![Iditarod 2016 Nicolas Petit is the first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race musher to reach the Rainy Pass checkpoint on March 7 in-Rainy Pass, Alaska.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/iditarod-sled-dog-race-alaska-sleddog-competition-02.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
By TIME Photo
![Matthew Failor's team leaves the restart of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow, Alaska Sled dogs from Matthew Failor's team leave the restart of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow, Alaska on March 6, 2016. Mushers and sled dog teams from around the world embark on Alaska's long-distance Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, starting a nearly 1,000-mile journey through the state's wilderness.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/iditarod-sled-dog-race-alaska-sleddog-competition-01.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Iditarod 2016 Nicolas Petit is the first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race musher to reach the Rainy Pass checkpoint on March 7 in-Rainy Pass, Alaska.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/iditarod-sled-dog-race-alaska-sleddog-competition-02.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![A musher handler with Alan Eischens team embraces one of the dogs before the start of the ceremonial Iditarod in downtown Anchorage A handler with Alan Eischen's team embraces one of Eischen's dogs before the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage, Alaska on March 5.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/iditarod-sled-dog-race-alaska-sleddog-competition-03.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Rohn Buser (son of champion musher) with Martin Buser's dogs before the restart of the Iditarod in Willow, Alaska Champion musher Martin Buser's son, Rohn, greets dogs from his dad's team before the restart of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow, Alaska on March 6.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/iditarod-sled-dog-race-alaska-sleddog-competition-04.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Martin Koenig's team gets tangled up after leaving the start chute at the restart of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow, Alaska Martin Koenig's team gets tangled after leaving the start chute at the restart of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow, Alaska on March 6.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/iditarod-sled-dog-race-alaska-sleddog-competition-05.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Cody Strathe's team leaves the restart of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow, Alaska Cody Strathe's team leaves the restart of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow, Alaska on March 6.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/iditarod-sled-dog-race-alaska-sleddog-competition-06.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Musher Justin Savidis' dogs wait in the truck before the restart of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow Musher Justin Savidis' dogs wait in the truck before the restart of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow, Alaska on March 6.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/iditarod-sled-dog-race-alaska-sleddog-competition-07.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Iditarod 2016 One of Nicolas Petit's dogs rests in straw on Puntilla Lake on March 7, in Rainy Pass, Alaska.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/iditarod-sled-dog-race-alaska-sleddog-competition-08.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Iditarod 2016 The northern lights glow over the Rainy Pass Lodge at Puntilla Lake a few hours before Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race mushers began to arrive on March 7.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/iditarod-sled-dog-race-alaska-sleddog-competition-09.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
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