We’re moving to our new domain!!!

So exciting, we have finally matured from a blog to a website! I feel so grown-up! Please don’t desert us, follow this link and we’ll continue where we left off…

www.xtremesport4u.com

Extreme racing with dogs – The Iditarod

A different kind of marathon we suggest – this one of some 1,150 miles to be completed in little over two weeks, in the United States’ most north western state, Alaska - yet another example of the extreme and extraordinary things that people will do – why we find ourselves asking. But first a little more about the race.

From Anchorage, in south central Alaska, to Nome on the western Bering Sea coast, each team of 12 to 16 dogs and their ‘musher’ cover over 1,150 miles. It has been called the “Last Great Race on Earth” and it has won worldwide acclaim and interest.

The Iditarod Trail, now a National Historic Trail, had its beginnings as a mail and supply route from the coastal towns of Seward and Knik to the interior mining camps at Flat, Ophir, Ruby and beyond to the west coast communities of Unalakleet, Elim, Golovin, White Mountain and Nome. Mail and supplies went in. Gold came out. All via dog sled. Heroes were made, legends were born.

The 2009 race will start on March 7th in downtown Anchorage and depending on your speed over the course will finish 10 to 17 days later and will conclude with the awards banquet on March 22nd in Nome.

2009 Race Route

Checkpoints	Distance between Checkpoints	Distance from Anchorage	Distance to Nome
Total Distance			1131
Anchorage to Campbell Airstrip	20	20	1131
Campbel Airstrip to Willow	29	49	1082
Willow to Yentna Station	52	115	1016
Yentna Station to Skwentna	34	149	982
Skwentna to Finger Lake	45	194	937
Finger Lake to Rainy Pass	30	224	907
Rainy Pass to Rohn	48	272	859
Rohn to Nikolai	75	347	784
Nikolai to McGrath	54	401	730
McGrath to Takotna	18	419	712
Takotna to Ophir	25	444	687
Ophir to Iditarod	90	534	597
Iditarod to Shageluk	65	599	532
Shageluk to Anvik	25	624	507
Anvik to Grayling	18	642	489
Grayling to Eagle Island	60	702	429
Eagle Island to Kaltag	70	772	359
Kaltag to Unalakleet	90	862	269
Unalakleet to Shaktoolik	40	902	229
Shaktoolik to Koyuk	58	960	171
Koyuk to Elim	48	1008	123
Elim to Golovin	28	1036	95
Golovin to White Mountain	18	1054	77
White Mountain to Safety	55	1109	22
Safety to Nome	22	1131	0

For further information on rules and how you can qualify go to the Itarod home website www.itarod.com
We include for your interest a video from DiscoveryNetworks which gives you a taste of ‘The Greatest Race on Earth’.

Why limit yourself to just ski-ing? or just snowboarding for that matter?

‘Just’ skiing did I say? There’s nothing ‘just’ about skiing. It is one of the most exhilarating sports in the world I think… although my son would beg to differ – his choice would probably be snowboarding or kite surfing.

But back to my question… why limit yourself to just skiing? With mountain regions becoming accessible to anyone with snowchains, resorts are getting more and more imaginative and offering more and more things to do for all adrenaline junkies out there.

Take COLORADO for example. We all know that some of the best skiing in North America can be found there. After all, they are lucky enough to have the whole spine of the Rocky Mountains running through their state. But this fabulous area now has a lot more to offer.

You can now dogsled at Snowmass, snowshoe hike at Bear Lake, four-wheel all-terrain Jeep ice race on frozen Georgetown Lake, climb frozen waterfalls at Ouray Ice Park … to name just a few alternatives. When it comes to extreme sports and the ultimate adrenaline rush, I think Colorado has most things covered come Summer or Winter.

You can actually dogsled at many other places besides Snowmass – that was just my first example, try Breckinbridge, Copper Mountain, Frisco, Winter Park, Vail, Beaver Creek, Durango to name just a few.

Then you can four-wheel, all-terrain Jeep ice race on frozen Georgetown Lake. When most other people park their toys in a garage in the winter, some in the Snow Belt don’t -  they screw on studs and hit the lake!  BRadOO7 put this video on to show us all what it’s about.

What’s next? Climbing frozen waterfalls… The Ouray Ice Park is a 2 mile long stretch of the Uncompagre Gorge that has been designated for public ice climbing.Thanks to bwadeocra.

But you could also go to East Vail and climb their 120 ft free standing pillar of ice – fondly nicknamed ‘The Fang’. Routes on this climb are prime examples of technical ice climbing and should only be attempted by the knowledgeable and well-trained. This enormous ice pillar forms from the cascading waterfall only in exceptionally cold winters. It can be up to 50 m high (120 ft) and has been known to have a base measuring 8 m wide.

You could also, of course, do a spot of snowshoe hiking. Snowshoeing can be the perfect escape – if you are desperate to experience some much-needed peace and quiet… or just a wild day out with friends. Try Bear Lake and Wild Basin. These two areas are particularly popular with the big shoeprint set, thanks to DrOfWax for the video. Most other areas of the park could be considered “ski mountaineering” rather than “ski touring” with steep climbs and descents, narrow routes and sharp turns. This area is also suitable for cross country ski-ing.

And then of course there are other such arbitary things as para-gliding, heli-skiing, back country skiing etc. to take in.

I started this article on the derogatory lines of “Why limit yourself to just skiing” and I will end it on a video from XTremeVideo to show that there is no such thing as “just skiing”…