The Iditarod dog sled race is known as the “Last Great Race on Earth” and is one of the must see events to be at in Alaska. The Iditarod dog sled race is run in March every year (5th March in 2016), between Anchorage and Nome on the Bering Strait.
What is the Iditarod Dog Sled Race?
Around 80 teams of dogs led by their musher race across 1840 km (1150 miles) of central Alaska’s most formidable mountains, rivers, forests and open tundra. The 2 routes used (north and south) reflect the supply routes used from the coast to the mining villages used in one of Alaska’s gold rushes, including Iditarod village.
The race first ran in 1973, and with the advances in dog sledding techniques and technologies, race times are now between 20 days for the slowest and 8 days for the fastest. It is definitely classed as an extreme sport, where skills are required to survive in the Arctic environment and keep the dogs working together as a team.
All money raised during the race is for charity. The community spirit is seen all along the route with villagers turning out in sub-zero temperatures to cheer on the dog sleds and mushers as they go by.
You can find out everything about the race on the Iditarod Dog Sled Race website. You could also try dog sledding yourself as an activity experience or on an activity holiday.