Deep snow hampers Iditarod and Invitational races

Deep snow across interior Alaska north of the Alaska Range may cause difficulties for the upcoming Iditarod. 

Heavy snow halted the annual Serum Run from Nenana to Nome last week. Deep snow near Ruby made travel on the Yukon River nearly impossible and the race was cancelled.

Now the deep snow may cause some of the same issues for the Iditarod.  The annual race starts this weekend, and, for the first time in a long time, snowshoes will be required gear for mushers on the trail.

Most of the bikers and skiers taking part in the Iditarod Trail Invitational hadn’t made it through Rainy Pass Wednesday evening.  Bicyclists and skiers from around the world compete in the invitational, which uses the Iditarod Trail and takes place the week before Iditarod.  The snow is so deep that even the trailbreaking snowmachines are getting bogged down. That news comes from Talkeetna resident, Rich Crain, who is one of those breaking trail.

About 20 racers are stuck along the trail and trying to reach Rohn. The race, which usually takes the fastest racers 5 days from beginning to end, is taking twice that amount of time this year.  The coordinators of the race say that participants don’t appear to be in imminent danger.  According to Crain, if racers can reach Dalzell Creek, there is a trail that starts from there.

More snow is in the forecast for north of the Alaska range.