Iditarod Trail Committee Board of Directors confirm southern route for Iditarod XLVI

ANCHORAGE — The ITC Board of Directors has confirmed that the 2018 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race will follow the southern route. The southern route has not been run since 2013 because of inadequate snowfall and poor trail conditions.

“We are very much looking forward to returning to the communities of Iditarod, Shageluk, Anvik and Grayling, as well as the Eagle Island checkpoint, all that are situated along the southern route,” said Mark Nordman, Iditarod Trail Committee race director and race marshal. “We value the longstanding support from these communities and look forward to bringing the race back to this route.”

Since January, Iditarod Trail Committee staff and crews have been monitoring trail conditions closely. To make sure the southern route was ready for 2018, Iditarod trailbreakers - with support from the Iditarod Historic Trail Association and the Mat-Su Borough - made several improvements to the southern route Iditarod trail that included removing downed trees, brush and updating trail markers along the trail route. The crews worked to ensure the safest route possible as wilderness travel allows for mushers and their team of canine athletes.

Pending trail conditions, the ITC is also committed to running the 2019 Iditarod along the southern route. ITC takes the utmost care in providing the highest caliber and safest race possible for the field of 68 teams that are entered for Iditarod XLVI. The ceremonial start of Iditarod XLVI takes place Saturday, March 3, at 10 a.m. in downtown Anchorage at the corner of Fourth Avenue and D Street. The official restart will follow on Sunday, March 4, at 2 p.m. in Willow.