Overview

The World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race is slated to leave Big Lake, Alaska in February 2025. Saturday, February 15, 2025 - Pro Class Start, followed by Expedition Class Start.

History

The first Iron Dog event started in 1984 and followed the Northern Route of the Historic Iditarod Trail to Nome. Since then it has had multiple incarnations ranging from 1,049 miles in 1984 to over 2,600 miles in 2021.

Today’s Iron Dog course distance is more than 2,500 miles, starting in Big Lake, Pro Class racers travel over the Alaska Range to the Yukon River, then cut overland toward the Bering Sea coast. Once on the coast they travel to Koyuk then to Kotzebue via the “Red Dog Loop”. From Kotzebue racers head south reaching the halfway point in Nome. After leaving Nome, Pro Class Racers will reverse course to finish back in Big Lake, Alaska.

Participants cover some of Alaska’s most remote and rugged terrain, passing through 23+ communities, while confronting some of the harshest winter conditions. Survival skills are essential, all Pro Class teams comprise two racers on two snowmobiles for safety.

The Iron Dog offers a non-competitive Expedition class giving adventure seekers an opportunity to travel 1,049 miles on the Northern Route of Historic Iditarod Trail to Nome. These teams of two or more travel on a portion of the same trail as the Pro Class Teams.

 
Iron Dog Routes over the years
YearRouteMileage
2024Big Lake – Kotzebue – Nome – Big Lake2,503
2023Big Lake – Kotzebue – Nome – Big Lake2,645
2022Wasilla - Nome - Kotzebue - Wasilla2,503
2021Big Lake – Nome – Kotzebue – Big Lake2,645
2020Fairbanks - Kotzebue - Nome - Big Lake2,409
2019Deshka Landing - Nome - Fairbanks1,950*
2018Big Lake - Nome - Fairbanks1,971
2015 - 2017Anchorage – Big Lake – Nome – North Pole – Fairbanks2,050*
2011 – 2014Big Lake – Nome – North Pole – Fairbanks2,031
2006 – 2010Big Lake – Nome – Fairbanks1,971
2005Wasilla – Nome – Wasilla2,000
1998 – 2004Wasilla – Nome – Fairbanks1,971
1993 – 1997Wasilla – Nome – Wasilla2,000
1984 – 1992Wasilla - Nome1,049
*19 miles of caution flag riding, 2,031 racing miles.

Race participation typically averages (30) thirty Pro Class teams with around (30) thirty or more Expedition Class riders for a total number of from 90-100 participants on the trail each year.

Iron Dog is a proud leader in the snowmobile community, promoting snowmobile safety and outdoor education through trade shows, seminars, and community events.




 

Iron Dog Sponsors

Iron Dog Race Inc.

Iron Dog Race Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not for profit Alaska corporation.
EIN # 85-2907407
Alaska Gaming Permit #166002