John Stewart will be racing more than 1,150 miles over the roughest, toughest and most stunning terrain that Mother Nature has to offer.

The 24-year-old from Aviemore will become the youngest ever musher from Europe to race in the world famous Iditarod dog sled race in Alaska.

The race gets under way this Saturday, and Stewart and his dogs have been training in the United States for the past three months ahead of the big-money contest.

They will face temperatures which could plunge to -50C as they battle their way from the state capital of Anchorage, to Nome on the western Bering Sea coast.

Each of the teams of 12 to 16 dogs will face the sternest physical test, with the winner expected to cross the finish line in 10 days and the back markers taking up to 17 days.

En route, Stewart, an oil industry deep sea diver, will face jagged mountain ranges, frozen rivers, dense forest, desolate tundra and miles of windswept coast, long lonely hours of darkness and white-out conditions.

The former pupil at Kingussie High School said: "It will be just me and my 18 dogs and whatever hell remote Alaska can throw at us.

"No-one will come and get us for a good while if we get lost. There are no warm hotels around the corner.

"I'll have to feed myself and the dogs in -30C for 11 days, sleep as best I can and try and keep awake at all other times.

"I'll also have to look out for moose and packs of wolves which are always on the trail."

Stewart, who will be the second youngest competitor in this year's Iditarod, added: "I hope to do well in the 'rookie' section for first timers and finish the race in around 11 days.

"I want to get my £3,000 entry fee back - and, hopefully, pick something else up. It's also very important to me that I finish with my dogs still fit and healthy."

Stewart has 23 dogs with him at present but only 18 will race.

Dog sled racing is in the family blood for Stewart, whose parents, Alan and Fiona, run the Cairngorm Dog Sled Centre on Rothiemurchus Estate.

Proud dad Alan said: "Logistically, this race is unreal. John's been training and racing since November with his dogs.

John Stewart mushing his dogs during the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race in Wyoming earlier this year. Chris Havener

"His training runs alone have been 135 miles and require him to sleeping out in temperatures as low as -30C. Fortunately, he has a fancy sleeping bag which should keep him warm even at -50C. More people have climbed Mount Everest than completed the Iditarod.

"Since he was six-years-old, John has lived, worked and trained with sleddogs. He has raced with the very best mushers around from Montana to the Yukon and many people have played their part in his sleddog career.

"Now it's up to him - but I know he will do Scotland proud."

Mr Stewart met up with his son in Calgary and earlier this week the pair travelled up to Alaska where they will be joined by Fiona, for Saturday's start.

Father and son are currently staying in the flying school office and hangar on an airfield outside of the state capital.

Speaking from there, Mr Stewart said: "John is in full race mode and says the first 400 miles will see his race plan develop.

"He's up against the very best in the world but he's happy with his dogs and his ability at this level."

As part of his Iditarod preparation, Stewart competed in the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race in Wyoming earlier this year.

He finished tenth overall, in what is the largest sled dog race in the lower 48 of the United States.

Stewart covered 325 miles in 25 hours 15 minutes and 43 seconds, which took place over eight days. His best stage result was a fourth place.

As part of his learning curve, the young Scot has been staying in Montana with Iditarod legend, Doug Swingley, a four-times winner, which will stand him in good stead.

His employers diving company, Acergy, have helped sponsor his Iditarod venture.

The route of the Iditarod, now a National Historic Trail, had its beginnings as a mail and supply route, with gold coming out in the opposite direction.

In 1925, part of the Iditarod Trail became a life-saving highway for epidemic-stricken Nome. Diptheria serum had to be brought in by intrepid mushers and their dogs.

musgrove_g@spp-group.com

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