Snowshoers Gather in Alaska for National Championship

Downtown Anchorage, Alaska was crowded on Saturday, March 5, as spectators and dog teams gathered for the ceremonial start of the 1,000-mile Iditarod race. Rules dictate that competitors carry a pair of snowshoes, an item that can provide a life-saving means of backup mobility for people traveling with dogs. Mushers also depend on snowshoes to break trail in front of their dogsleds when snow gets too deep.