Iditarod restart moved to Fairbanks

WASILLA — There will be no stop in Willow this year.

For the third time in the history of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, mushers will head north for the official restart.

According to a press released issued by the Iditarod Trail Committee Friday morning, the ITC Board of Directors voted unanimously to move the restart from Willow to Fairbanks due to poor conditions along key stretches of the trail in the Alaska Range. Now, for the first time since 2015 and third since 2003, Fairbanks will be the official home of the restart.

“While some snow did fall easy of the Alaska Range over the past couple of weeks, other critical areas along the trail received very little snowfall, if any at all, including the trail into Rainy Pass,” ITC Race Directory Mark Nordman said in the press release. “Additionally, trail conditions leading up to both Ptarmigan Pass and Dalzell Gorge are still considered unsafe at this time for the teams participating in this year’s race.”

In 2015, the race was moved to Fairbanks mainly due to the poor conditions in Dalzell Gorge, the stretch in question again this year. Dalzell Gorge is part of the route between the checkpoints at Rainy Pass and Rohn. Known as one of the most difficult stretches, Dalzell Gorge leads mushers down a steep slope to the Tatina River.

Ptarmigan Pass is also between the Rainy Pass and Rohn checkpoints. Mushers follow their teams through Ptarmigan Pass from Rainy Pass Lodge to Pass Creek. That section precedes Dalzell Gorge.

Earlier this month, the ITC released information indicating race officials were concerned about these stretches of trail.

With the move of the restart to Fairbanks, the 73 teams in the field will participate in the ceremonial start, slated for Saturday, March 4 at 10 a.m., before making the trip to the Interior. The restart is scheduled for Monday, March 6 in Fairbanks.

The exact location in Fairbanks for the restart was not immediately available.

The route from Fairbanks to the finish in Nome, will lead mushers across 979 miles of trial and through 16 checkpoints before Nome.