By Anchorage Daily News photo staff Updated: March 7, 2019 Published: March 6, 2019
Fifty-two mushers from five countries are driving their dog teams across Alaska in the pursuit of victory in the 2019 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race as they mush toward Nome.
Iditarod musher Kristy Berington crests the Cordova Hill during the ceremonial start of the 2019 Iditarod in Anchorage Saturday. (Bob Hallinen photo)
A dog from Seward musher Sarah Stokey's team leaps toward the starting line. Fifty-two mushers and dog teams ran across Anchorage for the ceremonial start of Iditarod 2019. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Musher Anja Radano was the first musher off the start line Saturday during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Iditarod musher Marcelle Fressineau reaches out for a high five along Cordova Street on Saturday. (Bob Hallinen photo)
Musher Jeff Deeter drives his team past Mulcahy Stadium during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
2018 Iditarod champion Joar Leifseth Ulsom tosses a stuffed sled dog to a fan near Mulcahy Stadium during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod. (Bob Hallinen photo)
Aaron Burmeister mushes through Far North Bicentennial Park during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Iditarod rookie Martin Apayauq Reitan of Kaktovik brushes his teeth before the start in Willow Sunday afternoon. (Bill Roth / ADN)
Musher Peter Kaiser drives his dog team across Willow Lake during the restart of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Sunday afternoon. (Bill Roth / ADN)
Four-time Iditarod champion Lance Mackey and his father, 1978 Iditarod champion Dick Mackey, in Willow before the restart on Sunday. (Bill Roth / ADN)
Last year's Iditarod runner-up Nic Petit is greeted by fans as he crosses Emswiler Lake during the restart on Sunday. (Bill Roth / ADN)
Mallory Wilkins watches a dog team pass by on Emswiler Lake during the restart of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow on Sunday. (Bill Roth / ADN)
A musher passes ice near the Finger Lake checkpoint. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Travis Beals climbs a steep section of trail from the Skwenta River between the Finger Lake and Rainy Pass checkpoints on Monday. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Michi Konno climbs a steep section of trail from the Skwentna River near the Happy River confluence. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Michi Konno crosses Puntilla Lake to arrive at the Rainy Pass checkpoint Monday. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Charley Bejna rests with on the straw with his dogs at Finger Lake on Monday. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Paige Drobny drives her Iditarod team on the Happy River steps as she makes her way through the Alaska Range on Monday, Mar. 4, 2019. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Jessica Klejka prepares food for her dogs. Mushers in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race passed by the Finger Lake and Rainy Pass checkpoints as they gained elevation into the Alaska Range on Monday. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Joar Leifseth Ulsom writes a wakeup time on a dry erase board in the Nikolai school Tuesday morning. Leifseth Ulsom was the first Iditarod 2019 musher to reach the village. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Twin sisters Anna and Kristy Berington rest next to each other on the trail between Rohn and Nikolai Tuesday. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Rookie Niklas Wikstrand wakes from a nap at the Rohn checkpoint on Tuesday. (Marc Lester / ADN)
The Iditarod checkpoint in Nikolai fills up on Tuesday afternoon. (Marc Lester / ADN)