Mackey Leads Iditarod

Rick Mackey was the first in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race to leave Rohn Roadhouse and start heading for the Nikolai checkpoint, 93 miles away.

Mackey, who won the 1983 Iditarod and was second last year, pulled out of Rohn at 3:25 a.m., 15 minutes ahead of two-time Yukon Quest winner Charlie Boulding, who had been the first dog driver to reach Rohn late Monday.

Rohn is about 210 miles from Wasilla, site of the Iditarod’s restart on Sunday and where the race clock began ticking. The trail to Nikolai, said to be in excellent condition, runs through some steep climbs and descents and across a barren expanse of tundra known as the Farewell Burn.