Rule 16 — Mandatory Items: A musher must have with him/her at all times the following items:
Proper cold weather sleeping bag weighing a minimum of 5lbs. Ax, head to weigh a minimum of 1-3/4 lbs.
, handle to be at least 22”long.
What are 5 items that are mandatory gear for all mushers?
All mushers must adhere to the rules of the race. Each driver must carry mandatory gear, including
a cooker, cooking gear, sleeping bag, hand axe, snowshoes
, enough booties for each dog, dog food, and people food. They cannot start the race with fewer than 12 dogs, and cannot finish with fewer than 5.
What must an Iditarod musher carry in their sled?
We’re required to carry some gear with us at all times: a
cold-weather sleeping bag
; an axe; a pair of snowshoes; fuel; cooker and pot; and dog booties and harnesses.
What do mushers carry?
A
heavy sleeping bag
is a must. Each musher must also have an ax, snowshoes, an arctic parka, food for themselves, dog food and two sets of booties for each dog’s feet. The booties protect the dogs from various snow related injuries. They must also carry an alcohol stove and a pot to melt snow.
Do Iditarod mushers carry guns?
In most cases,
firearms were carried concealed near the top of the sled bag
, or holstered in the open, fastened to the frame of the sled. Catch all of the action on Iditarod Unleashed, starting March 19!
What are 3 mandatory items mushers must carry?
Each musher must carry mandatory items:
a sleeping bag, an axe, a pair of snowshoes, eight booties for each dog
etc.. The musher will be disqualified for cruel or inhumane treatment of dogs or for improper dog care. No drugs may be used by a musher or given to a dog.
What boots do Iditarod mushers wear?
Many mushers, volunteers, and veterinarians wear a boot called
the Trans Alaska Boot
. The features that make it a great boot are the three inches of cold blocking insulation between the foot and the ground, the removable liner that reflects heat inward, the wicking insoles and its breathability.
Why do Iditarod dogs wear booties?
Dog Boots are worn during the race
to prevent snow balls from forming between the toes and to protect dog paws from injury due to ice shards and abrasion
.
What coats do mushers wear?
Just like winter recreationists, mushers layer up top with a moisture-wicking shirt under a warm fleece or wool midlayer. But instead of a down puffy or Gore-Tex shell, they often go for a
mushing-specific down jacket with waxed-canvas face fabric and a fur ruff around the hood
.
What is the entry fee for a musher entering the Iditarod?
Iditarod Entry Fee in 2020:
$4,000 per musher
. Travel Costs: $1,500. The Iditarod requires the musher to pay for flying the dogs home from the finish line in Nome, Alaska, along with themselve, at least one handler, and all the gear. Pre-race Vet Checks: $350.
How much money do you get in the Iditarod?
This year’s Iditarod purse paid
$501,120
, with $51,607 going to winner Thomas Waerner. The top 20 finishers all took home prize money, and every finisher outside the top 20 received $1,049, a figure that represents the historic distance of the Iditarod trail.
What do mushers put on their dogs paws?
Mushers put
cloth booties
on the dogs’ feet to prevent the wet snow from gathering between their toes and then freezing. A bootie is just a little bag with Velcro that wraps around a dog’s wrist to keep it on. When teams arrive, usually taking off booties is one of the first chores for the musher.
Do dog sled have brakes?
Perhaps the most underestimated piece of equipment on a dog sled, but the most important, is the
brake
. Excited sled dogs create a tremendous amount of energy and power, and every musher knows to have a brake that will not only slow down his or her team, but stop it for good, as well.
What do dogs eat during the Iditarod?
The dogs eat
high-performance dry dogfood called kibble
. When mushers stop at a checkpoint or just along the trail, they will melt snow in their cookpots. To the hot water, they add kibble. This gives additional hydration to the dogs by adding the water.
What breed of dogs are used in the Iditarod?
Although
Siberian Husky
genes can be found in most sled dogs running today, very few purebred Siberian Huskies are used on Iditarod teams.
How long is 2020 Iditarod?
How long is the race? Excellent question, and one without a precise answer. The Iditarod says the northern route – the one being followed this year – is
975 miles
. The southern route is listed as 998 miles.
