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Hi, ADN Iditarod fans,

The 54th Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is upon us!

The ceremonial start, while not part of the competitive race, is always a celebratory day in Anchorage — full of pomp, pageantry and excitement.

Mushers and spectators were treated to a particularly snowy start to this year's Iditarod, with large flakes coating sidewalks, coats and sleds as teams waited for the ceremonial run to begin. 

Defending champion Jessie Holmes leaves the starting line on Fourth Avenue during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race ceremonial start on Saturday, March 7 in Anchorage. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Musher Lauro Eklund unloads his sled downtown. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Just past 10 a.m., sled dog teams took off under the new Mushing District arch on Fourth Avenue, following Junior Iditarod champion Stanley Robinson. “There are thousands of people out there, and it’s fun for the mushers too,” Robinson said.

Teams headed out on a layer of fresh snow onto Cordova Street, making their way through city streets and stretches of urban trails on an 11-mile route that ended at Far North Bicentennial Park.

Along the way, mushers and their dog teams ran past energetic fans at a number of "trailgates" along the route. These are miniature parties along the trail, with music, costumes, food, and the chance to get a wave or a high-five from your favorite musher.

You can peruse a collection of our favorite photos from the ceremonial start here.

Iditarod musher Paige Drobny, left, and her husband and kennel partner Cody Strathe celebrate ceremonial start day in costume. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Michelle Phillips, of Ten Mile, Yukon Territory, hugs a team member. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Sunday is when the race begins in earnest. The 37 teams will depart from Willow Lake north of Anchorage on their 975-mile journey to Nome. 

Reminder: The restart events open to the public at 1 p.m. Sunday, with teams leaving the starting line beginning at 2 p.m. Parking can be pretty scarce at the Willow restart, so spectators are encouraged to take one of the shuttle buses that will run from Wildbirch Hotel in downtown Anchorage, Wasilla High School and Wasilla’s Menard Sports Complex.

From Willow, mushers will head out onto the trail to the first series of checkpoints, including Yentna, Skwentna, Finger Lake and Rainy Pass.

Competitors will follow the northern route to Nome this year, which means they’ll pass through the Yukon River checkpoints of Cripple, Ruby, Galena and Nulato.

Among the 37 teams, there are 14 rookies, four prior winners (defending champion Jessie Holmes, along with Ryan Redington, Pete Kaiser and Thomas Waerner) and three mushers participating through the Iditarod's new Expedition Class program. 

Norwegian-Swiss billionaire Kjell Inge Rokke, Canadian investor Steve Curtis and Waerner, of Norway, are traveling to Nome noncompetitively. They're participating under a different set of rules and aren’t eligible for prize money.

You can find more information about this year's race here. Have any questions about the Iditarod? Respond to this email and let us know. 

Be sure to check back at our website for a full story on today's ceremonial start, and stay tuned for coverage from the official Willow restart tomorrow.

Rookie musher Kevin Hansen of Kotzebue reaches out for high-fives at Eastchester Park while passing through the annual Trailgate event. (Bella Biondini / ADN)

Happy trails, 

Megan Pacer
mpacer@adn.com

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