Nome, AK Summary

Nome (population 3,600) is located on the Seward Peninsula beside the Bering Sea in northwestern Alaska, more than 500 miles from Anchorage, and is accessible only by air. A century ago it was a goldrush town; today, it is a judicial and commercial center that supplies nearby mining districts and Inuit (Eskimo) villages. The extremely arduous annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race commencing in Anchorage ends here for a special reason. The race commemorates the courageous emergency mission of a dogsled team in 1926 which carried the vital serum that snuffed out a diphtheria epidemic in Nome. It is 1,100-miles in length. The race begins in early March so competitors often have to battle through blizzards, treacherous ascents, and even river passages.