2019 Iditarod: More than 50 teams will leave Willow on a trek toward Nome

WILLOW — Dozens of mushers from around the world will make their way toward Nome at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Re-Start Sunday at 2 p.m. in Willow.

Mushers and teams in the Last Great Race will traverse more than 900 miles of Alaska’s raw and unforgiving wilderness. The official re-start will be at the Willow Community Center near Willow Lake and according to Iditarod Race Director and Race Marshal Mark Nordman, the trail ahead is ready for the race.

“It’s a real nice trail. We’ve had our crew working out on the trail, getting it all set over the Alaska Range. The amount of snow has been perfect for us,” Nordman said.

Nordman said that overflow is an issue every year but it’s not anything Iditarod crew and mushers can’t handle. He said that anything can happen with the weather and it can change on a whim.

“I’m feeling really comfortable about the trail,” Nordman said.

Nordman said the combination of warm weather and heavy snowfall created overflow “here and there” but the trail system as a whole is ready to go. He said there are six volunteers on trail breaking crew this year whom were satisfied with the trail conditions.

“My trailbreakers are thrilled,” Nordman said.

Nordman said that they will not be parking the musher’s vehicles on the lake this year due to the overflow. He said that he’s been involved with the Iditarod since 1983 as either as a racer, judge, race director, or race marshal. He said that this arrangement reminded him of earlier years and it’s been some time since they did it like this.

“This is what we did for years. We’re just not comfortable with the amount of overflow on the lake but it’s not affecting the race at all. It’s just the parking of dog trucks,” Nordman said.

Competing mushers will travel across Willow Lake, Long Lake, Crystal Lake and Vera Lake this year and they will take a slightly different route from Vera Lake to the Susitna River, bypassing Deshka Landing, according to a recent press release.

“Instead of mushing up the ‘Big Swamp Trail’ and taking the Corral Hill Trail past Deshka Landing to the Susitna River, mushers will veer West sooner, taking the Rolly Creek Trail to the Susitna River. This route change was made to avoid a jumble of ice on the Susitna River,” Iditarod officials said in the release.

Nordman stated during a media briefing on Wednesday, Feb. 27, which was used in the subsequent press release.

According to Nordman, the trail breaking crew is always 24 hours ahead of the racers and they are currently working their way up to Nome.

“They just want to make sure everything’s marked early,” Nordman said.

Nordman said that the Iditarod Trail Committee makes it point to run over the historic trails with the classic checkpoints with rural Alaskans counting on the race each year.

“It’s something that brings so much to the communities all along the trail. That’s what we do. That’s our purpose,” Nordman said.

Nordman said that he could spend two weeks going over all the changes the Last Great Race has gone through over the years. He said that essentially, every aspect of the race has changed.

“Lots of change, like anything,” Nordman said.

He used NASCAR as an example of how organized races evolve with technology, society and the course of history. He said that NASCAR used to run over dirt tracks and now it’s this huge enterprise with cars zooming around the iconic paved oval. He said that the Iditarod has kept up with the times as well.

“Iditarod, the equipment, the nutrition, the dog care, the support. Pretty much in every way the race has changed,” Nordman said. “There’s always innovation that our mushers have brought to the table and on and on and on.”

Nordman said that personally, his favorite part of this annual Alaskan adventure is all the relationships that developed all across the trail over the years with all the people from Rural Alaska. He also enjoys seeing mushers complete their goals and making it all the way to Nome.

“Alaska, land of Adventure; land of people trying to conquer their dreams and Iditarod sure can be that for many people,” Nordman said.

Nordman said that he sees a “bright future” for the Iditarod, a self-sustaining future with the new generation of rookies riding alongside seasoned veterans.

“We’ve got wonderful younger mushers that have come in and our veterans are still there racing against them. Pretty much the skies the limit,” Nordman said. “I know the state loves this sport. We do have our detractors but as long as you believe in anything you do, you will be successful at it and I think we have been and will be.”

Working to accommodate race fans while minimizing traffic congestion, the Iditarod Trail Committee is encouraging anyone interested in viewing the re-start in Willow to catch a shuttle there. The mushers will be using parking areas usually used by spectators due to the lake’s ice conditions, according to the release. Shuttle services will be available in Anchorage, Houston, Wasilla and Talkeetna.

Spectators that drive up on their own will need to park across the highway and according to the release, parking is limited. Parking cost $10 per vehicle. The general public will not be allowed to park in the Willow Community Center parking lot but handicapped parking will be available near the center’s entrance.

For more information, see iditarod.com.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com

Shuttle schedule and price guide provided by the Iditarod Trail Committee

Anchorage:

Departures: buses will depart The Lakefront Anchorage Hotel at the following times: 9 a.m. (volunteer bus only), 10 a.m. (volunteers and spectators) 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. (spectators).

