By Suzanne
Norquist
Every year,
the Iditarod dog sled race begins on the first Saturday of March and can take
three weeks to complete. So, the race is in full swing now.
https://iditarod.com/# gives all kinds of information about the race.
The oldest archeological evidence of dog sledding has been dated to around 1,000 A.D. As far as researchers can tell, it began with native people in northern Canada. Early sleds used fewer dogs and pulled minimal cargo, possibly firewood and other supplies. Human survival in the Arctic north may not have been possible without this form of transportation.
The late 1800s and early 1900s were nicknamed the “Era of the Sled Dog,” possibly because non-native people began settling in Arctic areas.
The Yukon’s Klondike Gold Rush in the late 1800s drew prospectors north to inhospitable areas. And in the early 1900s, they moved into the Alaskan interior. Dog teams carried supplies and mail to places other forms of transportation couldn’t reach.
Denali National Park has maintained a team of sled dogs since 1922. Their website is full of fun dog pictures with profiles of all the dogs. There are even dog team trackers.
https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/meet-the-sled-dogs.htm
The
diphtheria epidemic in Nome, Alaska, in 1925, brought international attention to
this form of transportation. A relay of dog teams carried life-saving serum
seven hundred miles over the frozen Arctic terrain. It took six days for the
serum to reach Nome.
Two of the
most well-known sled dogs, Balto and Togo, led teams in this effort. Disney immortalized
both Siberian huskies in movies. Balto led the team on the 53-mile final leg of
the relay.
Although Togo led teams 264 miles of the journey, his contribution wasn’t recognized until much later. A movie telling his story was produced in 2019. After the run, kennel owner Leonhard Seppala’s dogs and their descendants were in high demand. (On a side note, my dogs are Seppala huskies, part of the working dog line, as opposed to the show dog line.)
The Iditarod race honors the dogs and mushers from that critical, life-saving run. The route runs from Anchorage to Nome, roughly one thousand miles.
Racing
existed before the serum run and has likely always been a casual sport. Formal events
took place as early as 1850. In 1908, the first dog sled race took place in
Nome.
In 1967, dog
sled teams participated in the first Iditarod race. Events were well attended
for the first few years, then interest waned. So, organizers revised the route,
making the race longer and more grueling in 1973.
The existing
trail runs from Anchorage to Nome. First, the dogs run 20 miles along the Alaskan
Highway, giving people a chance to watch them. Then they are loaded into trucks
and driven to the first part of the race.
Other countries have similar dogsled activities. For example, Norway's race, the Finnmarkslopet, started in 1981. It includes two races, one 310 miles and one 620 miles.
Today, snowmobiles
and other means of transportation have largely replaced dogsled teams.
However, the dogs still lead the pack in a few remote areas. A Danish military
special forces team patrols with dogsleds, as do the rangers in Denali
National Park. Remote parts of Greenland still use dogs as their primary form
of transportation.
As the dogs
race this March, it’s fun to remember the history they represent.
***
”Mending Sarah’s Heart” in the Thimbles and Threads Collection
Four
historical romances celebrating the arts of sewing and quilting.
Mending
Sarah’s Heart by Suzanne Norquist
Rockledge,
Colorado, 1884
Sarah
seeks a quiet life as a seamstress. She doesn’t need anyone, especially her
dead husband’s partner. If only the Emporium of Fashion would stop stealing her
customers, and the local hoodlums would leave her sons alone. When she rejects
her husband’s share of the mine, his partner Jack seeks to serve her through
other means. But will his efforts only push her further away?
For
a Free Preview, click here: http://a.co/1ZtSRkK
Suzanne Norquist is the author of two novellas, “A
Song for Rose” in A Bouquet of Brides Collection and “Mending Sarah’s Heart” in the Thimbles and Threads Collection. Everything fascinates her. She has
worked as a chemist, professor, financial analyst, and even earned a doctorate
in economics. Research feeds her curiosity, and she shares the adventure with
her readers. She lives in New Mexico with her mining engineer husband and has
two grown children. When not writing, she explores the mountains, hikes, and
attends kickboxing class.
She authors a
blog entitled, Ponderings of a BBQ Ph.D.
Thanks for the post this morning! I enjoyed the info about the Iditarod. I know there are many people who use dogs and sleds for covering traplines and hunting. In your picture, it looks like your dogs would love being hooked up to a sled, they certainly are pulling you!
ReplyDeleteThanks. They do like to pull. When I walk them, they consider it a warm-up for chasing each other around the yard.
ReplyDelete