She throws jagged mountain ranges, frozen rivers, dense forests, desolate tundra and miles of windswept coast at the mushers and their dog teams. From Anchorage, in south central Alaska, to Nome on the western Bering Sea coast, each team of 12 to 16 dogs and its musher cover over 1150 miles in 10 to 17 days. German, Spanish, British, Japanese, and American film crews have covered the event. Journalists from outdoor magazines, adventure magazines, newspapers and wire services flock to Anchorage and Nome to record the excitement. It's not just a sled dog race - it's a race in which unique men and women compete.
Mushers enter from all walks of life.
It's a race organized and run primarily by volunteers, thousands composed men and women, students and village residents. They man headquarters at Anchorage, Fairbanks, Nome, and Wasilla. They fly in dog food and supplies. They act as checkers, coordinators, veterinarians and family supporters of each musher.