The 2012 Iron Dog, presented by the Alaska National Guard, is scheduled to start on February 19, 2012 in Big Lake, Alaska.
The race, in its 29th year, will take racers from Anchorage to Fairbanks via Nome across some of Alaska’s most remote and rugged terrain with temperatures dipping to -50F.
This seven-day, world-class event is made up of 31 two-person teams traveling through villages including Ruby, Galena, Tanana and Kaltag.
Only a fraction of those teams will make it through all 25 checkpoints to cross the finish line. The first place team is expected to arrive on the Chena River in downtown Fairbanks at approximately 1pm on Saturday, February 25th.
Covering 2,000 miles and touching more Alaskan communities than any other single event statewide, the Iron Dog is also a vehicle for other, more humanitarian objectives.
The Iron Dog distributes snowmobile and cold weather safety tips through a variety of means, and also puts great focus on educational and philanthropic efforts, such as the Urban Rural Student Exchange program which began in 2011.
This student exchange program allows students from both urban and rural communities to come together and collaborate on a single project while fully immersing themselves into another culture.
This year, students from Unalakleet will be traveling to Anchorage to work with local students on race logistics for the race start.
Anchorage students will then travel to Unalakleet for a similar experience along coastal Alaska and both teams will meet in Fairbanks to assist with the race finish.
Lastly, the 2012 Iron Dog Raffle, will be donating 50% of the net proceeds to Alaska’s Healing Hearts, an Alaska based veterans organization benefiting Alaskan combat veterans and their families.
The Alaska National Guard; Alaskan businesses Kendall Toyota of Alaska, Alaska Power Sports, USTravel, and others; and a host of communities across Alaska are the main supporters of the Iron Dog.
For more information on Fairbanks, request a free copy of the Fairbanks Visitors Guide and Winter Guide from the Fairbanks Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-327-5774 or (907) 456-5774 or by writing to 101 Dunkel Street, Suite 111, Fairbanks, Alaska 99701.
Follow the race and find more information at www.irondograce.org.
