Worker swaps heat for the Alaskan chill

A Pilbara mine worker has put his winter thongs on early this year and headed off to Alaska to take part in one of the toughest dog sled races in the world.

Christian Turner has been in and out of Karratha for the past few years, working in the iron ore industry to fund his desire to compete in the Iditarod dog sled race, billed as the last great race among those in the know.

Turner said he discovered the world of dog sledding on a trip to Canada, and had wanted to race in the Iditarod ever since.

"Just to throw things into perspective, more people have climbed Mt Everest than have finished the Iditarod sled dog race," he said.

"Oh, and there is no other land animal that travels as far in such a short time as the amazing Alaskan husky."

While working in the Pilbara presents its own dangers, mainly in the form of extreme heat, tripping on spinifex bushes and the mythical gully monster, Turner said the Alaskan wilderness had a whole new set of dangers to grow accustomed to.

Mr Turner said the extreme cold was the biggest issue, and competitors always had the thought of bears and wolves in the back of their minds.

In true Pilbara style, Turner said he would never feel alone because he had the best company in the world with his 16 dogs.

The race begins this Saturday and takes competitors between 10 and 15 days to complete the 1600km course.

Turner is the third Australian, and the youngest, to qualify for the event.