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“We’re just one dead body away from Tiger King.”
A few months ago, Outside/In host Nate Hegyi got a tip from the highest levels of the dog sledding community. It was about the first team from New Zealand to complete the Iditarod, a 1,000-mile race across some of Alaska’s harshest terrain. Over the past decade, this pair of professional mushers have transformed their success on the trail into a flourishing mushing tourism business in their home country’s south island. Some of their dogs have even appeared in a Marvel movie and a Taylor Swift music video.
But behind the scenes, in the usually-guarded world of competitive dog sledding, they’ve burned bridges, destroyed friendships, and left a trail of debt totaling tens of thousands of dollars.
In this special three-part series, Nate investigates a story one musher describes as “one dead body away from Tiger King,” and exposes the singular culture within the world of elite mushing.
Listen to a trailer here, or dive into the full episodes below:
Outside/In host Nate Hegyi gets a surprising tip that leads him into the frozen and tight-knit world of competitive sled dog racing in Alaska. For photo captions and a full transcript, click here.
Episode 2: ‘It has to be earned’
Nate flies to Minnesota to follow a new lead about the New Zealand racing team. For photo captions and a full transcript, click here.
Episode 3: You sell your soul
What caused the Peranos to abandon their dogs and screw so many people over? Nate enlists the help of a New Zealand journalist to find out. For photo captions and a full transcript, click here.
