The Alaskan Iditarod

1. The Alaskan Iditarod The last great race on Earth!

2. The Iditarod race takes place in the state of Alaska • The capital of Alaska is Juneau, but the largest city is Anchorage. • Alaska State Population:626,932

3. Alaska Area:586,412 sq. mi. - two and a half times larger than Texas. • it became the 49th state on January 3rd, 1959.

4. Iditarod History • It began as a mail route: mail came in and gold went out all by dog sled • The airplane signaled the beginning of the end of the dog teams.

5. Iditarod History • In early 1925, a diphtheria epidemic threatened isolated, icebound Nome. • The nearest serum was in Anchorage and it was to dangerous to fly in the blizzard. • Instead, a Pony Express-type relay of dog teams was quickly organized on the iditarod trail, lead by the legendary dog, Balto.

6. Iditarod History • The serum arrived in time to prevent the epidemic and save hundreds of lives. • The first “long” race was ran in 1973

7. GOLD RUSH of 1909 The last full-scale, old-fashioned, frontier-style gold rush in the United States roared into life in 1909 at Iditarod, 629 trail miles west of the future site of Anchorage and half way to Nome. The actual town of Iditarod is now a ghost town.

8. Dog Power • The typical traveler on the Iditarod was a musher driving a team of twenty or more dogs pulling a massive freight sled capable of carrying half a ton or more. ½ ton = 1,000 pounds That is approximately 50 pounds per dog.

11. The Last Great Race • Each team of 12 to 16 dogs and their musher travel over 1150 miles in 10 to 17 days. • Covers rough mountain ranges, frozen rivers, dense forests, desolate tundra, and miles of windswept coast.

12. The Last Great Race • Temperatures that fall far below zero, winds that can cause complete invisibility, overflow, long hours of darkness. • Competitors are male or female, all different ages, and come from all walks of life.

13. The trail follows the northern route in even years. The trail follows the southern route in odd years. During the early years of the Iditarod Race, the mushers only traveled the northern trail. After several years, the Iditarod Board of Directors realized that the smaller villages were being heavily impacted by the race coming through their village year after year. It was decided to use both sections of the trail.

14. The race begins at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of March, and ends inNome Alaska.

15. Overlay of Trails

16. "Widow's Lamp" During thedays of Alaska sled dog freighting and mail carrying, dog drivers relied on a series of roadhouses between their village destinations. Since these mushers ventured out in most all kinds of weather, for safety reasons they founded the idea that pilots rely on, known today as the flight plan. Word was relayed ahead that a musher and team were on the trail, and a kerosene lamp was lit and hung outside the roadhouse. It not only helped the dog driver find his destination at night, most importantly, it signified that a team or teams were somewhere out on the trail.

17. "Widow's Lamp" The lamp was not extinguished until the musher reached his destination safely. In keeping with this tradition, a “widows lamp” will be lit and hung at the Iditarod finish line until the last musher and team cross the line safely.

18. Red Lantern Award The Red Lantern is often confused with the “Widows Lamp”. They are not the same. The Red Lantern was started as a joke and has become a symbol of “stick-to-itiveness”. The idea was that the last fellow was so far behind he needed a light to find his way home. Wells Fargo Bank Alaska awards the red lantern to the last musher off the trail.

19. Dictionary of Mushing Terms GEE- command for a right turn HAW- command for left turn Come Gee!, Come Haw!- commands for 180 degree turns Line Out!- command to lead dog to pull the team out straight from sled, used mostly while hooking dogs into team or unhooking them

20. Dictionary of Mushing Terms Mush!, Hike! Al Right!, Lets Go!- commands to start the team Whoa!- command used to halt the team, accompanied by heavy pressure on the brake WOAH! WOAH! WOAH!

21. What are the Requirements To Be a Musher? • You need to be at least 18 years old. • You need to send the application by midnight December 1st + $1850.00. • You need to be trained. • You need to follow the rules.

22. What are the Requirements To Be a Musher? • A rookie must have written proof of completing the race requirement of 500 miles or 800 miles in the last 5 years in non-Iditarod races. • You need to be accepted by the ITC (Iditarod Trail Committee.)

23. True or False Alaska became a state in 1949. True

24. True or False Railroad signaled the beginning of the end for dog sleds. False - Airplanes

25. True or False Heavy animals cannot use the winter trails. True

26. True or False The trail follows the southern route in even years. False – Odd

27. True or False The Widow’s Lamp is the award for the last musher to cross the finish. False – Red Lantern

28. The Last Great Race on Earth Check out www.iditarod.comfor more information.

29. I have another great Iditarod Resource! http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Alaskan-Iditarod-dogsled-Race-lesson-ideasVisit my Website to see more of my products! www.powerpointmaniac.comAre you on Facebook? If so, join Power Point Maniac’s Teaching Resources to get ideas, resources, and free stuff!www.facebook.com/powerpointmaniac