GPS Tracking Helps to Follow Iron Dog Off-Road Snowmobile Race Across Alaska
1 Mar 2016Spanning a distance of more than 2,000 miles, the National Guard Iron Dog race, which is hailed the longest and toughest snowmachine race in the world, took place on Alaska’s ice-covered Big Lake in February, 2016. The total trip is likened in size of that of a trip between Las Vegas and Washington, D.C.
In the past, fans of the race were only able to keep track of the event by watching coverage on the television and by observing from the sidelines. However, this year, fans were given the opportunity to experience the race in a whole new way. Thanks to technology and GPS tracking, fans were able to virtually “ride along” and keep track of the riders’ progress.
Riders’ that participated in the race were outfitted with GPS tracking devices, which provided real-time updates on the irondog.org website. Fans of the race were also able to download an official race guide and find out more about the event on this website.
The National Iron Dog race, which first took place in 1984 and was called the Iron Dog Iditarod, takes place in Big Lake and follows the Northern Route of the Historic Iditarod Trail to Nome. The name of the race was changed to the Gold Rush Classic and then the Iron Dog Gold Rush Classic. Once the Tesoro Corporation became the event’s title sponsor, the event was officially recognized as the Tesoro Iron Dog; however, the race is most commonly referred to as The Iron Dog. Since 2009, the Alaska National Guard sponsors the race, and their sponsorship has enabled The Iron Dog to considerably grow.
The Iron Dog Race is the most extreme race of its kind. The racers travel some of the most isolated and harshest terrain that Alaska has to offer, while encountering some of the most severe winter conditions, including ice on the Bering Strait, open mountain ranges, tundra filled rocks and mud, and frigid rivers, not to mention temperatures that can fall below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Teams who participate in the race consisted of two people and two snowmobiles, which ensures safety. Survival skills are an absolute necessity. There are, however, checkpoints roughly every 100 miles. While each racer has their own snow machine, they are paired up in teams of two for safety reasons.
The race is non-competitive and offers participants the chance to traverse thousands of miles of the Northern Route of the Historic Iditarod Trail, which continues to Nome (the halfway point) and ends in Fairbanks, Alaska.
The introduction of GPS technology brings a whole new element to the race, allowing fans to keep real-time tabs on racers and really feel like they are a part of the event.
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