The Alaskan Race
By: Jonah Vujanic and Alana Farley Periods 1+5 2-4-16
Where Does The Race Start?
- Starts in Anchorage
- Ends in Nome
- This year the race starts in Willow
- The race goes through Nikola, Ophir, Cripple, Nulato, Unalakleet, and Koyuk
- Crosses Alaska and Kuskokwim Mountain Ranges and along Bering Sea coast
What Do The Mushers Need/Bring?
- Must have 12 to 16 dogs to start, and end with 5
- Siberian and Alaskan huskies are the best choice
- Parka, heavy sleeping bag, ax, snows shoes, musher food, dog food, and boots for the dogs feet
- Need a big sled to put injured or exhausted huskies for the rest
Who participates in the races?
- Teams of mushers and their dogs race
- Mushers and dogs go through temperatures below 0 degrees
- Mushers and dogs can train year round
- Men and women both compete
- Most sled dogs are part Alaskan husky
- Alaskan huskies are good at running long distances
- Siberian and Alaskan huskies are in the race
When Does The Race Begin?
- Starts the first Saturday of March
- Teams need one 24 hour rest break and two 8 hour breaks
- Lasts up to 10 to 17 days or 10 days to 3 weeks
- The race goes north on even years and south on odd years
- First dog-sled race recorded was in 1908
- Became major in 1973
How Was The Format of The Race Made?
- The disease diphtheria's out break caused the path to be made to get to Nome
- The format of the race was made in 1973
- Used to get diphtheria medication to Nome
- Took 27 hours from Nenana to Nome
Why Does it Take so Long to do The Race?
- Takes 10 days to 3 weeks
- The race is 1150 miles
- Global warming Is causing changes to the format
- Has temperatures of below 0 with high winds
- High winds cause loss of visibility
- Races are dangerous when mushers can't see
Diphtheria Facts
- Diphtheria killed communities including children
- The Diphtheria vaccine wiped out the disease that killed many
- Highly contagious caused by Corynebacterium diphtheria
- Causes a thick leathery coating in the throat which makes breathing harder
- Death by suffocation was by Diphtheria
- Anchorage had the antioxidants which was far away from Nome
Works Cited
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 May 2013. Web. 04 Mar. 2015.2016
- Gonzsalez/Clarisel. "Too Little Snow at the Iditarod?." Scholastic News 5/6 (Vol. 76, No. 15). Feb. 4 2008: 6. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 01 Feb. 2016.
- "Iditarod Facts and Information for Kids | KidsKonnect." KidsKonnect. N.p., 22 Nov. 2015. Web. 04 Mar. 2015.
- Nightingale, Dave. "Iditarod." World Book Student. World Book, 2016. Web. 1 Feb.
- "Race Across Alaska." Weekly Reader-3 (Vol. 74, No. 19). Feb. 25 2005: 2+. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 01 Feb. 2016.
Images: