The Iditarod Middle Trek

The Iditarod Middle Trek
March 5 - 9, 2014
The Iditarod Middle Trek is designed for people wanting to experience
the middle part of the last great race. This trek’s intention is to highlight
the strategic moves of mushers and dog teams as they battle fatigue,
some of the race’s most extreme weather and trail conditions, and
personal challenges beyond the imaginable.
Day 1: The Middle Trek begins from Anchorage with a flight to the
checkpoint of the interior village of McGrath.
McGrath is located on the Kuskokwim River, 220 miles northwest of
Anchorage. Originally a village site of local Athabascan Indians, McGrath
also proved to be an attractive trading site for pioneers and prospectors
when they came in the late 1800’s. In 1907 a US commissioner was sent
from Nome to establish a trading post and recording office. Many gold
miners still mine the local area and use McGrath as their supply post.
McGrath is a popular checkpoint for mushers to take their 24 hour
mandatory rest.
On Day 1 and 2, dinners and overnight accommodations will be at the
Hotel McGrath: a clean, modern B&B that serves quality meals and
offers warm hospitality. Espressos, which are pretty special in bush
Alaska, are available at the Hotel McGrath.
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Day 2: Guests will travel via ski-equipped aircraft to the checkpoint of
Iditarod or Cripple, the half-way point of the race to greet and observe the
front running mushers. At Iditarod you will tour the historic abandoned
buildings of a past gold rush era. A picnic lunch will be prepared trailside
by the pilot/guides during this exciting day of adventure.
Day 3: Guests will depart McGrath for a flight across the Yukon Kuskokwim
Delta in search of wildlife and scenery and mushers along the trail. Enjoy
stops at the village checkpoints located on the Yukon river to observe
mushers and experience life in rural Alaska. Some of the highest winds and
coldest weather can be found in the interior and along the Yukon River, a
sometimes unbearable challenge for mushers and dog teams. We will then
continue to Galena.
Galena is located on the Yukon River and a checkpoint on the Northern
Route. Cozy B&B’s, excellent meals and warm hospitality await you in this
quaint little fishing village. It is such a fun place to visit, we’ve added it to
our annual itinerary even though the trail passes through there every other
year.
Day 4: This day begins with a 1/2 day dog mushing trip with a guide and
local resident from Galena along trails near the Yukon River. Lunch is
provided along the way or upon your return. Enjoy beautiful views of
remote wilderness landscapes while mushing your own dog team. There
will be plenty of stories to take home! Departure in the afternoon with a
quick stop at the checkpoint in Kaltag located on the Yukon River and then
a flight through the coastal mountains and along the Iditarod trail as it
transitions to the Bering Sea coast and the village of Unalakleet .
Unalakleet is located on Norton Sound in the Bering Sea. It is an exciting
checkpoint on the trail. Mushers change sleds at this point to the
lightweight racing sleds needed for the Norton Sound sea ice and the final
push to Nome. Archaeologists have dated Eskimo house pits in the
Unalakleet area back to 200 AD. Dinner and overnight accommodations
will be at Maggie’s Sleep Inn, the most popular place to stay in Unalakleet.
Meals are prepared by Peace on Earth.
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Day 5 Enjoy meeting and seeing the front runners as they arrive in
Unalakleet. It could be early in the morning or late at night, each year
brings different trail conditions and weather that can make a big
difference when mushers arrive here. Spend the day visiting the
checkpoint and meeting the locals of Unalakleet. You will have an
afternoon departure to Nome with your Sky Trekking Alaska pilot or
guide.
Upon your arrival in Nome, you will be met by our local guide Richard
“Hello Central” Beneville (you’ll understand the nick-name when you
meet him). Overnight accommodations will be at the Aurora Inn, a
newly built hotel located on Front Street in downtown Nome. Meals will
be prepared by your hosts at the Aurora Inn or at local restaurants.
In summary, the Middle trek is designed for guests wanting to see and
experience the interior and final stages of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog
Race. Highlights include aerial views of the Alaska Range, the Yukon
Kuskokwim Delta and the Bering Sea Coast and Norton Sound, observing
top mushers each day and local culture. Meals and lodging is provided.
Air and ground transportation (ground, where available) is provided and
all activities are guided as listed in the above itinerary.
Not Included: Liquor, Staff gratuity for STA (recommended as a
group tip to be divided among the staff), air transportation to and
from your home and Anchorage Alaska and from Nome to
Anchorage at the end of the trek.
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Price: $8,790.00 per person 5 Days/5 Nights
Included: Air Transportation from Anchorage to Nome, meals, lodging and
activities as listed in the above itinerary, STA gear bag, hat and backpack,
ground transportation in Nome and where available in the villages. This
trek begins in Anchorage March 5 and concludes the evening of March 9th,
2014 in Nome.
Not Included: Liquor, Staff gratuity for STA (recommended as a group tip to
be divided among the staff at the conclusion of your trek), air transportation
to and from your home and Anchorage Alaska and from Nome to
Anchorage at the end of the trek. Incidentals not in the written itinerary.
Come join us for Iditarod 2014
and Mardi Gras with Dogs!
Contact Cilla Robbins or Lori Egge
to make your reservation today.
Phone: 907 315 6098
Email: info@skytrekkingalaska.com