Mat-Su Valley Blog

The Su Dog 300 Sled Dog Race is proud to announce the Start Line Party for the inaugural race on Saturday, February 21, 2026. Twenty dog teams will start at 2 p.m. at the Willow Community Center and travel 300 miles across the Susitna Valley. All are welcome to join organizers at the starting line...

The 2025 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race officially starts Monday, March 3 in Fairbanks. Traditionally, mushers depart for Nome from Willow in the Mat-Su Valley every year, but insufficient snow in some sections of that route this year have convinced race officials to relocate the race start. This is...

If you have always wanted to experience the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race from a musher's perspective, the Iditarider auction is the perfect thing for you, but you better act fast - the bidding ends in two weeks. The auction, sponsored by the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, allows people to bid on the...

Even during the summer, you can still have a dog mushing experience during a visit to the Mat-Su Valley. From visiting with Iditarod champions to petting newborn huskies, Iditarod and dog mushing is a year-round event in Alaska. Dog mushing is Alaska's official state sport, but more than that, it's...