On to Nome

The Iditarod starts this weekend, with a dozen Interior Alaska mushers in the lineup for the 1000 mile race to Nome.

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This weekend is also Tripod Days in Nenana, which kicks off the annual betting frenzy with the Nenana Ice Classic. Look for the familiar red can at your favorite bar, liquor store or hardware store to enter your guess as to when the ice will go out on the Tanana River. The contest has been ongoing since 1917 when engineers working on the Alaska Railroad bet $801 on when the ice would go out. Last year’s pot was around $338,000… tickets are on sale until 5 April. The ice thickness on the Tanana, as of 20 February, was 33″.