Rates:
$9499.00 per guest
All rates include shuttle, lodging, gear, guided activities, & food.
Have your own transport? Call for a discount
Solo traveler & large group info
Every March, the Iditarod Trail becomes one of the most exciting places in Alaska as mushers and their dog teams make their way across the state on the Last Great Race. This snowmobile expedition follows the first 300 miles of that historic trail, allowing you to experience remote Alaska in a way that very few people ever will. Ride through mountain passes, frozen rivers, and vast wilderness while following the same route that has challenged mushers and adventurers for generations.
Beginning in Willow, this multi-day expedition travels through Skwentna, Rainy Pass, the Alaska Range, Dalzell Gorge, the Farewell Burn, and on to McGrath, with options to continue even farther depending on conditions and the adventure you are looking for. This is a true backcountry expedition built for experienced riders with a good level of fitness who want to experience Alaska beyond the road system. Along the way you’ll stay in remote lodges, meet people living along the trail, and witness firsthand what makes the Iditarod one of the world’s greatest endurance events.
Note: Drivers must be 18 years or older; kids 8 and up may ride as a passenger. We do not provide drivers for our tours. If you are a single participant, please call to book!
This ten-day, nine-night expedition includes multiple days of backcountry snowmobiling along the historic Iditarod Trail, travelling from Willow through some of the most remote country in Alaska. You’ll ride toward Skwentna, Rainy Pass, across the Alaska Range and through Dalzell Gorge and the Farewell Burn before continuing toward Nikolai and McGrath, with the possibility of travelling farther when conditions and the expedition allow.
Your snowmobile, fuel, necessary cold-weather riding gear, meals and overnight accommodations along the trail are included, along with experienced expedition guides who know the terrain and the challenges of travelling through remote Alaska. This is a true backcountry journey where routes and daily distances can change with the trail, weather, and group, giving you the opportunity to experience the Iditarod Trail in a way very few visitors to Alaska ever will.
Willow to Skwentna: Leave the road system behind and begin following the Iditarod Trail into remote Alaska.
Skwentna to Rainy Pass: Continue toward the Alaska Range and spend the night at Rainy Pass.
Rainy Pass to Alaska Range: Ride over the Alaska Range and descend through some of the most challenging and spectacular terrain of the expedition.
Dalzell Gorge to Farewell Burn: Follow the historic trail through Dalzell Gorge and out across the Farewell Burn.
Nikolai to McGrath: Continue through Alaska’s Interior toward McGrath, reaching approximately 330 miles of backcountry travel.
Beyond McGrath: Depending on conditions, the group and the expedition, there may be opportunities to continue farther along the historic trail.
Your expedition begins in Willow, where the road system is soon left behind, and the Iditarod Trail becomes your route through Alaska. From here, you’ll travel by snowmobile toward Skwentna before continuing deeper into the backcountry toward Rainy Pass and the Alaska Range. Each day takes you farther from highways and towns and into the country that has challenged mushers, explorers and travellers for generations.
Crossing the Alaska Range brings some of the most memorable terrain of the expedition. From Rainy Pass, the route continues over the mountains and down through Dalzell Gorge before reaching the Farewell Burn and travelling toward Nikolai and McGrath. The landscape changes constantly as mountain passes give way to forests, frozen rivers and huge stretches of remote Alaska.
Along the trail, nights are spent in remote lodges and communities where you’ll meet some of the people who live and work beyond Alaska’s road system. Meals, fuel stops and overnight stays become part of the experience, and after long days on the snowmobiles there is time to rest, talk about the day’s ride and prepare for whatever the trail brings next.
McGrath marks an important point in the expedition, but it does not necessarily have to be the end. Conditions, weather, rider fitness and the adventure the group is looking for can create opportunities to travel farther along the Iditarod Trail. That flexibility is part of what makes this a true expedition rather than a fixed sightseeing tour.
Departs: 12 Noon (please arrive at 11:30 AM)
Available: March 7th – 17th, 2027
Ages: Drivers 18 years and older.
Notes:
Snowmobiling: We do not provide drivers for our tours. You must be at least 18 and licensed to drive a machine.
Round-trip transportation from Anchorage is included with your adventure, with convenient hotel pickup and drop-off. If you have your own transportation and don’t require the shuttle, give us a call before booking and we can apply a discount to your adventure.
Your Iditarod Snowmobile Expedition begins in Willow, where we’ll get the snowmobiles ready, go through your equipment and prepare for the journey ahead. From here, we leave the road system behind and begin following the historic Iditarod Trail into the Alaskan backcountry.
