Meet Colorado’s Mushers

Musher Team Clarke Takes on Alaska’s Toughest Race

A lot of people in this state have a mind of winter but Lachlan Clarke of Buena Vista is the only Colorado-based musher entered to race the Iditarod this month. He and his wife Linda have been training dogs for 12 years and this will be his ninth Iditarod. Team Clarke started their fall training during the first week of October with 16-dog teams pulling their ATV in the Arkansas Valley. They moved the team up to Seeley Lake, Mont. in December to continue training on snow. Mileage is increased to work the dogs up to be ready for the 1,100 mile race in Alaska that starts March 7 at Willow and ends in Nome (iditarod.com). Temperatures during the race can range from 40˚F to -50˚F and the Clarkes hope to finish in 10 days. The race record was set in 2002 by Martin Buser with a time of eight days, 22 hours, 46 minutes and two seconds. teamclarkecolorado.com