Iditarod Race 2010 – Starts Sat 6 March – Alaska

This weekend brings the first Saturday in March – which means it’s time for the start of the famous Iditarod dog-sled race.  They call it ‘The Last Great Race on Earth’ and it’s easy to see why.

The race takes the mushers and their dogs through more than 1150 miles of some of the most challenging, wild and dangerous terrain to be found on earth.  Add to that the weather, with sub-zero temperatures and blizzards and it is a real test of human and canine endurance. 

The dog breeds used in the race are mainly gorgeous Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies.  If you read Jack London’s ‘The Call of  the Wild’ or ‘White Fang’ (or saw the movie) your imagination may have been captured by this harsh, yet magical world.

The Iditarod trail takes the sled teams in a north-west direction from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska.  The mushers, with their teams of anything from 12-16 dogs, normally complete the race in 10-17 days. 

The race trail alternates between odd years and even years.  During odd years, the route takes the teams on a detour to the south and through different towns, including the old ghost town of Iditarod.   As this is an even year they will take the northern route.  For more information visit iditarod.com.

If the sight of all this snow gets your heart thumping then perhaps you haven’t had enough of winter yet…  Why not take in another ski trip before the snow melts? Don’t forget the all-important ski insurance. 

(Note:  No matter which ski insurance policy you decide to purchase, remember to check the terms and conditions before engaging in any potentially hazardous activities so that you know what’s covered – and the levels of cover).