The first stage takes us toward Skwentna, travelling through frozen rivers, forests and wide-open winter country. It’s your first chance to settle into the rhythm of expedition riding and experience just how quickly Alaska changes once the roads and towns disappear behind you.
We’ll spend the night in Skwentna, where there is time for a warm meal, a chance to relax after your first day on the trail and an opportunity to meet some of the people who live beyond Alaska’s road system. From here, the mountains get closer and the expedition heads toward the Alaska Range.
Leaving Skwentna behind, the next stage takes us farther along the Iditarod Trail and toward the mountains. The landscape begins to change as we travel deeper into remote Alaska, with the Alaska Range growing larger ahead of us and miles of winter wilderness surrounding the trail.
We’ll continue toward Rainy Pass, following the same historic route that has challenged mushers and adventurers for generations. This is where the scale of the journey really begins to sink in. You’re no longer taking a snowmobile ride from a lodge; you’re travelling across Alaska with everything you need for the journey moving along with you.
We’ll spend the night at Rainy Pass, surrounded by the Alaska Range and preparing for one of the most memorable sections of the expedition. The next stage takes us over the mountains and down the other side toward Alaska’s Interior.
This stage takes you across some of the most famous terrain on the Iditarod Trail as we travel over the Alaska Range and begin the descent into the Interior. Mountain passes, changing snow and remote backcountry make this a very different riding experience from the country we travelled through during the first part of the expedition.
From the Alaska Range, the route continues down through Dalzell Gorge before opening out toward the Farewell Burn. The landscape changes dramatically along the way, taking you from mountain terrain into forests, frozen waterways and the huge open spaces that make travelling through this part of Alaska so unforgettable.
Weather, snow and trail conditions all play a part in how we travel through this section. Our guides will set the pace and make decisions along the way based on the group and what Alaska gives us. This is true expedition riding, where reaching the next destination is part of the adventure rather than simply the end of the day’s tour.
After crossing the Alaska Range and travelling through the Farewell Burn, the expedition continues toward Nikolai and then on to McGrath. By the time we reach this part of the trail, you’ll have travelled through several very different Alaska landscapes and be well beyond anything accessible by the normal road system.
The journey toward McGrath takes us deeper into Alaska’s Interior, following the historic trail through remote country and communities that play an important part in the Iditarod. Along the way, you’ll continue to experience the frozen rivers, forests and wide-open wilderness that have defined this route for generations.
Reaching McGrath puts us around 330 miles into the expedition and gives everyone an opportunity to rest, take stock of the journey and decide what comes next. For some groups, McGrath may be where the riding ends and we fly out. For others, there may still be a lot more trail ahead.
McGrath is an important point in the expedition. Depending on conditions and the group, there is another stage farther along the historic Iditarod Trail.
For those wanting to continue, there may be an opportunity to ride to the ghost town of Iditarod before returning to McGrath and flying out. For riders looking for an even greater challenge, the journey can continue farther along the trail toward Nome. Travelling beyond McGrath requires a higher level of fitness, additional gear, and more time, so this part of the expedition will be planned around the riders, conditions, and the journey you want to take.
That flexibility is part of what makes the Iditarod Snowmobile Expedition so different from a normal snowmobile tour. There isn’t one finish line every group has to reach. The trail, weather, and conditions all have a say in how the journey unfolds, giving you the chance to experience remote Alaska as a true expedition rather than following a fixed itinerary.
Experience the best in backcountry luxury with Snowhook. Choose from one of five private cabins at our Main Lodge. After an adventure-filled day, see the Northern Lights, compare stories with new friends, and soak in the wilderness of the Last Frontier.
Relax around the campfire. Enjoy true Alaskan hospitality.
No. Unlike many of our snowmobile adventures, this expedition is not designed as an introduction to riding. Previous snowmobile experience is important because of the distances, terrain and remote nature of the trail. If you are unsure whether your experience is suitable, talk to us before booking.
The Iditarod Snowmobile Expedition travels through remote Alaska where weather, snow and trail conditions can change quickly, so preparation and flexibility are an important part of the experience. Before your trip, take some time to explore the official Iditarod Trail race map to see the route through Willow, Skwentna, Rainy Pass, the Alaska Range, Nikolai, McGrath and the country beyond. You can also follow current Alaska forecasts through the National Weather Service’s Alaska page.
This is a demanding backcountry expedition for experienced riders, and you should arrive prepared for long days outside, changing terrain and serious Alaska winter conditions. Snowhook provides the necessary riding gear and expedition equipment, but the route and daily distances may change with weather, snow, trail conditions and the progress of the group. That flexibility is part of travelling the Iditarod Trail, where our guides use their experience and local knowledge to make decisions as the expedition unfolds.
