Iditarod 2012
On-Air Update: Thursday, March 8 (5pm)
In Thursday’s 5pm Iditarod Update, Ric Schmidt and Ben Matheson go over the lead mushers into the Cripple checkpoint. With trail reporter Laureli Kinneen – on the phone from the Ruby checkpoint – the three review the progress of Mitch Seavey, Lance Mackey, and John Baker, as well as the current trail conditions and lots…
Read MorePlanes, Boats, and Automobiles (and Hotels): Sigrid Ekran’s Long Journey to Iditarod
On the Iditarod trail, it’s a long journey from Anchorage to Nome. But for some mushers – including Norway’s Sigrid Ekran – it’s a long trek just getting to Anchorage in the first place. In Takotna, KNOM’s Laureli Kinneen caught up with Sigrid Ekran’s brother Peter, who described the logistical hurdles – and the incredibly…
Read MoreZirkle: “Not Predictable,” But in the Top Five
“I’m not very predictable,” Aliy Zirkle says. In the Takotna checkpoint, the Two Rivers, Alaska musher told KNOM trail reporter Laureli Kinneen that long runs aren’t necessarily her “cup of tea” but that she’s also flexible in her mushing strategy, adaptable to the condition both of the trail and of her dog team. Predictable or…
Read MoreFor Scott Janssen’s Dog, a Very Close Call
“The dogs are everything in this race,” Scott Janssen says. After an emotionally tumultuous experience on the trail, it’s a sentiment the Anchorage musher affirms with new emphasis. As Janssen told KNOM trail reporter Laureli Kinneen in Takotna, he had a frighteningly close call with one of his sled dogs, Marshall, during the run from…
Read MoreIn Takotna, the Brothers Smyth
What’s it like to have a brother on the Iditarod trail? Cim Smyth – who’s mushed in the Iditarod alongside his brother Ramey for years – says it’s “nice” to be able to “bounce things off each other.” The family support may be a welcome relief: the Big Lake, Alaska musher says it’s been a…
Read MoreHear John Baker Departing the Takotna Checkpoint
It was early Thursday morning when 2011 champion John Baker departed the Iditarod checkpoint of Takotna. Despite the early hour (he departed at 2:01am), both Baker and his dogs seemed in good form. Baker said his dogs “took full advantage” of their mandatory 24-hour rest; surveying the trail ahead, the musher said his about his…
Read MoreOn-Air Update: Wednesday, March 7 (5pm)
In Wednesday’s 5pm update, Ric and Ben go over the departure times for mushers leaving their 24-hour layovers (during which the differentials in starting times are corrected). With a live report from Laureli in Takotna, the three talk about what Wednesday evening has in store for the checkpoint, the deep snows on the trail, and…
Read MoreIn Takotna: DeeDee Jonrowe and Josh Cadzow
In Takotna on Wednesday afternoon, DeeDee Jonrowe echoed the priorities of many of her fellow mushers: taking stock of her dogs, and sleep. Her mandatory 24-hour layover was a chance to catch up on rest, not just for herself but, also, for the dogs that had run through the deep snow of much of this…
Read MoreWestern Alaskans in Takotna: Pete Kaiser and Michael Williams, Jr.
Among those currently taking their 24-hour layovers in Takotna are Western Alaskan mushers Pete Kaiser and Michael Williams, Jr. KNOM’s Laureli Kinneen caught up with both mushers Wednesday afternoon. Bethel musher Pete Kaiser – the champion of last month’s Paul Johnson Memorial Norton Sound 450 – says he’s generally happy with his position in Iditarod…
Read MorePhotos: Takotna
Scenes at the Iditarod checkpoint of Takotna. Photos by Laureli Kinneen.
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