What do you wear to watch a sled dog race?

You need footwear with a well insulation sole, wide enough to double your wool socks, down thermo-pants over your pants , a down coat, wool or felt hat, thermo gloves, long johns, thermo Henley, wool sweater, and for long-time exposure (several hours) to the cold a down blanket as wrap.

What Do You Wear Watching the Iditarod

What do you wear watching the Iditarod? When you happen to be in Alaska during the time of the Iditarod or Yukon Quest start, go watch the start. Why? Two reasons. First, it is impressive to see the dog teams and their musher pull out on the trail. They have to spend their nights outside on the trail. Therefore, it’s interesting to see what they wear to stay warm. Second, the street style of the people watching the Iditarod (or Yukon Quest) is incredible. A Must-see for every fashion fan or anyone interested in Alaska Lifestyle. Furthermore, read what the Iditarod is all about.

Contents

Why Did the 2015 Iditarod Start in Fairbanks?
Why Was the Iditarod Race established?
What Was the Serum Run?
Who Are the Alaskans’ Heroes of the Serum Run?
What Was the Weather Situation during the Serum Run?
Why Did Seppala Take the Shortcut over the Dangerous Norton Sound?
Who delivered the Serum in Nome?
What Street Style Do You Wear Watching the Iditarod in a Nutshell
References

Important note: Terms indicated with * are explained in the High Latitude Style glossary.

Why Did the 2015 Iditarod Start in Fairbanks?

Due to lack of snow in Anchorage, the officials re-started the 2015 Iditarod in Fairbanks on a Monday. The Iditarod is an annual long-distance sled-dog race starting with sixteen (!) dogs per sled (see photo above). The race is in memory of the serum run to Nome in 1925.

Musher and visitor street style and fashionable dogs wearing pink booties on the Iditarod trail — Iditarod sled-dogs wearing all pink booties and harnesses matching their musher’s pink traditional kuspak* parka. These parkas are hand-made and feature various different furs inside, and along the hood and velvet with embroidery on the outside.

Why Was the Iditarod Race established?

At that time, Nome faced a diphtheria epidemic against which the Alaska Native children were not immune. In Nome, serum existed only in insufficient quantity. Moreover, it was expired! Anchorage was the nearest place with enough serum. Back then (as still today), there was no road to Nome. The photos in this post feature Alaska street style how it is worn by people watching the Iditarod, which is a sled dog race in remembrance of the serum run.

visitor in an Alaska parka called kuspak showing what you wear watching the Iditarod — DIY kuspak with bead-embroidered mittens and hat

What Was the Serum Run?

Back then, air planes had never been flown in the depth of winter. The two available planes were both dismantled. Thus, Governor Scott Bone approved the serum transport by train 298 miles (480 km) from Seward to Nenana and relay by dog teams 674 miles (1085 km) to Nome. Dog teams out of Nome and Nenana were to meet half-way at Nulato.

Upon arrival in Nenana shortly before midnight, more than 100 dogs and twenty mushers were ready. Every dog was to run no more than over 100 miles (160 km) pulling the serum. Only five and a half day later, on Monday February 2, 1925 at 5:30 am, Balto, the lead dog of Norwegian Gunnar Kaasen set paws on Front Street in Nome. Upon arrival, the serum was thawed and ready to use at 11 am.

people in down pants and down parka to show what street style you wear watching the Iditarod — Alaskan woman wearing down pants, a down parka, mukluks, and a trapper-style knitted wool hat. Read more on which down coat is best for the climate zone.

outfit examples of what street style to wear watching a sled dog race start — Stylish Alaskan women watching the Iditarod. The trench coat is worn over a down parka. See the beautiful embroidery of the Alaskan Native made boots.

Who Are the Alaskans’ Heroes of the Serum Run?

Of course all these dogs and mushers were heroes. However, Alaskans especially appreciate Togo and Leonhard Seppala. Due to Seppal’s experience, decision makers considered him to be the most qualified to cover a shortcut across Norton Sound that would save 24 hours.

In Norton Sound, sea-ice moves fast due to strong sea-currents and winds of up to 70 mph (110 km/h). Both can take a team of course. Together wind and currents pile up sea-ice to rough hills as if the trail was not already difficult enough. The harsh cold winds can chill the air to feel like −100F (−73 °C). Picking up debris of ice the strong winds acts like a sand jet. They polish the sea-ice surface to slippery “glare ice” as if intending to hinder the dogs to get paw-hold. Wind and currents grant small cracks in the ice the potential to open up any time.

