Enjoy the winter wonderland …

Frontiersman editorial board

As we pass the hump of February and begin the long slow descent into spring, opportunities to enjoy the wonder of Alaskan winters begin to pop up everywhere.

Last weekend, the Big Lake Winter Carnival offered spectators a fun look at snowmachining through the eyes of some very young riders, as seen in our Front Page photo. The carnival was also the location of the Iron Dog starting line, with 73 racers heading off down a long and arduous trail that takes riders from Big Lake to Nome and on to Fairbanks for the finish. Watch for race updates in subsequent editions of the Frontiersman.

In addition, numerous school-related sports are wrapping up for the season. In this edition, the annual North/South Wrestling Tournament wraps up, as does the 4A State Hockey Tournament, with exciting results in both contests.

This weekend, Wasilla's Iditarod Days will kick off, culminating in the Iditarod Restart March 3. Be sure to check out the fireworks display on Lake Lucille and the assortment of other activities that will be offered, all of which can be found in our Iditarod supplement, included in this paper.

The excitement for the Last Great Race is building, as people from all over the globe begin to look at our corner of the world to glimpse Alaskan tenacity at its finest -- man and animal working together to defeat the obstacles tossed up by nature. It's a good time to remember the joys that winter can hold.

So over the remaining weeks of winter, make time to watch the Iditarod mushers slide off toward Nome. Set aside time to finally don those cross-country skis or snowshoes and head out with a friend in the bright winter sunshine. Go sledding. Experience the resounding quiet only heard in a snow-covered grouping of trees. Escape on your snowmachine to Alaska's remote wilderness.

No matter your method for doing so, take a little time to enjoy the winter wilderness available in the Mat-Su. Chances are, it'll be a memory you won't soon forget.