As you can see, these dogs are very strong and very fast. When the weather is like it has been in Alaska this winter with lots of warm ups and then refreezing, there is a lot of ice crystals mixed in with the snow. These crystals are very sharp and will cut a dog s foot pad and his feet will get sore or even infected. So the mushers have learned to use booties on their dogs feet to protect them. There are several different kinds of material that is used for booties.
Most mushers have their favorite material based on how well they feel it protected their dogs feet.
Well all of the mushers are on their way to Nome. The front teams are into and out of Skwentna tonight while the Back of the Pack are between Willow and Yentna. Bruce Moroney is carrying Don Bowers bib for his honorary position of number one so that Don will go to Nome with the mushers he would have been with if he had not been killed in June. Don was a member of the Iditarod Air Force for many years before becoming a musher. Bruce was a fellow pilot in that Air Force.