IdidaRide!

When we first found out that we were moving to Alaska, we had to put up with a lot of igloo jokes. We also got asked if we'd get around by dog sled. The answer is no, but we did head back down to Seward to spend the morning dog mushing with Seavey's IdidaRide Sled Dog Tours. Three members of this family-run business compete in the Iditarod Race and all the gear we used was 100% authentic. Our sled had been in eleven Iditarods, and our lead dog, Kenya, has run in three races.

We helped to hitch up the dogs (Kenya, Riddle, Hayes, Cletus and Sprocket) to the tow line of our very own sled, before taking off down the Exit Glacier road. We took it in turns to drive the sled and ride shotgun as we mushed alongside Resurrection River, enjoying great views of Exit Glacier.

It was so much fun to drive the team. They didn't really listen to us, but we enjoyed yelling 'hup' and 'whoa' to them anyway. The sled was super comfortable and it was great fun to cruise along the trail, enjoying the scenery and seeing the dogs' smiley tongues.

We warmed up with some hot chocolate and a snack lunch in a woodstove-heated cabin near the glacier before turning around. There was some excitement when a moose ran across the road in front of us, and again when the guide overtook us a little too closely and overturned our sled! It really was another great Alaskan adventure!

Exit Glacier & Harding Icefield

Ten miles outside Seward lies the trailhead to the Harding Ice Field and Exit Glacier. We did the 9-mile roundtrip hike up to the Harding Ice Field, which was steep and strenuous, but definitely worth it! The blurb from the website gives the best description of the hike:

"Starting on the valley floor, the trail winds through cottonwood and alder forests, passes though heather-filled meadows and ultimately climbs well above tree line to a breath-taking view of the Icefield. The top of the trail is a window to past ice ages – a horizon of ice and snow that stretches as far as the eye can see, broken only by an occasional nunatak, or lonely peak."


Harding Icefield is the largest icefield to be contained entirely within the United States. It was really incredible to be up there, and it was a treat to see an ermine and some marmots on the way!

Back at the bottom, another shorter trail leads right up to Exit Glacier and it's possible to hear the ice crackling and see waterfalls streaming off the surface. The sun was shining through the ice, making it glow that beautiful glacial blue. Truly magnificent!