article_snippet: Poor weather south of the Alaska Range this year forced the official start farther north to Fairbanks, on the northern side of the mountains.
article_snippet: Not much snow fell south of the Alaska Range, and officials said the conditions in the normally treacherous Dalzell Gorge were made even more dangerous by a lack of snow.
article_snippet: Snow had to be trucked in so mushers could navigate paved streets, but there was Snow elsewhere in Anchorage.
article_snippet: Snow brought in for the race barely lasted the few hours the race was needed because of temperatures nearing 40 degrees and rain.