Alaska Iditarod & Ski CME Adventure
March 6 – March 14, 2026
Sold Out

Experience winter wilderness medicine in one of the most remote and iconic settings in North America. This 8-night backcountry CME expedition follows the Iditarod Trail in Alaska, combining hands-on wilderness medicine education with skiing, snow travel, and cultural immersion during the annual Iditarod race.

The journey begins in Anchorage, where participants attend the Ceremonial Iditarod Start and take part in Fur Rondy events, before traveling by ski-equipped float plane to Shell Lake, located approximately 100 miles from the road system. From there, the group lives in custom-built primitive cabins on a frozen lake deep in the Alaskan backcountry.

Days are spent skiing along the Iditarod Trail, ice fishing, snowshoeing, and building snow shelters while learning practical winter wilderness medicine skills. Evenings include education sessions, shared meals, and time spent with the local community — including gathering around a bonfire on the second night of the Iditarod to watch sled dog teams pass through Shell Lake and, weather permitting, observe the northern lights.

Despite abundant snow, daytime conditions in March are described as comfortable, allowing for sustained outdoor activity without extreme cold. This small, private expedition is intentionally limited in size, creating an immersive learning environment centered on camaraderie, shared challenge, and real-world medical education in winter backcountry conditions.

This is not a classroom course.

This is an unforgettable winter wilderness medicine experience set along one of the world’s most legendary trails.

If you’ve been looking for a CME experience that feels less like a conference — and more like a winter expedition — this is it.

This expedition is designed for individuals who want to experience winter wilderness medicine in a remote Alaskan backcountry setting while participating in skiing, snow travel, and cultural events surrounding the Iditarod. Participants should be comfortable with cold-weather environments and group-based learning in primitive conditions.

This is a small, private group experience, limited to a small number of participants to foster close collaboration, shared learning, and camaraderie. Participants spend days skiing, traveling, and learning together, and evenings sharing meals, lectures, and community experiences around the Iditarod.

This is not a winter vacation — it’s a true backcountry expedition.

Over eight nights in Alaska, you’ll experience winter wilderness medicine in direct connection with the Iditarod Trail, combining skiing, snow travel, and hands-on medical education in one of the most remote environments in North America. The experience blends cultural immersion, outdoor travel, and practical learning in conditions where preparation and decision-making matter.

The trip begins in Anchorage, where participants attend the Ceremonial Iditarod Start and participate in Fur Rondy events, before traveling by ski-equipped float plane to Shell Lake, located roughly 100 miles from the road system. From there, the group lives in custom-built primitive cabins on a frozen lake, fully immersed in Alaska’s winter backcountry.

Wilderness medicine education is delivered through lectures and hands-on sessions focused on winter-specific skills. Participants practice shelter building, cold-weather assessment, and medical decision-making while skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, and traveling through snow-covered terrain — learning in the same environments where these skills are required.

This structure balances physical activity, education, and recovery throughout the expedition.

Yes, you’ll earn CME and FAWM credits — but more importantly, you’ll leave having:

This is the kind of experience that reshapes how you approach medicine, risk, and teamwork in winter environments.

8 Nights / 8 Days
Anchorage Shell Lake Anchorage

This winter CME expedition follows the Iditarod Trail and combines cultural events, backcountry travel, and wilderness medicine education in Alaska. Daily schedules may adjust slightly due to weather, snow conditions, or flight logistics.

Friday–Saturday, March 6–7

Anchorage

Sunday–Monday, March 8–9

Anchorage Shell Lake

Tuesday–Wednesday, March 10–11

Thursday, March 12

Friday, March 13

Saturday, March 14

Ground transportation and float plane travel within Alaska are included.

Trip preparation resources:

The goal of this course is to provide participants with a winter backcountry environment to experience essential medically related topics and develop practical skills through lectures, hands-on workshops, training modules, and outdoor excursions.

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

    •    ACCME Statement: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of the Wilderness Medical Society and Wild Med Adventures, LLC. The Wilderness Medical Society is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    •    The Wilderness Medical Society designates this educational activity for a maximum of 14 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits TM. Each physician should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

    •    All educational content presented in this activity has been reviewed and validated as appropriate in keeping with sound scientific principles.

Andrew Park, DO, MPH, DiMM
Sameer Sethi, MD, FAWM

Educational instruction for this course is provided by the Wild Med Adventures faculty, who are responsible solely for the medical education and CME components of the program.

All trip logistics, winter travel leadership, and backcountry activity coordination are led by experienced Wild Med Instructors, whose teams bring extensive experience in winter wilderness environments. Wild Med Adventures faculty are not responsible for participant decision-making, personal conduct, or non-educational risks associated with outdoor activities.

Participants are responsible for their own conduct, preparation, and participation in all skiing, snow travel, and recreational activities. Wild Med Adventures is not responsible for injuries, illness, or emergencies related to transportation, lodging, or non-educational components of the trip.

Faculty assignments may change based on availability.

Full payment is due 90 days prior to the course start date.
A $500 late fee will be added for payments received after this deadline, or your spot may be forfeited.

Participants should carry:

Trip insurance is recommended to cover missed flights, weather delays, illness, or other travel disruptions. Global Rescue, or an equivalent provider, is recommended.

Participation in this course involves winter backcountry travel in remote Alaskan environments. Activities may include skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, snow shelter construction, float plane travel, and prolonged exposure to cold weather. These activities inherently involve risk, including but not limited to injury, illness, environmental exposure, delayed evacuation, wildlife encounters, transportation delays, and weather-related disruptions.

Wild Med Adventures faculty are responsible only for the medical education and CME components of this course. They are not responsible for participant decision-making, personal conduct, skiing ability, snow travel, weather conditions, equipment use, or transportation logistics.

All participants are responsible for their own actions and safety during skiing, winter travel, lodging, and recreational activities. Wild Med Adventures is not responsible for injuries, illness, or emergencies related to non-educational components of the trip.

This course requires participants to tolerate cold-weather conditions, remote lodging, and physical activity in snow-covered terrain. Participants are responsible for assessing their own physical condition, medical readiness, and ability to participate safely prior to enrollment. This course is not appropriate for individuals unable to tolerate winter backcountry environments.

Rescue and evacuation insurance covering remote and austere environments is required for participation.
Personal medical insurance is strongly recommended.
Trip insurance is strongly recommended to cover delays, missed connections, weather disruptions, or trip interruption.
Participants are solely responsible for obtaining and maintaining appropriate insurance coverage.

Participants are responsible for securing all required domestic travel documents for travel within the United States. Travel requirements may change and vary based on individual circumstances.

By enrolling in and participating in this course, participants acknowledge and accept the inherent risks associated with winter wilderness travel, backcountry skiing, snow-based activities, and remote environments, and agree to assume full responsibility for their participation.