Communities and Checkpoints
Iron Dog’s Communities and Checkpoints
By MELISSA DEVAUGHN
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SMALLER COMMUNITIES & CHECKPOINTS
SKWENTNA, population 38 (as of July 2015), is located on mostly flat land in Southcentral Alaska on the Skwentna River. It is 89 miles from the start. PUNTILLA, population two (as of 2013), is located on a Puntilla Lake near a breathtaking mountain pass. Puntilla is 161 miles from the start. ROHN, population zero (as of 2012), is located at a small roadhouse where two rivers join, and is 236 miles from the start. NIKOLAI, population 96 (as of 2013), is 310 miles from the start on the south fork of the Kuskokwim River.ROHN, population zero (as of 2012), is located at a small roadhouse where two rivers join, and is 236 miles from the start.NIKOLAI, population 96 (as of 2013), is 310 miles from the start on the south fork of the Kuskokwim River.McGRATH, population 354 (as of 2013), located on the Innoko River, is 362 miles from the start. OPHIR, population zero (as of 2013), is 425 miles from the start located on the Innoko River. POORMAN, population zero (as of 2013), located in a flatland region and the last checkpoint before Ruby, is 524 miles from the start. RUBY, population 170 (as of 2013), is on the Yukon River and marks the turning point to Nome. Pro racers pass through Ruby twice – first 596 miles from the start on the way to Nome and again at mile 1,620 on the return route to Fairbanks. GALENA, population 479 (as of 2013), is an Athabascan village in the Interior, 648 miles from the start on the way to Nome and 1,568 miles from the start on the return route to Fairbanks. KALTAG, population 194 (as of 2013), located near the windy coast of Norton Sound, is 746 miles from the start on the way to Nome and 1,470 miles from the start on the return route to Fairbanks. UNALAKLEET, population 712 (as of 2013), on the coast of Norton Sound north of the Unalakleet River, is 841 miles from the start on the way to Nome and is 1,375 miles from the start on the return route to Fairbanks. SHAKTOOLIK, population 260 (as of 2013), is on a point jutting into Norton Sound, 882 miles from the start and 1,334 miles from the start on the return route to Fairbanks. KOYUK, population 344 (as of 2013), located on the coast, is 939 miles from the start on the way to Nome and is 1,277 miles from the start on the return route to Fairbanks.
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Mileage chart for the race course
Northbound
Southbound to Fairbanks
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