The ITI (iditarod Trail Invitational) is one of the world’s longest and hardest winter ultras. The ITI has become the pinnacle event of winter ultra racing and attracts the best winter ultra athletes from around the world.

There are 75 spots available every year. Most years there are 15-20 countries represented at the starting line in Knik which is just outside of Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city.

The most competitive event is the 350 mile race which finishes in McGrath. It is a qualifier for the longer 1000 mile trail. The course follows a winter trail that is also used by the famous Iditarod Sled Dog Race a week later. The trail follows frozen rivers and swamps. It crosses the Alaska Range and 150 miles of the frozen Yukon River. Along the Bering Sea Coast racers  travel on frozen sea ice on sections of the trail before reaching the gold rush town of Nome. The only access to this winter trail is by snowmobile or bush plane.

There is no access for cars. Participants fly back to Anchorage on air planes. The entire trail only exists in February and March before it melts again in the spring and becomes unpassable again for another 10 months.
The ITI was formed in 2002 to continue a long tradition in Alaska of winter ultras. The race directors are former racers themselves.

The event has also inspired a series of winter ultras that are qualifiers for the event in Alaska,Minnesota, Wisconsin, Idaho, Canada, Norway and Finland.

Most of the qualifiers were started by former participants of the ITI. The qualifiers are a minumum distance of 100 miles on snow and on a trail not roads.

The organizers also offer an annual 5 day winter training camp on the Iditarod Trail to prepare athletes new to winter racing for the extreme cold and remote roadless conditions.

training camp

http://www.iditarodtrailinvitational.com/camps/

qualifiers

ITI 150 Alaska

ITI Winter Camp Alaska

Actif Epica 100mile or 200km Canada

Arrowhead 135 Minnesota

Fat Pursuit 200km or 200 mile Idaho

Fat Pursuit Winter Camp Idaho

Fat Viking Norway

Rovaniemi 300km Finland

Susitna 100 Alaska

Tuscobia Winter Ultra 160 Wisconsin

White Mountains 100 Alaska

Yukon Arctic Ultra Canada