Iditarod moves to start in Fairbanks
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU) - The Iditarod Trail Committee announced Monday afternoon that the official start of the 2025 Iditarod Sled Dog Race will be in Fairbanks.
The move from Willow to Fairbanks comes after multiple conversations on the lack of snowfall. According to the committee, the on-the-ground data that the Trail Breakers provided today after their assessment has deemed the Southern Route as unpassable.
“Our Trail Breaker crew has just spent over a week prepping the trail from Skwentna through to Rohn, historically the most challenging terrain of the race. After a heavy discussion with our lead Trail Breaker and other friends of the race including local knowledge, and with no new snow on the horizon, there is simply no way we can allow the teams to progress through that 20-mile stretch just before the Salmon River, 20 miles from Nikolai. It is a shame because the remainder of the trail is in great shape all the way to Nome,” Warren Palfrey, the race marshall, said.
The race will now start at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 3, one day later than initially scheduled.
The new route will run from Fairbanks, Nenana, Manley, Tanana, Ruby, Galena, Nulato, Kaltag 1, Eagle Island 1, Grayling 1, Anvik, Shageluk, then looping back upriver to Grayling 2, Eagle Island 2, Kaltag 2, then to Unalakleet, then continuing onto Nome using the traditional checkpoints between Unalakleet and Nome.
The ceremonial start will still be in Downtown Anchorage on Saturday, March 1, at 10 a.m.
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