STAY CONNECTED: Have the stories that matter most delivered every night to your email inbox. Subscribe to our daily local news wrap.
By Justine Kelsie

Fifth Iditarod for Peace Region dog sled team

Feb 22, 2018 | 4:00 AM

A Peace Region man hits the road to Alaska today with family and sled dogs in tow to compete in the 2018 Iditarod.

Aaron Peck is no stranger to the race as he has taken to the snowy trail four times before. This time, however, will be a bit different. This will be the first Iditarod experience as parents for him and his wife, Eva. 

“Clancy, our oldest, he is just 3-and-a-half and he rides his little sled behind me when we go for shorter runs with the younger dogs. He’s hilarious; He has learned to fall down and get right back up on the sled. He kind of knows what is going on here. Sunny is just a year-and-a-half and is trying to keep up with big brother but she has a little way to go yet. This is their first time doing this adventure.”

In 2013, he competed in the race.  It took him 11 days, two hours, nine minutes and 37 seconds to finish. His team ended up in 41st place but Peck is hoping they can one day become competitive in what is called “The Last Great Race”.

The approximately 1,000-mile race will take between eight to 14 days to complete, but it takes a lot longer to prepare. Dog conditioning, collecting sponsorships, and getting food prepared is all done behind the scenes before the event.

“We connect with so many people with this project. It’s just so rewarding and the community at large, the more people that are following along, the more exciting it is. We get a little momentum in the community and it helps push me down the trail. When I am way out there in the middle of nowhere with my dogs and the going gets tough, I can think of Grande Prairie.”

To follow Peck’s trek from Anchorage to Nome beginning on March 3, you can go onto the official Iditarod website. Peck and his hounds will have a GPS tracker on their sled and film crews will provide footage along the way.

On top of competing for the community, he is hoping to inspire people to do what they love.

“By us doing this race, I hope it can have a positive effect on, not just the youth, but everyone in the community to get outside and go after [their dream].”

Peck placed second in his most recent competition in Fort St. James, B.C. in early February behind his wife. The sled dogs she used to take her to first place in the Caledonia Classic Sled Dog Race will be used by Peck when he em”bark”s on his Alaskan adventure early next month. 

by Justine Kelsie