Spirit Unleashed The Idaho Sled Dog Challenge Hits Its Stride By April Thomas Whitney
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The rugged landscapes of Idaho have long been associated with adventure and exploration. In the heart of the snow-covered West Central Mountains, an extraordinary event unfolds each winter that showcases the remarkable partnership between humans and their canine companions – the Idaho Sled Dog Challenge. The Idaho Sled Dog Challenge (ISDC) is an annual long-distance sled dog race that stretches from Warm Lake and Smiths Ferry to Cascade and New Meadows, challenging participants both physically and mentally as they navigate through some of Idaho’s most breathtaking but demanding landscapes. Now in its sixth year, the ISDC has become a centerpiece of the region’s winter calendar. What started as ten teams and a single, 237-mile race has grown to three races: a 300-mile continuous-format race that serves as a qualifier for the famed Iditarod and the Yukon Quest, a 100-mile race, and the Warm Lake Stage Race. Race organizer Jerry Wortley says they make refinements to the races each year based on feedback from the mushers, and they feel like the event has hit its stride. “This past year, we got A’s across the board from all the mushers,” says Wortley, who adds that the mushers like the trail, the flow of the race and the set up at the checkpoints.
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