'It's crazy, and then it's just peaceful': Iditarod mushers set out for Nome from Willow

WILLOW — As this year’s Iditarod mushers took off toward Nome on Sunday afternoon, the snow in Willow was falling continuously.

The race restarted Sunday afternoon, with mushers leaving the starting line in two-minute intervals, officially beginning their trek to Nome after the race’s ceremonial start in Anchorage on Saturday.

Sunday morning, the nearly knee-deep snow in the parking lot where mushers were doing last-minute preparations was a harbinger of what’s likely ahead on the trail. The race’s roughly 1,000-mile route is expected to be much snowier than usual during the 2020 race.

As musher Meredith Mapes was putting tie-dyed balaclavas into Ziplock bags, she said the snow was a top concern. Mapes said that she had previously struggled with getting stuck during her first Iditarod race.

Read more: https://www.adn.com/outdoors-adventure/iditarod/2020/03/09/iditarod-mushers-set-out-for-nome-from-willow/
(Anchorage Daily News)