Iditarod teams faced a challenging first quarter with bare ground damaging sleds and a dangerous encounter with an aggressive moose that injured a dog.

Many mushers have seen high numbers of moose while training, spurring them to pack guns during this year’s 1,000-mile race to Nome.

Poor trail conditions have pushed the Kuskokwim 300 Season Opener race back another week.

Usually, in March, the Bering Sea ice is reaching its thickest extent. But from the beach in Unalakleet, the full horizon is blue ocean water, punctuated infrequently by lone icebergs.

Some mushers worried what the warm weather would mean for the trail ahead.

For safety dogs and mushers will be trucked from Braeburn to Carmacks.

Four teams had scratched as of 7 p.m. Saturday because of the icy conditions, said Kuskokwim 300 race director Madelene Reichard. "It's the same thing for all of them," Reichard said. "The dogs aren't used to running on the ice, and people were wanting to keep their dogs healthy."

For the first time, the race will run two laps to its halfway point and back. Mushers agree it’s the safest way to run the race, but it could present challenges.

For the second time in three years, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race will move its official start from Willow to Fairbanks due to poor trail conditions that race officials determined unsafe.

Warm weather has made for unsafe traveling conditions, including a snowmachine race.