Join three-time Iditarod participant Karen Land and her sled dog Noggin

posted on 3/10/2024

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to ride the runners behind a team of dogs, steering a loaded sled across the vast Alaskan tundra?

Find out on Wednesday, March 13 at 6 p.m. when the Dover Public Library presents “Mush! Noggin the Sled Dog (and her Human).”

Musher Karen Land, a three-time participant in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, will be accompanied by her Alaskan husky Noggin, Iditarod dog sled, mushing gear, and Arctic clothing to answer questions like what it takes to care for a team of Alaskan huskies and how you prepare for a highly competitive race through mountainous terrain.

Land is a writer and public speaker and has competed in many sprint and endurance races, including ones in Alaska, Canada, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Maine.

This year’s Iditarod starts with a ceremonial start in Anchorage on Saturday, with the official start taking place the next day in Willow. The annual Alaska long-distance sled dog race began in 1973 and covers over 1,000 miles from Anchorage to Nome. Mushers have a team of 12 to 14 sled dogs and race from eight to 15 days in extreme weather, including blizzards, white-out conditions, sub-zero temperatures, and gale-force winds.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the library’s website at library.dover.nh.gov or call 603-516-6050.