Nome's only doctor diagnosed diphtheria in January 1925. The antitoxin serum was in Anchorage; the only airplane capable of the flight had a frozen engine. Governor Scott Bone organized a relay: twenty mushers and over 100 dogs would carry the serum across the territory. The lead dog teams became famous: Leonhard Seppala drove his team over 260 miles, including a crossing of Norton Sound in a blizzard; Gunnar Kaasen and his lead dog Balto completed the final leg, reaching Nome at 5:30 AM on February 2. The children were saved; the dogs became national heroes. The event demonstrated what dog teams could accomplish when survival demanded it.

The Iditarod began in 1973, organized by Joe Redington Sr. to revive interest in dog mushing and preserve the trail. The route runs approximately 1,000 miles from Anchorage to Nome, crossing the Alaska Range, the interior hills, and the coastal terrain of the Bering Sea coast. Mushers run with teams of up to 16 dogs, stopping at checkpoints for required rest and veterinary inspections. The winning time has dropped from 20 days in 1973 to around 8 days now, reflecting advances in dog breeding, nutrition, and training. The race occurs in March, when conditions are extreme but not impossible. Prize money exceeds $500,000, though most mushers spend more than they win.

The Iditarod Trail itself predates the race by decades, used by Indigenous peoples, gold miners, and mail carriers. The northern route and southern route alternate in odd and even years, converging at the village of Ruby. The checkpoints are tiny communities - Rainy Pass, Nikolai, McGrath, Unalakleet - where entire populations turn out to support the race. The trail crosses the Alaska Range at Rainy Pass (3,200 feet), descends to the frozen Yukon River, and follows the coast to Nome. The terrain changes constantly: mountain passes, frozen rivers, treeless tundra, wind-blasted ice. The dogs know what to do; the mushers know when to trust them.

The Iditarod faces criticism from animal welfare organizations who argue that the race is inherently cruel - that dogs die, that conditions are too harsh, that commercial interests exploit working animals. Supporters counter that mushing dogs are bred for the work, that care has improved dramatically, and that the race preserves a tradition that defines Alaska. The debate is genuine and unresolved. Dogs have died during the race, though rates have declined. The mushers' attachment to their dogs is evident; the economics are often irrational. Whether the race constitutes celebration of working dogs or exploitation of them depends on premises neither side can prove to the other.

The Iditarod starts in Anchorage on the first Saturday in March with a ceremonial start; the competitive restart occurs in Willow the next day. Spectators can watch both starts and gather at checkpoints along the route. The finish in Nome draws crowds; spectators can fly commercially to Nome during race week. The race website provides GPS tracking of all mushers. The Iditarod Trail Headquarters in Wasilla offers year-round exhibits and summer dog cart rides. Winter visitors can experience recreational dog sledding throughout Alaska. The race itself is spectator-accessible only at specific points; the 1,000 miles between starts and finish are wilderness where only mushers and dogs travel.