A Year of Festivals

Freaky, mad and wonderful stuff going on in the world to keep you inspired on your travels.

March - Iditarod, USA

USA | Monday, 9 February 2009 | Views [335]

Location: Iditarod National Historic Trail, Alaska

Dates: Starts on the first Saturday in March

Level of Participation: 1 or 5 – you can compete if you’re a highly experienced dog sledder, but most likely you’ll just be watching
Description: Billed as the ‘last great race’, the epic Iditarod is one of the planet’s great endurance events. First held in 1973, the 1850km race along the Iditarod National Historic Trail between Anchorage and Nome commemorates a famous ‘serum run’ that saved the town of Nome from diphtheria in 1925, when mushers used the trail to relay medical supplies across Alaska.

Most visitors catch the race at the start – the corner of 4th Ave and E St in Anchorage – but that is strictly ceremonial. The mushers run their teams for only a few miles and then truck them up to Wasilla for a restart of the event. On even-numbered years they race north, and on odd-numbered years they sled south, following one of two routes along the historic trail, crossing two mountain ranges, following the frozen Yukon River for 240km and passing through dozens of small native villages. The winner usually takes around nine or 10 days.

Essentials: It will be difficult, if not impossible, to follow the whole event, which traverses remote terrain, so consider attending the start or finish.

Local Attractions: At the Iditarod Trail Headquarters in Wasilla you can find all sorts of race memorabilia and displays, as well as take your own dog-sled ride.

More Info: www.iditarod.com