17 Devastatingly Gorgeous Sights Along Alaska’s Historic Iditarod Trail
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race has had quite the journey since the first race to Nome took place in 1973. Many obstacles have tried to keep what is known as ‘The Last Great Race On Earth’ from happening, but as the old saying goes; “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” So even though unpredictable weather conditions have pushed the start of the 2017 Iditarod all the way up to Fairbanks, we couldn’t help but relive some of the most stunning moments along the historic route. Be sure to stay tuned to the upcoming 2017 Iditarod by checking out the official countdown clock HERE.
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The Iditarod Trail is also known historically as the 'Seward-to-Nome Trail' and was once heavily used by homesteaders, Native Alaskans and those coming to the 49th state as a part of the notorious gold rush.
After several years, the Iditarod race started to rotate between the northern and southern route every other year. This change helped distribute the Iditarod attention more comfortably among small villages along the way. It helped alleviate stress from the Iditarod off of communities like Ruby, Galena and Nulato. It also helped the villages of Shageluk, Anvik and Grayling as they were now able to participate in the race fun.
The Safety roadhouse checkpoint looks a lot different during the summer months after all the snow and ice melts, but don't let these simple flatland's fool you. The stretch between the village of White Mountain and Safety is one of the most dangerous stretches along the route. When the wind picks up and a storm starts brewing, this stretch is straight up hellacious.
For the mushing community, crossing the Iditarod finish line in the city of Nome is one of the greatest accomplishments of their lifetime. For us crazy-obsessed viewers, we also tend to go pretty nuts when we see our favorite teams cross that historic finish line.
Living and loving life in Alaska, Courtney enjoys living a happy life based on simple principles; work hard, be kind, stay humble. She is an avid dog lover with hobbies that include running, fly fishing, hiking & snowboarding.
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