Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race became media celebrities, and a statue of Balto was erected in Central Park in New York City in 1925, where it has become one of the most popular tourist attractions. However, most mushers consider Leonhard Seppala and his lead dog Togo to be the true heroes of the run. Together they covered the most hazardous stretch of the route, and carried the serum 91 miles, the single farthest of any team. In 1964 the Wasilla-Knik Centennial Committee was created to honor the 100th anniversary of Alaska's induction into the United States of America from Russia. Dorothy G. Page, the chairmen
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race expedition to the South Pole and competed in the only Olympic sled dog race, became lost for five days after leaving Rainy Pass and nearly died. The trail down Dalzell Gorge from the divide is regarded as the worst stretch of the trail. Steep and straight, it drops in elevation in just , and there is little traction so the teams are hard to control. Mushers have to ride the brake most of the way down and use a snow hook for traction. In 1988, rookie Peryll Kyzer fell through an ice bridge into a creek and spent the night