Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race to the 2010 census, it has a population of 401, making it the largest checkpoint in the Interior. McGrath is also notable for being the first site in Alaska to receive mail by aircraft (in 1924), heralding the end of the sled dog era. It still has a good airfield, so journalists are common. Following McGrath is Takotna, formerly a commercial hub during the gold rush. The ghost town of Ophir, named for the reputed source of King Solomon's gold by religious prospectors, is the next checkpoint. By this stage in the race, the front-runners may be several days ahead
Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race spectators, hosted at various local dining establishments. The race is named after the Apostle Islands, which is an archipelago of islands in Lake Superior, off the coast of Bayfield. Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race The Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race is a dogsled race held in Bayfield, Wisconsin, during the first weekend of February. It is the largest dogsled race in the Midwestern United States. The race has been an annual event since 1996. The Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race consists of five individual races, which include: a 10-dog, 80 mile race; an 8-dog, 60-mile race; a 40-mile "Sportsman's Race",