All is quiet on the course as the 2012 Iditarod as many mushers opted to take their mandatory 24-hour rest. Though the rest itself is part of the race strategy, most of the field bedded down on Wednesday afternoon or evening. Where they did it, though -- Takotna, Ophir or otherwise -- varied.

Thursday will involve the run to Cripple, a difficult 73-mile stretch. From Cripple, mushers will head to Ruby, which is another 70 miles away. The stretches between camps get longer, the temperatures get colder and the racing gets tougher from here on out.

The temperature is cold once again, though not too far below zero as of late Wednesday night. In Takotna and Ophir, it's around 17 degrees, though the mercury dips below zero in Cripple, where temperatures are notoriously frigid.