The rugged Iditarod started Monday, but a dearth of snow has forced the iconic dog sled race to start further north and added a new route that allows mushers to bypass barren land, but lengthens by more than 100 miles (160.93 kilometers) an unforgiving journey that's often measured in grit and attrition.
The new course reroutes mushers and their dog teams around a difficult stretch of trail north of the Alaska Range, which is treacherous with snow and ice but mostly unpassable in dry conditions for sleds.