Woman in Alaska street style at the Iditarod with thermo-skirt over thermo-pants and a down jacket — Woman wearing thermo-pants under a thermo-skirt with a down jacket instead of a long down coat. The advantage is that she has less weight resting on her shoulders. This means that her back is less likely to hurt after standing at the trail watch the race for an extended amount of time.

street style at the Iditarod of women wearing a down blanket watching the start of the sled dog race — Woman wearing a down blanket as cover-up over her outerwear. In Alaska, it is the custom to bring blankets as wraps to outdoor sport events. Note this woman is not a homeless even though one could get the impression because of her wearing a down blanket.

How Seppala Got the Serum

On his way out of Nome, Seppala had crossed the sound leaving behind his only daughter Sigrid who also was at risk. Meanwhile the deadly disease had accelerated. More mushers had joined the race to accelerate transportation. Thus, the serum was already farther north than Seppala expected when early in the afternoon around dawn, knowing the urge of the run, Seppala did something Alaskans under other circumstances never do, violating the unwritten Alaska law of supporting each other. He had passed Ivanoff – a musher who seemed to have trouble with his team. Ivanoff mushed his team after Seppala yelling, “The serum! The serum! I have it here!”

What Was the Weather Situation during the Serum Run?

A deep low-pressure system located over the Gulf of Alaska was moving towards the trail. It showed its ugly face with strong, hauling winds, and darkened the night with clouds as if to ensure that Seppala could neither see, nor hear any cracking of the ice. Moreover, due to the storm he could not use the North Star for orientation.

Taking the safe land route around the Sound, but delaying the delivery by a day, or crossing the sound? A tough sole decision to make in a hostile environment, when Mother Nature seems to be on the edge to prove that she is the man. Plunging into the freezing water would be the death of him and his team, the loss of the serum, and the death sentence for those infected, but still alive in Nome including his daughter.

family in Alaska street style watching the Iditarod — Family of four wearing street style when watching the Iditarod. One of the boys is wearing a face mask. The other boy feels comfortable laying in his down clothes on the ground. The dad’s thick mittens look like hats.

Why Did Seppala Take the Shortcut over the Dangerous Norton Sound?

Trusting *Togo‘s great nose to smell open water, Seppala turned the team across the sound towards Isaac’s Point. At 8 pm, they reached exhausted the roadhouse on the other side of the shore. Winds had picked up gale-force leading to a wind chill of an estimated −85F (−65^oC). On this brutally cold Saturday, Seppala and his dogs had run 84 miles (135 km), much of it with headwinds. Nevertheless, after only a short rest, the sleep-deprived team headed out onto the Sound again at 2 am in meanwhile blizzard-like conditions.

Who delivered the Serum in Nome?

After finishing the last stretch on the sound, the team climbed a steep 8 miles (13 km) long ridge to Little McKinley. They had now already 260 miles (420 km) in their legs. On Sunday at 3 pm, Togo and his team set paws at Golovin, only 78 miles (126 km) from Nome and home. Seppala handed the serum that they had carried 91 miles – the single farthest stretch of any team – to the next musher. The ice went out to sea only a couple of hours after they had left it.

Note that *Balto got a stature in Central Park in New York City in 1925, while Togo has one in Anchorage, Alaska.

X-tra tuffs are the It boots in Alaska — Alaskan woman wearing a down parka, thermo-pants with headband, X-tra tuffs and rabbit-fur mittens. These boots are Alaska It. You need insulation insoles and doubling socks when wearing them in below freezing conditions.

fashion blogger Nicole of High Latitude Style wearing a Kuspuk parka when watching the Iditarod — Wearing my self-sewn green velvet kuspuk with hat, Blondo faux fur lined boots, shearling mittens with bead embroidery

Alaskan man wearing an Aleutian parka at the Iditarod start — My photographer in a Cockpit USA WWII Aleutian pilot parka, 16oz Alaska jeans with flannel lining, and LeatherCoatsEtc thermo leather gloves..

What Street Style Do You Wear Watching the Iditarod in a Nutshell

Insulation from the elements is key. Therefore, down clothing are best. Also gloves, hats or hoodies and footwear that reduces the conduction of heat from the frigid ground are Must-haves. When you want to watch all teams starting a down blanket for coverup is a great idea to reduce your thermal stress.