a dog mushing team pulls their sled and musher along a snowy trail with trees and hills in the distance

Dogsledding was for generations the primary way Iñupiat traveled overland in the winter months. Today, dog mushing is still happening in Northwest Alaska, with winter trails being multi-use and shared by snowmachines, dogs, and the occasional skier or fat-tire bike. The Kobuk 440 is the dog sled race of note in the region, crossing Selawik Refuge along its route.