![](https://iditarod.com/wp-content/themes/iditarod/images/icon-instagram.png"){kind=icon}
Teach and Learn
Engaging lessons based on Insider video clips.
Our four-legged correspondents write for all ages..
Collection of all things Iditarod.
Latest Teach and Learn Posts
Leaving Ruby, Mushers travel 50 miles down the frozen Yukon River to the village of Galena. The first town site of Galena was established in 1918 near a native fish camp called Henry’s Point. It was one of many fish camps located on the Yukon River. Athabascans in the area were nomadic. The location of …
The village of Ruby is the first checkpoint of the northern route that’s situated on the mighty Yukon River. The Lakefront Hotel, race headquarters in Anchorage, honors the first musher arriving with a delicious seven-course meal prepared by the Lakefront’s Executive Chef. In the corner of the rustic checkpoint upon a little stage, the musher …
The Iditarod EDU family has lost some of its biggest legends in the last months. At every conference we lead, when we post the question, “What got you interested in using the Iditarod as a teaching tool?” at least half the room mentions Gary Paulsen and his novel Woodsong. When we ask our returning teachers …
Greetings Fellow Educators! The month of November signifies thankfulness, and this year is no exception. It is truly a year to celebrate all that we are thankful and grateful for in our lives, families, communities, and the world. I, Sled Dog Ed, decided to get out of the kennel with my friend, Topaz, and took …
On the even years, the race will take the northern route to Nome. When the drivers and teams reach Ophir, they’ll take a right and head north to Cripple. The distance from Ophir to Cripple is 59 miles. The total distance from Ophir to Kaltag, where the two trails rejoin on the northern route …
BOO! Being that the next two checkpoints on the trail are located in GHOST TOWNS, my story should begin with a ghostly greeting! So, what’s a ghost town? It’s a deserted town. The residents have left usually because their jobs no longer exist or because of natural disasters, fires or wars. That’s exactly the case …
The trail used by Iditarod that runs from McGrath to Takotna (tuh-KOTT-nuh) is a well-traveled snowmachine route. Teams cover the 18-mile distance in two to three hours. At night or on cold days, the route is generally fast but on warm days, it can be a slow run. Most of the 18 miles runs either …
From Nikolai it’s a 48-mile run to McGrath, which is estimated to take five to seven hours. In his Trail Notes, Don Bowers considers this to be an easy run but says it can be very boring for both the dogs and the drivers. There are so many bends in the Big River and Kuskokwim …
There was so much to share with you about the trail from Rohn to Nikolai; there just wasn’t enough time or space to tell you about the village of Nikolai in the same story. The distance from Rohn to Nikolai is listed at 75 miles. Here’s what Handler told me about this very friendly …
The trail between Rohn and Nikolai is unique and challenging. During the clear, cold daytime the mushers can see Denali and Mt. Foraker. Try to imagine how beautiful these peaks are around sunrise and sunset when they are brightly lit by the sun over the dark landscape below or when they are rosy pink with …