Iditarod truly is the “last great race.”  Only the best can compete in this grueling 1,000 mile race across the frozen Alaskan Wilderness.  Join Regal Air as we chase the race into the Alaska Mountain Range and beyond. You will get a firsthand experience of what it is like in these remote Alaskan Checkpoints. There you can watch the mushers being cheered in to camp, strategically plan their next moves, and watch them tend to their dogs.  The checkpoints of the Iditarod Trail are rest stops for the mushers, a place were race officials and veterinarians can check on dogs, and a great place for spectators to get a glimpse of the race. A day trip to one of these destinations is sure to be the highlight of your Iditarod Experience!

Iditarod Schedule:

Schedule for 2012

Iditarod Ceremonial Start(Anchorage): Saturday, March 3rd

Iditarod Actual Start(Willow): Sunday, March 4th

The Iditarod Race always begins on the first Saturday in March with the ceremonial start in Anchorage.  From there the mushers gear up and head for Willow for the actual race start on Sunday afternoon. With the re-start on Sunday afternoon, it gives us the availability to watch the dogs along the Yentna River on Sunday afternoon. Then by Monday morning the race leaders start getting into the Rainy Pass checkpoint. From there we will also go out to Nikoli, were the racers will start to show up on Tuesday.

Iditarod Tours:

What to wear on your Iditarod Tour:

• Winter in interior Alaska can be very very cold. Temperatures could be as cold as -30 F(-34 C) or even colder.  Add on top of that wind chill and it will get your attention!!  But we can also experience very nice comfortable March conditions, therefore we recommend lots of layers, with protection for the coldest, but the ability to shed layers if we are in nice weather.  Good winter hat, gloves, full snow gear, boots, and lots of thermal layering are a must for this trip.

Iditarod History:

The Iditarod Sled Dog Race commemorates the 1925 Serum Run. At the time the city of Nome was suffering from an outbreak of Diphtheria, and the only medication was located in Anchorage.  In just a short 28 hours(remarkable for 1925) a team of 20 mushers and their dogs got the serum to Nome, and prevented a town from being overrun with disease. This heroic event is what is remembered every year in Alaska’s Last Great Race.