care. Teams are usually reduced to between 9 and 12 dogs by the time they arrived in Nome. An average of 3 dogs die each year. A necropsy by a board certified veterinary pathologist is conducted after every fatality to determine the cause of death. Yellowknife, a 4-year-old male from Noah Burmeister's team, died on March 9 at 6:00 a.m.. Yellowknife was initially dropped at Rohn on March 7, and was provided medical care in Anchorage. The preliminary necropsy indicated pneumonia as the cause of death. Bear, a 3-year-old male from David Sawatzsky's team, died on March 11 between Cripple and Ruby. The gross necropsy found no abnormalities. Cupid, a 4-year-old female from Jim Lanier's team, died on March 12 between Galena and Nulato. The gross necropsy found regurgitation and aspiration were the likely cause of death, and secondarily gastric ulcers. Jack, a 5-year-old male from Wisconsin musher Ron Cortte's team, died on March 18 at White Mountain. Jack was examined by veterinarians on arrival and appeared normal, but died of unknown causes 30 min later. Route The race ran over the Alaska Range, where an avalanche claimed the life of Richard Strick Jr. in mid-February, into the former Gold Rush country of the Alaska Interior, past Athabaskan villages. Since 2006 is an even numbered year, the race followed the northern route from Ophir, past the halfway point at Cripple, before rejoining the main route at Kaltag, on the Yukon River. From Kaltag the race swings west to the Norton Sound, on coast of the Bering Sea. March 4: Ceremonial start in Anchorage Ceremonial start at Anchorage: The mushers departed Anchorage on March 4, 2006. A large crowd watched as 83 teams composed of a musher and twelve dogs pulling a dogsled, left the starting chute at the corner of Fourth and D Streets, and followed the 11 mi (18 km) route through the urban center. The mushers were accompanied on the sled by "Idita-riders", the high bidders in a pre-race auction. Eagle River: After the mushers arrived at Eagle River, the dogs were transported by vehicle to the "restart" location. Normally this is at Wasilla, the headquarters of the Iditarod Trail Committee, and the race continues from there to the next checkpoint at Knik, before reaching Yentna Station. In 2006, the restart was pushed back to Willow, and continued on directly to Yentna, skipping Wasilla and Knik entirely. March