Iditarod Race Start Moved Due to Lack of Snow

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is moving its official start to Fairbanks due to a lack of snow on part of the trail. The ceremonial start remains on March 1 in Anchorage. Fairbanks, around 360 miles north, will host the official start two days later. This change marks the fourth time the start moved north, occurring before in 2003, 2015, and 2017. A 20-mile stretch from the Rohn to Nikolai checkpoints is impassable. Race Marshal Warren Palfrey highlighted safety concerns due to the snow shortage.

"After a heavy discussion with our lead Trail Breaker ... there is simply no way we can allow the teams to progress through that 20-mile stretch," Palfrey said. Safety for dogs, mushers, and volunteers is a top priority. Even under usual conditions, the trail is difficult. It features windblown gravel sandbars, high winds, rivers, and slippery ice. Mushers are encouraged to travel this area in convoys. The entire race spans about 1,000 miles to Nome. The winning team is expected to reach Nome approximately 10 days after starting. Thirty-three teams are set to compete. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)