Vicious winter storm knocks 6 mushers out of the Iditarod

By MARK THIESSEN
Associated Press

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A vicious ground storm with high winds blowing off the Bering Sea has led to six mushers running at the back of the pack to drop out of this year’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race across Alaska.  Three mushers accepted assistance from a search-and-rescue team on snowmobiles, which led them to a shelter cabin where they waited out the storm. Another musher Friday also received assistance and scratched. Two others needed rescue off the trail, and Iditarod officials said one of them had a leg injury. The world’s most famous sled dog race started for 49 mushers March 6 north of Anchorage. Since then, 12 mushers have scratched, half of them on Friday. Four mushers remain on the trail to Nome.