This week is a busy one as Iditarod mushers make preparations for a 1,000-mile race from Anchorage to Nome, racing against Mother Nature and each other. Dogs and equipment are double-checked, gear is packed, last-minute strategies are reviewed.
Few things match spending time in remote Alaska, unless it's spending time in remote Alaska with up to 16 of your favorite four-footed teammates. Or so they tell me. My mushing experience is limited to several hours as opposed to several days, but as a lover of wilderness, I know a thing or two about solitary time on a trail, even if not standing on sled runners. So it's not really surprising that pathways, with their living, breathing history, fascinate me. Particularly the one called Iditarod.
Nope, not the race. The trail. The Iditarod National Historic Trail is a winter trail system crisscrossing 2,400 miles between downtown Seward all the way to Nome. In a state with a sled dog race, a trail and a town all named Iditarod, things can get confusing. But one thing is clear: the trail is as much about linking Alaska's history and culture as it is about racing, maybe more so. Without the historic trail, miners may have been unable to get valuable supplies or mush out the results of hard work during one of the final gold rushes of the late 1800s to the Iditarod gold fields. Mail might not have arrived in tiny settlements and one Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race wouldn't exist, not really. Thanks to efforts led by Joe Redington Sr. and Alaska's congressional delegation, who pushed the idea of revitalizing mushing traditions, the Historic Iditarod Trail was named so in 1978 after Redington — and a pack of his friends -- raced from Anchorage to Nome at the inception of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Like most tales of adventure, there is always more to the story, and some day I'd like to explore the entire trail from end to end. But for now I must satisfy myself with the beginnings because they're so accessible, especially right now as Southcentral faces another snowless winter.
It's easy to find Mile 0 of the Iditarod National Historic Trail. Located at the tip of Seward's downtown waterfront area with sweeping views of Resurrection Bay as a backdrop, the sled-shaped memorial and trail marker sign indicates the place where Walter Goodwin and his crew were ordered to begin blazing a trail through the Cook Inlet country in 1908 for winter shepherding of supplies and mail.
Seward's location as a hub for transportation was important back then, since the port of Whittier did not exist. Consequently, Seward was the place gold miners, merchants and their stuff landed. Today's young visitors should walk or bike a few miles along Seward's paved path leading north from Mile 0. They'll pass an excellent community playground, campsites and the small boat harbor on the way out of town. Encourage kids to imagine the difficulties of winter travel back then; a heavy sled filled with mail and supplies, breaking trail on snowshoes so as not to tire the team, traveling for days, maybe even weeks, without seeing another human but plenty of moose and sometimes wolves.
It gets tricky following the trail between Seward and Anchorage, since much of it was covered by tracks from during construction of the Alaska Railroad to Seward in 1919. But families can pick it up again easily in Girdwood at the Winner Creek Trail, conveniently located near Alyeska Resort, making for a nice winter hike of about 3 miles out and back, since the hand tram crossing the creek and connecting to the trailhead at Crow Creek Road is closed until at least April. Have bikes? Ride the Girdwood to Indian pathway (also known as "Bird to Gird" for its location near Bird Creek at Milepost 100.8 of the Seward Highway), a 13-mile paved pathway with many snow-free sections this winter.
Eagle River Nature Center also boasts a kid-friendly section of historic trail leading from the center's headquarters building all the way through the valley toward Crow Pass, an ambitious summertime trek for adventurous and experienced hiking families. In the winter, take time to amble this wide, mostly flat trail with kids before returning to the nature center for a look through old photos of earlier days mushing the trail.
In Anchorage, Iditarod weekend brings two excellent options for embracing the spirit of the historic trail in tandem with a race that celebrates the enduring spirit of sled dogs.
• Alaska Public Lands Information Center: 605 W. 4th Avenue Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. This outdoor-themed facility located in the old Federal Building on 4th Avenue is the place to go for trail history and recreation information. The Bureau of Land Management oversees 1,500 miles of the historic Iditarod Trail, including five public shelter cabins. So pick up a comprehensive map and multi-page booklet about the trail at the center before you head out to see the dogs. It's also a great place to watch a film about Alaska, let the kids do a scavenger hunt and browse books in their gift shop. Note: All visitors over 18 must present government-issued photo identification (a driver's license will do), as this is a federal facility. www.alaskacenters.gov
• Campbell Creek Science Center: 5600 Science Center Drive (off Elmore Road),Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The science center is hosting a free open house expressly for the purpose of promoting the National Iditarod Historic Trail. Well, that and offering free hot chocolate and activities for kids. This is my favorite venue for viewing teams finishing the final stretch of start day's 11-mile trip from downtown, following historic sections of the trail before ending along Campbell Airstrip. Tip: Utilize free shuttles from Kasuun Elementary (4000 E. 68th Avenue) or Abbott Loop Community Park along Elmore Drive. Park and ride, or hike the trail system from Abbott Loop park or Campbell Airstrip Trailhead along Campbell Airstrip Drive. There is some parking at the BLM offices near the entrance, but this fills up quickly.
The Iditarod National Historic Trail is is one of only 16 listed in the National Landscape Conservation System, recognized as a "major journey that has shaped America." In a time when so many traditional activities find themselves fading away in favor of efficiency or cost, it's nice to know Alaskans can still count on one route that captures the spirit of a place that is, quite simply, part of us.
For more information about the Iditarod National Historic Trail, visit the BLM website.
Erin Kirkland is author of Alaska on the Go: exploring the 49th state with children, and publisher of AKontheGO.com, Alaska's only family travel resource. Connect with her at e.kirkland0@gmail.com.