By Brady Ratzlaff

Local dog musher gearing up for iconic race through Alaska

Aug 4, 2018 | 7:09 AM

Grande Prairie dog musher Aaron Peck is set to race in his 5th Iditarod in Alaska come 2019.

Peck is excited for the opportunity for another shot at the 1000-mile race that runs from just north of Anchorage up to Nome.

“We’re excited for sure. It’s a big step just to sign up. It’s a big part of it. It sets you up psychologically for what you have to do for the journey from now until the finish line is going to be. It’s going to be a lot of fun and hard work.”

The Swan City resident says there is a lot more to a race than one might expect.

“Usually there is a required amount of mandatory rest. Some of it is dictated at certain checkpoints, a lot of it is up to the musher’s discretion. We are typically running on schedule depending on how competitive and strong your team is.”

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Peck will be bringing a team of 14 Alaskan Husky dogs to compete in the event this year. He adds you must cross the finish line with at least five dogs or you’ll be disqualified. He will be looking to build off a 34th place finish last year.

The veteran musher says the dogs that he uses for racing are very different than the Siberian Husky which is what people think is used for the sport.

“The Alaskan Husky has been bred towards its purpose by breeding the best of the best with the goal of improving the bred for what it’s designed and meant to do. My dogs are all different colours. They are a wide variety of Alaskan Huskies.”

Peck will be bringing a team of 14 Alaskan Huskies to compete in the 2019 event. He adds you must cross the finish line with at least five dogs or you’ll be disqualified. He will be looking to build off a 34th place finish in 2018.

The event gets underway the first weekend in March of next year.