Morning has broken in the tiny village of Takotna Alaska.  The place has gotten a little crowded as 12 mushers are there and  preparing for their next move. Iditarod Insider analyst Bruce Lee is there and files this report.  

Snow, snow, snow is the name of the game here as the mushers head this way. Many mushers have voiced the hope to go to Iditarod for their 24 hour layover but trail conditions don’t look good for that at this time. But there is always the bold move to be made by some.At this time it’s snowing and blowing along the trail between Takotna & Ophir. The trail conditions from there on to Iditarod don’t seem much better with a thin crust of set-up snow as a trail foundation with soft deep snow underneath. There is reported to be 2&1/2 feet of fresh snow that covers the trail into Iditarod that hasn’t been re-broken since the trail was first but in. Trail breakers are headed that way now. It looks to me that most mushers will now take their 24 hour layovers in McGrath,Takotna and maybe Ophir. Time will tell but it would be a large gamble to push on out into the unknown trail with these conditions. Then again, it’s the Iditarod and all options are open!
Bruce Lee