| Want to combine history, culture, spectacular natural | | | | Anchorage it's possible to undertake any number of |
| sightseeing and wildlife in one exciting family vacation? | | | | winter activities, including alpine skiing, sledding, ice |
| It's never been easier to tackle it all than with a | | | | fishing, ice skiing, northern lights viewing, |
| vacation taking you to one of the most exciting | | | | snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and, if inspired by the |
| races in the world - the Iditarod Sled Dog Race in | | | | Iditarod racers, it's possible to lead a dog sled team |
| beautiful Alaska. | | | | of your own! |
| The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is a challenging sled | | | | The race finishes in Nome, on the western Bering sea |
| dog race in Alaska, held annually in February or March. | | | | coast, where travelers can experience a different |
| This grueling race sees mushers and teams of | | | | kind of Alaska. Nome is, like many Alaska towns, |
| huskies covering 1150 miles (1850 km) in eight to | | | | small and isolated, but is unique in that it was |
| fifteen days. The scenery is spectacular - with the | | | | established as a Gold Rush boom town. The feeling |
| teams passing glaciers and frozen lakes and traveling | | | | of the wild west still pervades the city streets. Nome |
| through pristine wilderness as they race for the finish. | | | | gets a festival flavour during the Iditarod, and |
| Although racers can face brutal temperatures, forced | | | | features such events as a reindeer potluck, native |
| to race through blizzards and whiteout conditions, | | | | arts & crafts show, Iditarod awards banquets, and |
| sub-zero temperatures, and gale-force winds, for the | | | | the opportunity for tourists to "meet the mushers." |
| *** NUMBER *** of tourists who come up for a | | | | This glamourous race commemorates a meaningful |
| glimpse of the action, this can make a comfortable, | | | | event in 1925, when a dog-sled team raced medicine |
| relaxing, and entirely unique winter vacation. | | | | from Nenana to Nome to save the town from a |
| The ceremonial start occurs in Anchorage, a lively and | | | | diphtheria epidemic. Although there hasn't been quite |
| charming town any time of year, which provides a | | | | the same purpose in recent years, the Iditarod is still |
| great base for other exploration of the state. From | | | | a fun adventure for travelers. |