Weekend Video: The most extreme distance athletes on Earth

Long before snowmobiles and aircraft connected the North, sled dogs were lifelines. For centuries, Indigenous communities across the Arctic relied on dog teams for transportation, trade, hunting and communication across vast, frozen landscapes. These animals were not just working partners but central to survival in one of the harshest environments on Earth.

That deep tradition lives on in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, often called the “Last Great Race on Earth.” Each year, mushers and their teams take on roughly 1,600 km (900 miles) of wilderness from Anchorage to Nome, battling blizzards, sub-zero temperatures and rugged terrain in a modern test of endurance rooted in history. The 2026 edition of the race begins on March 8, with the ceremonial start taking place the day before in downtown Anchorage.

In this PBS video, viewers get a closer look at the remarkable dogs and the enduring culture behind the animal companions so vital to northern communities.