Kuskokwim 300 sled dog race postponed until Feb. 7 due to poor snowpack

The Kuskokwim 300 sled dog race has been postponed until Feb. 7, race organizers announced Wednesday evening.

Initially scheduled to start Jan. 24, the race fell victim to unseasonably high temperatures and low snowpack that has persisted throughout much of the state.

Based in Bethel, the Kusko 300 is among the state’s most popular mid-distance mushing events. It draws top dog teams from across the state to Western Alaska for a course out to Aniak and back along the Kuskokwim River.

A post on the race website noted that the weather forecast for next weekend would likely only worsen trail conditions.

“Southwest Alaska has been plagued by limited snowfall and numerous warm-spells this winter, resulting in frequently poor trail conditions and hampering trail marking efforts,” race organizers said in the post. “The current forecast for Bethel and checkpoint communities of Tuluksak, Kalskag and Aniak calls for 5 days of temperatures in the 30’s and 40’s leading into the middle of next week. This outlook made it impossible to determine whether there would be a trail that is safe for human and canine athletes come race time.”

The post said that no mushers have indicated they plan to withdraw because of the postponement. This year will mark the 46th running of the race.

The thousand-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is also examining alternate routes due to poor trail conditions, with plans to announce a final decision early next month.

Bethel musher Pete Kaiser won last year’s Kusko 300, his eighth title in the race.