Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod

Paulsen knows the Yukon River has a reputation as the worst part of the trip. However, sunny conditions and a scenic landscape during the day lull him into thinking it’s not so bad. Then, that night, “the bottom dropped out” (228), as the temperature plunges to about 60 degrees below zero. He describes the cold as needles penetrating his body.

When Paulsen stops to check the dogs for frostbite, he discovers that moving is one way to keep the stinging cold at bay. Therefore, he decides to run next to the sled for periods of time.

Paulsen comments on the sharp contrast between the cold, dark interior and the coast: “The Bering coast was all light and sun and soft weather” (231). In Kaltag, he runs into a lot of drunk villagers who want to party and pet the dogs. He doesn’t stay long because he realizes the dogs can’t get any rest there.

He spends a night in Unalakleet, where the race rules allow the mushers to stay in houses, so villagers sign up to host them (236). The family that hosts him is very hospitable and feeds him a lavish meal that includes caribou steaks.

He meets an old man who sees him as a true

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