Where I live, in South Central Alaska, there are plenty of mushers. You can see them alongside the road in winter AND summer, training dogs. Summer training typically involves a 4-wheeler being pulled by an exuberant team of dogs who want nothing more than to run. As far as they can, as fast as they can.
Winter brings their trucks burgeoning with dog boxes, gear, and their sled tied on top of it all to town going who knows where to train, race, and do whatever it is they do. I enjoy seeing them, every dog box has a heavily satisfied smiling sled dog tucked in it, and you know that musher is feeling it too.
The Yukon Quest and The Iditarod are the big races in the state that people recognize, there’s more to be sure of but those are the big ones. Long distance, and endurance these races are quite a commitment.
And then we have sprint dog racing in Anchorage as part of the Fur Rendezvous, or Fur Rondy as it’s called here. These are short quick runs with dogs and they run on the streets through Anchorage. It is something to try to get around Anchorage past roads closed for dog sledding.
There’s more to Fur Rondy than JUST sprint dog racing. There’s a Miners and Trappers Ball, carnival, parade, ice carving and so much more.
Plus my personal favorite, because my dad won it many many years in a row in the 50s and 60s, the Mr Furry Face Contest, now just a beard contest but I like the old name better. I wanted to dig up a picture of my dad as Mr. Furry Face but then I remember those are all on 8mm movies, I don’t have any pictures of him back then. That I know of, or could locate.
This year it looks like the Iditarod AND Fur Rondy are happening concurrently. If you were to happen to be in town, and you’re not attending the multitude of events, I would suggest getting out of town.
And you’re in luck because if you CAN get out of town, you can get somewhere slightly remote, at night, without light pollution, then the Northern Lights are going to put on a show for you. Weekend weather for South Central is supposed to be clear and cold so the lights will be putting on a show.
So yeah, February and March in Alaska, are lit.
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