12/19/2025
In the winter of 1925, a diphtheria outbreak threatened the isolated town of Nome, Alaska. The only available antitoxin was located in Anchorage, nearly 700 miles away.
Severe storms, extreme cold, and sea ice made ship or airplane delivery impossible. Officials organized an emergency relay using dog sled teams to transport the serum across Alaska in what became known as the Great Race of Mercy.
Leonhard Seppala, one of the most experienced mushers in the region, was assigned the most dangerous and demanding section of the route.
His lead dog was Togo, a twelve year old Siberian Husky known for intelligence, stamina, and leadership. Seppala and Togo traveled approximately 260 miles, far more than any other team in the relay.
Their route included crossing the frozen Norton Sound, where shifting ice and high winds could have killed the team if the ice broke apart.
During the journey, Togo navigated in near whiteout conditions, often choosing safe paths when visibility was almost nonexistent.
Temperatures dropped to nearly minus sixty degrees Fahrenheit, and several sled teams along the overall route suffered frostbite, exhaustion, or death of dogs.
Togo endured the worst conditions of the run and remained strong throughout. His performance allowed the serum to move quickly toward Nome despite the weather.
The final leg into Nome was completed by Gunnar Kaasen and his lead dog Balto, who received most of the immediate public recognition.
