'The Iditarod' is a legendary test of endurance. Mushers and dog-teams brave fearsome weather conditions, darkness and exhaustion across 1,850km (1,150 miles) of Alaskan wilderness from Anchorage to Nome. Simply taking part is something that few can even attempt.
The race was inspired by the events of 1925, when deadly diphtheria broke out in Nome, on the Bering Sea. Between the stricken town and the nearest serum in Anchorage lay nearly 1000 miles of Alaskan wilderness...
The Alaska Railroad ferried the medicine 250 miles north, and from there 20 volunteer dog-sled drivers relayed the serum non-stop for the remaining 674 miles in temperatures hovering at 50 below zero. They arrived in Nome five days and seven hours later and the town was saved.
Today, although the lives of the people of Nome no longer hang in the balance, the journey is just as challenging. Every musher must carry essential items for survival - Arctic parkas, a heavy sleeping bag, an ax, snowshoes and food for both musher and dogs are just the beginning. Some run in the daylight, some at night. Many spend an entire year in preparation.
Snow machines break the trail, 'bush planes' ferry crucial supplies for animals and men, and the excitement wakes locals from their hibernation to come and cheer the teams on at the 20-plus checkpoints en route. It's no wonder that the event has been called 'the last great race on Earth'.
The Alaska Railroad ferried the medicine 250 miles north, and from there 20 volunteer dog-sled drivers relayed the serum non-stop for the remaining 674 miles in temperatures hovering at 50 below zero. They arrived in Nome five days and seven hours later and the town was saved.
Today, although the lives of the people of Nome no longer hang in the balance, the journey is just as challenging. Every musher must carry essential items for survival - Arctic parkas, a heavy sleeping bag, an ax, snowshoes and food for both musher and dogs are just the beginning. Some run in the daylight, some at night. Many spend an entire year in preparation.
Snow machines break the trail, 'bush planes' ferry crucial supplies for animals and men, and the excitement wakes locals from their hibernation to come and cheer the teams on at the 20-plus checkpoints en route. It's no wonder that the event has been called 'the last great race on Earth'.