Every year since 1973, Alaska has celebrated the virtues of perseverance and fortitude by hosting the Iditarod, a 1,610km dogsled race across the state’s frozen wilderness that pushes its participants to the limits of endurance.
But Alaska is much less frozen than it was 50 years ago. It has warmed at more than twice the global rate, altering the Anchorage-to-Nome race, along with nearly every aspect of life in the far north.
“Alaska is a bit of a poster child for global warming,” said Rob Urbach, CEO of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, which held its traditional ceremonial start in Alaska’s largest city on Saturday.
Nearly 50 mushers and their dogs are competing.
The Iditarod has weathered numerous challenges over its history, including sharp criticism by animal rights activists who have pressured corporate sponsors to drop their Iditarod support because they say the race is inhumane to the dogs.
With Anchorage bathing in near-record late winter warmth, reminders of the changing climate abound this year. Instead of fluffy snow, rain has drenched the area in recent days, leaving a coating of ice on streets and trails.
Over time, the changing climate has forced major adjustments. Three times, most recently in 2017, unseasonably warm conditions forced the Iditarod to move its restart much farther north, to Fairbanks.
In 2020, flooding swamped the ultra-thin Bering Sea ice that teams had to skirt near the end of the race, with three racers and their dogs having to be rescued from the coastal site. Contestants who followed had to be rerouted farther inland to avoid the standing water.
The Iditarod has undergone other big changes since founder Joe Redington Sr mortgaged his house to fund the first race in 1973. That year, the winner reached Nome in 20 days, the budget was skimpy and the competition was so low-key that the event was sometimes likened to a 1,610km camping trip.
“Obviously we were content just to get to Nome,” said Dan Seavey, one of the mushers in the inaugural race.
Now many Iditarod mushers, like defending champion Dallas Seavey, Dan’s grandson, are professionals. Equipment is hi-tech, racers are tracked by GPS, fans around the world watch live coverage through on-demand streaming services and winners reach the Nome finish line within nine days.
The race has also adjusted to the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year’s event was converted to an out-and-back route of about 1,384km.
This year’s Iditarod is back on the traditional route to Nome, though some Covid-19 safety protocols remain in place, such as mandatory vaccinations, testing and social distancing. The precautions, deemed necessary to protect vulnerable villages with sparse medical services, are appropriate for an event that honours a historic medical rescue mission to Nome, Urbach said.
“We are still channelling 1925, the Serum Run to Nome,” he said, referring to the famous sled-dog relay that brought diphtheria medicine to the Bering Sea gold-mining town.
— Reuters
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