The book is divided into three sections. The first section lays out the historical and organizational development of dog sledding in Norway, and analyses the phenomenon in the context of modernity. There is also a discussion of nature experiences as an element of dog sledding. The second section focuses on ethical issues, notably the work to safeguard and enhance the welfare of sled dogs in long-distance racing and tourism. The last section provides analyses of the physiological and psychological challenges of long-distance racing (dehydration, sleep deprivation etc), and of motivational factors in mushers.

A rich and revelatory memoir of a young woman reclaiming her courage in the stark landscapes of the north. By the time Blair Braverman was eighteen, she had left her home in California, moved to arctic Norway to learn to drive sled dogs, and found work as a tour guide on a glacier in Alaska. Determined to carve out a life as a “tough girl”—a young woman who confronts danger without apology—she slowly developed the strength and resilience the landscape demanded of her. By turns funny and sobering, bold and tender, Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube brilliantly recounts Braverman’s adventures in Norway and Alaska. Settling into her new surroundings, Braverman was often terrified that she would lose control of her dog team and crash her sled, or be attacked by a polar bear, or get lost on the tundra. Above all, she worried that, unlike the other, gutsier people alongside her, she wasn’t cut out for life on the frontier. But no matter how out of place she felt, one thing was clear: she was hooked on the North. On the brink of adulthood, Braverman was determined to prove that her fears did not define her—and so she resolved to embrace the wilderness and make it her own. Assured, honest, and lyrical, Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube paints a powerful portrait of self-reliance in the face of extraordinary circumstance. Braverman endures physical exhaustion, survives being buried alive in an ice cave, and drives her dogs through a whiteout blizzard to escape crooked police. Through it all, she grapples with love and violence—navigating a grievous relationship with a fellow musher, and adapting to the expectations of her Norwegian neighbors—as she negotiates the complex demands of being a young woman in a man’s land. Weaving fast-paced adventure writing and ethnographic journalism with elegantly wrought reflections on identity, Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube captures the triumphs and the perils of Braverman’s journey to self-discovery and independence in a landscape that is as beautiful as it is unforgiving.

Grade Level 5.5, Book# 85, Points 4.

"A first-person account of the 1986 dog-sled expedition to the North Pole, the first to reach the North Pole without resupply since Robert E. Peary in 1909. A new afterword brings readers up to date on team members' lives"--

What begins as a training run with sled dogs turns into a race against time for Tatum and her new friend, a Siberian Yupik boy named Cole. When a freak blizzard hits this remote island off the coast of Alaska, the duo seeks shelter overnight in a dilapidated hunting cabin. Their harrowing ordeal goes from bad to worse when wind-driven snow forces them to risk an alternate route. Stranded in the untamed wilderness, they must rely on each other—as well as their faithful huskies—to survive sub-zero temperatures and bone-numbing exhaustion. Worse still, their food supply is dangerously low. The most daunting decision comes when the strongest dog runs away. One person must go for help, while one must stay behind. Either way, they'll both be alone in the wild for an uncertain amount of time.

I was born to race. Born to drive a team of sled dogs. Born to follow my dream of running the Iditarod. This is the real-life story of a young girl with a big dream. From the time she was three years old, Aisling (pronounced Ashley) Lara Shepherd loved watching sled dog racing on television. Inspired by the drive and determination of the dogs and the people who race them, Aisling set out on a personal quest to one day run her own dogs in the famous Iditarod race in Alaska. Follow eleven-year-old Aisling as she conquers obstacles, deals with heartbreak and loss, and achieves great victories--all while keeping her eye on the Iditarod. Author Hope Irvin Marston worked with Aisling to complete this inspirational story of courage and resolve. This book also offers an informative and engaging look into the world of sled dog racing and the joys and challenges of caring for and training sled dogs.

A biography of Joe Redington, founder of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, discussing his early life and struggles, the happiness he found after moving to Alaska in 1948, and his efforts to rescue Alaska dog mushing from extinction by creating the now famous race.

Alaska Geographic is an award-winning series that presents the people, places, and wonders of Alaska to the world. Over the past 30 years, Alaska Geographic has earned its reputation as the publication for those who love Alaska. The series boasts more than 100 books to date, featuring communities from Barrow to Ketchikan, animals from bears to dinosaurs, history from the Russian explorers to today, and natural phenomena from the aurora to glaciers. Written by leading experts in their fields, these books are illustrated throughout with world-class photography and include colorful maps for reference.

The Nome Kennel Club was founded ostensibly to sponsor races as a way to settle the never-ending dispute over who owned the best dogs. The club s rules for participation led to a greater respect for and care of sled dogs in a way that, until recently, had yet to be fully appreciated. That Leonhard Seppala and his Siberians became the ambassadors carrying the Nome Kennel Club s humane dog care message from Nome to New England was inevitable nice-looking, calm, friendly dogs who adored their driver and a charismatic man who loved his dogs.