Outdoor Briefs

WDMA hosting mid-distance race

Willow Dog Mushers Association is offering its first middle-distance race, the Willow-Tug 300, on Feb. 4, a qualifier for the Iditarod and Yukon Quest. Organizers will limit the field to 30 teams and post veteran mushers at checkpoints to help rookies. Several Iditarod veterans including hometown musher DeeDee Jonrowe have signed up. Cost is $500 for association members, $525. For more information, visit willowdogmushers.com/WillowTug300.html.

Great outdoors calls

for Valley women

An “Outdoors Women” workshop will be held March 11-13 at Victory Bible Camp near Palmer. The program introduces women to hunting, fishing and related outdoors activities. More than 48 hands-on sessions are scheduled, including firearms safety, bear safety, shotgun clinics, field dressing of fish and game, ice fishing, spin fishing, fly tying, dog mushing, snowmachining, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, GPS operation, fish smoking, rod building, outdoors photography and winter survival. Cost is $250 for applications postmarked before Feb. 15; $300 after. For more information, call 267-2218.

Vintage races rev up

An AMMC Vintage Series snowmachine race will begin at noon, Jan. 30 at Houston Lodge. Cost is $25 per class and racers pay $5 fee each day. Door prizes, warming areas and food will be available. A second vintage event is at noon, Feb. 5 at Willow Lake. Cost is $25 for the first class per sled and $15 per each additional class. For more information, contact ammcracing@hotmail.com, or visit ammcracing.com.

Kids can ice fish Feb. 5

An ice-fishing derby for kids will be held at Knik Lake from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Feb. 5. Children ages 3 to 16 are invited to participate. Cost is $10 and all proceeds benefit the Alaska Make-A-Wish Foundation. For more information, call 715-4435.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation banquet is Jan. 29

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation banquet is Jan. 29 at Evangelo’s Restaurant. For more information, or tickets, call 746-4714.

Annual hunting banquet

scheduled for Feb. 22

The 14th annual Hunting Heritage Banquet is at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel at 4:30 p.m., Feb. 12. The National Wild Turkey Federation, Alaska Tundra Toms chapter are sponsoring the event. Activities include a buffet, live and silent auctions, general and special raffles, gun raffles and door prizes. Discounts available on raffle packets if purchased before Feb. 1.

For more information, call Dean at 947-5920 or Jim at 344-3914.

Mount Marathon

applications accepted

Applications for the 84th running of the Mount Marathon race in Seward during the July 4th holiday will be accepted through March 31. Race veterans and 2010 finishers have priority, with the remaining slots filled through a lottery system. Lottery results will be announced mid-April. Applications are online at seward.com. Cost is $45 for adults and $25 for juniors. For more information, call (907) 224-8051.