Trail-gating: Iditarod Restart a fan favorite

WILLOW — The Iditarod is known as the king of all long distance sled dog races, and for one Sunday in March Willow becomes the epicenter for the biggest day in Alaska mushing.

Fans from all over converge on the small Mat-Su Borough community to watch the top athletes in the sport take their first strides on a 1,000-mile journey to Nome.

“You can definitely tell who’s a tourist and who’s not,” spectator Carsten Gardner said with a laugh.

Fans see the Iditarod Restart as the ultimate Alaskan tailgate, as viewers watch sled dog teams kick off a sport that’s about Alaskan as it gets, according to Gardner.

“It’s what Alaska is all about,” Gardner said.

A majority of spectators stick toward the beginning of the chute near the announcers and food while others will trek down trails, go through neighborhoods and venture across frozen bodies of water to set up in their own spot. Local residents and cabin owners annually host parties that coincide with viewing the restart.

“It’s perfect. It just fits,” Gardner said.

Gardner sat atop a snowmachine near the beginning of the launch chute on Willow Lake, adjacent to the Willow Community Center. He just turned off his engine after helping an old couple from Texas down the chute for a better view. He wasn’t running a shuttle service however. The husband merely asked for help since his wife had a “bum knee.”

“Literally, I just felt bad for the poor guy,” Gardner said.

Gardner was actually there with his snowmachine because he was “voluntold” by his girlfriend Kyla Steward to help out at the Northrim Bank tent. Steward said that Northrim is one of the Lead Dog sponsors this year.

Gardner has been involved in the Iditarod for 10 years as a street groomer, ensuring the ceremonial snow on the streets of Anchorage are “buttery smooth” every year. He said that after all these years prepping the ceremonial start, this is his first time attending the restart in Willow.

“It’s kind of a weird, full-circle deal,” Gardner said. “I’ve done this for the last 10 years I might as well actually go out and watch the dog race for a change. Something different verses all the commercialized, pomp and circumstance stuff.”

Each year, Gardner grooms the snowy trails for the sprint races and ceremonial start. He said that he’s contracted by the city of Anchorage through the Hilltop Ski Area.

“Street maintenance brings me the snow and I groom it and I make it what it’s supposed to be: absolutely beautiful, buttery smooth. Ever since I’ve been doing it, they’ve loved it. Except that one year Jeff King rolled over the corner. That’s how it became known as ‘King’s corner,’” Gardner said.

Gardner said that he’s never really attended the ceremonial start as an event goer, since he is always so tired after all grooming.

“It’s kind of backwards of how it should be, put all that work into it then go, ‘I’m going home, going to bed boys; have fun.’” Gardner said.

Gardner said that the restart has a totally different atmosphere than the ceremonial start. He said that the ceremonial start is a lot more commercialized while the restart offers more of an authentic Alaskan experience.

“Here, it’s just more of a hometown, backyard barbeque kind of feel. Go out with your neighbors and have fun,” Gardner said.

Dave and Kelly Wallace stood on the side of the trail on a small frozen lake just off Wilford Lane, waiting at the corner of where each musher took their first left turn toward Nome. There was a handful of people around them. Dave said that they chose that spot to get away from the crowd and to watch the mushers head down Long Lake. He and Kelly wished every musher good luck as they passed.

“These dogs are amazing athletes,” Kelly said.

This is Kelly’s first time watching the restart and it’s Dave’s second time. They attended the Fur Rondy festival in Anchorage and watched the ceremonial start.

“This is kind of capping off our Fur Rondy weekend,” Kelly said.

Dave said that the pleasant weather definitely aided the spectating experience this year. He said it was great seeing other spectators in the distance, trickling down the trail towards Long Lake for several miles, wishing the mushers luck on their journey. He said that unlike other sports, this sense of comradery is the norm.

“It’s that survival aspect,” Dave said.

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