Returns: the return buses will depart Willow for The Lakefront Anchorage Hotel at 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Pricing: Tickets can be purchased at the volunteer registration desk at The Lakefront Anchorage Hotel.

● Volunteer: $15 per person, round trip

● Spectator: $25 per person, round trip

Wasilla:

Departures: buses will depart Wasilla High School at the following times: 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 12:15 p.m., 12:30 p.m., 12:45 p.m. and 1 p.m. Buses will also depart the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center at the following times: 8:45 a.m. (volunteer bus only), 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Returns: the return buses will depart Willow for Houston High School, the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center and Wasilla High School at 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Pricing: Spectators may purchase tickets on-site (cash only) for the Wasilla shuttles.

● Adult: $2 per person, round trip

● Children under 12: free

Iditarod volunteers needing transportation from the Wasilla area can catch a ride on a bus departing the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center at 9 a.m.

Houston:

Departures: buses will depart Houston High School at the following times: 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12 p.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Returns: the return buses will depart Willow for Houston High School, the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center and Wasilla High School at 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Pricing: spectators may purchase tickets on-site (cash only) for the Houston shuttles.

● Adult: $2 per person, round trip

● Children under 12: free

Talkeetna:

Departures: buses will depart the Talkeetna Sunshine Restaurant at the following times: 11 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Returns: the return buses will depart Willow for the Talkeetna Sunshine Restaurant at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Pricing: Spectators may purchase tickets on-site (cash only) for the Talkeetna shuttles.

● Adult: $2 per person, round trip

● Children under 12: free

2019 Iditarod field

2 Anja Radano F Talkeetna AK USA Veteran

3 Matt Hall M Two Rivers AK USA Veteran

4 Mats Pettersson M Kiruna SWEDEN Veteran

5 Jessie Holmes M Willow AK USA Veteran

6 Ramey Smyth M Willow AK USA Veteran

7 Shaynee Traska F Gladwin MI USA Veteran

8 Kristin Bacon F Big Lake AK USA Veteran

9 Peter Kaiser M Bethel AK USA Veteran

10 Anna Berington F Knik AK USA Veteran

11 Blair Braverman F Mountain WI USA Rookie

12 Jason Campeau M Rocky Mountain House AB CANADA Veteran

13 Lev Shvarts M Willow AK USA Veteran

14 Jessie Royer F Fairbanks AK USA Veteran

15 Linwood Fiedler M Willow AK USA Veteran

16 Cindy Abbott F Willow AK USA Veteran

17 Matthew Failor M Willow AK USA Veteran

18 Emily Maxwell F Iowa City IA USA Veteran

19 Aliy Zirkle F Two Rivers AK USA Veteran

20 Nicolas Petit M Girdwood AK USA Veteran

21 Martin Buser M Big Lake AK USA Veteran

22 Ryan Redington M Skagway AK USA Veteran

23 Jeff King M Denali AK USA Veteran

24 Jessica Klejka F Wasilla AK USA Rookie

25 Jeff Deeter M Fairbanks AK USA Veteran

26 Kristy Berington F Knik AK USA Veteran

27 Marcelle Fressineau F Whitehorse YT CANADA Veteran

28 Joar Leifseth Ulsom M Mo i Rana NORWAY Veteran

29 Richie Diehl M Aniak AK USA Veteran

30 Victoria Hardwick F Bethel AK USA Rookie

31 Charley Bejna M Addison IL USA Veteran

32 Mitch Seavey M Seward AK USA Veteran

33 Ed Hopkins M Carcross YT CANADA Rookie

34 Robert Redington M Willow AK USA Veteran

35 Brett Bruggeman M Great Falls MT USA Veteran

36 Wade Marrs M Willow AK USA Veteran

37 Alison Lifka F Willow AK USA Rookie

38 Aaron Burmeister M Nome/Nenana AK USA Veteran

39 Martin Apayauq Reitan M Kaktovik AK USA Rookie

40 Paige Drobny F Fairbanks AK USA Veteran

41 Michael Baker M Willow AK USA Veteran

42 Niklas Wikstrand M Nes i Akershus NORWAY Rookie

43 Michi Konno M Willow AK USA Veteran

44 Lance Mackey M Fairbanks AK USA Veteran

45 Seth Barnes M Willow AK USA Veteran

46 Sebastien Dos Santos Borges M Chazey-Bons FRANCE Rookie

47 Aaron Peck M Grande Prairie AB CANADA Veteran

48 Jeremy Keller M Knik AK USA Veteran

49 Ryan Santiago M Sterling AK USA Rookie

50 Richie Beattie M Two Rivers AK USA Rookie