1,971 MILE SNOWMACHINE CHALLENGE
The Iron Dog, originally known as the Iron Dog Gold Rush Classic is an off-road snowmachine race across Alaska . It starts in mid-February. At 1,971miles (3,172 km), it is the longest and toughest snowmachine race in the world. The race route follows the Iditarod Trail, the route of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. It starts 70 miles north of Anchorage and follows the main trail until it hits the Yukon River at Ruby. It follows the river to Kaltag before it heads to the Norton Sound on the Bering Sea at Unalakleet, Alaska and it follows the coast until Nome. Then it returns back along the same path in the reverse order to Ruby, where it diverges off its original path by following the Yukon River and its tributary the Tanana River until the competitors finish in Fairbanks.
Races are typically run in temperatures well below freezing, and -20°F (-30°C) to -50°F (-45°C) air temperatures are common without taking windchill into effect.The 2008 event featured a record forty teams competing for a $100,000 purse, with $25,000 awarded to the winners. 27 of the 40 teams entered in 2008 made it to Nome.
The Iron Dog is run in two classes i.e. The Pro Class and The Trail Class
PRO-CLASS. This is a team race, consisting of two persons, and two snowmobiles (track driven and ski steered). Participants travel north from Big Lake to Nome, then south to Fairbanks, Alaska for a total of 1,971 miles.
TRAIL CLASS. This is a team race, consisting of two or more persons. Recreational Class participants must each have their own snowmobile. Participants travel north from Big Lake to Nome for a total of 1100 miles.
1,971 MILE SNOWMACHINE CHALLENGE
The Iron Dog, originally known as the Iron Dog Gold Rush Classic is an off-road snowmachine race across Alaska . It starts in mid-February. At 1,971miles (3,172 km), it is the longest and toughest snowmachine race in the world. The race route follows the Iditarod Trail, the route of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. It starts 70 miles north of Anchorage and follows the main trail until it hits the Yukon River at Ruby. It follows the river to Kaltag before it heads to the Norton Sound on the Bering Sea at Unalakleet, Alaska and it follows the coast until Nome. Then it returns back along the same path in the reverse order to Ruby, where it diverges off its original path by following the Yukon River and its tributary the Tanana River until the competitors finish in Fairbanks.
Races are typically run in temperatures well below freezing, and -20°F (-30°C) to -50°F (-45°C) air temperatures are common without taking windchill into effect.The 2008 event featured a record forty teams competing for a $100,000 purse, with $25,000 awarded to the winners. 27 of the 40 teams entered in 2008 made it to Nome.
The Iron Dog is run in two classes i.e. The Pro Class and The Trail Class
PRO-CLASS. This is a team race, consisting of two persons, and two snowmobiles (track driven and ski steered). Participants travel north from Big Lake to Nome, then south to Fairbanks, Alaska for a total of 1,971 miles.
TRAIL CLASS. This is a team race, consisting of two or more persons. Recreational Class participants must each have their own snowmobile. Participants travel north from Big Lake to Nome for a total of 1100 miles.