Photo: Aaron Peck And Elevation Sled Dog Adventures Facebook page

By Jeff Henson

Peck ready for his seventh Iditarod sled dog race

Mar 4, 2022 | 10:52 AM

Bezanson’s Aaron Peck is set to compete in his seventh Iditarod trail sled dog race when the event kicks off this weekend.

The fan-friendly ceremonial start will be Saturday in Anchorage, with the real race starting Sunday in Willow, Alaska.

Peck is coming off a career-best 14th place finish last year, on what was a shorter course.

He says this year they will be back to running the regular length.

“We are doing the Northern route this year all the way to Nome. There is a lot of snow in Alaska this year so I think everything is going forward.”

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Peck’s team actually led at a few points in the early stages of last year’s race, but injuries that led to some of his dogs having to drop out of the race caused them to drop some places.

Peck says preparing for the race is a year-round process, but after finishing 1st and 2nd with his dogs at qualifying races last month in Fort St James, he says they are entering this year with a winning attitude.

“The winner averages around nine days, give or take – some times more and some times less depending on the trail conditions.”

“Last year we were 14th. It was a different route, a little shorter trail last year. 14th place would put us around ten days on the trail and we hope to be around nine days this year.”

Peck qualified for this year’s Iditarod based on finishing previous editions in recent years.