Go Aliy and the Red Team!!!