Iditarod Ceremonial Start: Anchorage City Crews Dump 350 Truckloads Of Snow On Course; Temps 40F

[hatrack]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — If there is one day when mushers in the Iditarod sled dog race don't have to worry about trail conditions, it should be Saturday during the ceremonial start.

A lack of snow south of the Alaska Range created treacherous trail conditions, forcing race officials to move the competitive start of the race to Monday in Fairbanks. A stalled jet stream pushed Arctic air and snow into the Midwest and the East Coast, but kept Alaska fairly warm and dry this winter. But the ceremonial start, a chance for fans and mushers to meet in a casual atmosphere, went on as planned in Alaska's largest city.

Despite the city receiving only about a third of its normal winter snowfall, Anchorage was still able to stage the traditional ceremonial start to the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. City crews overnight delivered up to 350 dump truck loads of snow and spread it out over city blocks so the show could go on. The festivities started Saturday morning in very un-Iditarod like conditions, almost 40 degrees with a light rain falling before the start.

City maintenance workers stockpiled snow from neighborhoods the past few months and kept it for winter events, culminating with the Iditarod, said Paul VanLandingham with the public works department.

EDIT

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Iditarod-show-goes-on-despite-lack-of-snow-6120768.php

[arcane1]

1. Inhofe should throw snowballs at them n/t