What it takes to run the Pedigree Stage Stop — Part 1
by Jerry Bath
With only a couple months until the 2019 start in Jackson, mushers are making preparations for the race. A few questions come up every year and I’m here to answer some of them.
How far do they drive to get here? Jeff Conn travels the farthest, 2,600 miles and Alix Crittenden is the closest with just 40 miles from her home in Bondurant WY to the starting line in Jackson — the average distance, however, is over 1,100 miles one way!
The average cost to run the Pedigree Stage Stop main event including entry fee, fuel, lodging and meals can vary greatly. Several mushers arrive early to acclimate and can be here from a few weeks to a few days before the race starts. My best guess for an average estimated cost is $3,700 but I know from experience this can be done much cheaper. Keep in mind too the $165,000 purse money to offset some of those expenses but be realistic in your accounting.
In my next 3 posts I’ll be answering questions like: What are mushers doing to train their teams? What does it take to make it to this prestigious event? How will this year’s race be different from any of the past 23 years? So, check back often.