Mat-Su Valley Blog

The last few weeks have been unprecedented for all of us as our day-to-day routines have been put on pause to combat the spread of the Covid-19 virus. In addition to the overwhelming health and social consequences, it is having a major impact on our economy, and particularly the travel and...

With a healthy dump of fresh snow, it's time for the fun and funky Oosik Classic Ski Race in Talkeetna Saturday, March 14. The Oosik, now in its 20th year, is hosted by the Denali Nordic Ski Club and is one of the most fun and funky races in Alaska. The course changes every year, but there are two...

More than 100 hockey teams are coming to Big Lake March 13-15 for Alaska's largest outdoor hockey event, the Last Frontier Pond Hockey Classic. This is the fourth winter in a row the tournament is being held on Big Lake, with 13 rinks being cleared. The event is hosted by the Scotty Gomez...

The 2020 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race officially gets started Sunday, March 8 in Willow, as mushers depart for Nome, 1,100 grueling miles away. This is officially called the Iditarod "Restart" because there is a ceremonial start in Anchorage on Saturday, March 7. That day does not count in the...

March is a great month in Alaska - the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer. There's no better place to visit in March than Talkeetna for some of the quirkiest and fun events you'll find on the calendar. Trio Fatbike World Championships The fun begins in Talkeetna on March 7...

This year, fans of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race have a new way to follow the race - the Iditarod Trifecta. The Trifecta is a contest where race fans predict the winning musher, the winning musher's finish time and the winning musher's number of dogs that cross the finishing line in Nome. The...

Fans of the Iron Dog have always come to Big Lake for the race start each February. But this year, they'll get the chance to see something entirely new - the crowning of a champion. For the first time, the Iron Dog is finishing in Big Lake, rather than starting there. Pro Class racers will start in...

This weekend is the final one for the 2020 Willow Winter Carnival, and it actually gets started bright and early. The Willow 300 Sled Dog Race began Thursday and will conclude around 6 a.m. at Sheep Creek Lodge. Hosted by the Willow Dog Mushers Association, it is one of the state's premier...

January 28 is officially Plan for Vacation Day, and a reminder that more than half of all Americans don't use their vacation time. The US Travel Association reports that Americans who take vacations report they are happier with their job, company, relationships and health. The organization has...

Winter heats up the last weekend of January and the first weekend of February in Willow, where the Willow Winter Carnival features events for everyone in the family. For more than 50 years, the carnival has been a highlight on the calendar. The carnival begins with a bang as fireworks light up the...