Dog mushing

Connection to mushing history of region keeps participants coming back

“It's the true meaning of what the Iditarod stands for,” said Sue Evans, a descendant of a musher who was part of the historic effort.

Rookie musher Jessi Downey spent part of her childhood in the Northwest Arctic and was the only Iñupiaq woman in the race. In fact, she might be just the second Iñupiaq woman musher in the race’s more than 30-year history.