The 2025 Iditarod begins on Saturday. Here is what to know.

The Iditarod Trail Dog Race looks very different this year due to historically scarce snow.

The competition begins on Saturday with a shortened ceremonial start in anchoring. For the fourth time in Iditarod history, the teams will officially start their race in Fairbanks on Monday. From there they will rise Nome.

Here is what you need to know about this year's Iditarod:

When exactly does the Iditarod start?

Iditarod begins on Saturday, March 1st, with a parade -like celebration in Anchorage.

The 33 Musers will prepare their sled dogs in the city center in the early morning. The event officially begins at 10 a.m. with ceremonies and then starts the teams in three minutes from Fourth Avenue and D Street in three minutes shortly after 10:30 a.m.

Instead of traveling the typical 11 miles through the city, the teams will run around 1.5 miles and end in the Sullivan Arena.

Read more Here About the route and where you can watch.

Next: the official start in Fairbanks on Monday.

After the ceremonial start, Musher and her dogs will start around 350 miles north at 11 a.m. in the Pike's Waterfront Lodge.

Wait. Why does the race start in Fairbanks?

Radio officers looked at a section of the path about a quarter of the path into the normal racetrack. The area, often referred to as a farewell burn, is known for its low snow conditions, but the latest photos in the region show particularly bumpy, bumpy terrain this year.

Iron Dog Snowmachine Racers, who moved this part of the path, described him as “frozen tundra and straight hell”.

Has that ever happened before?

Yes indeed! This is the fourth time that the race runs from Fairbanks due to poor hiking conditions.

The trail last started in 2017 from Fairbanks. This year Mitch Seavey won the race for the third time and broke the Record for the fastest time In 8 days, 3 hours, 40 minutes and 13 seconds. He races this year too.

Iditarod also moved north to Fairbanks in 2015 and 2003, because snow was lacking.

Local business owners shared the Switch at the last minute to the KUAC partner station KUAC Was like the carnival into the city.

How long does the way take?

About 1.128 miles, longer than all previous Iditarod routes.

Why is this path longer? What is different?

The Iditarod Trail is usually about 1,000 miles.

In odd years, teams usually travel the southern route, which is estimated on 998 miles. In even years they drive on the northern route, 975 miles. When the teams from Fairbanks drove the last time, the officers estimated the path length of 979 miles.

What is different this year: a loop.

The new way west of Fairbanks, which came through Nenana, Manley, Tanana, Ruby, Galena and Nulato before reaching Kalag. From Kaltag, Musher will become south through Eagle Island, Grayling, Anvik and Shageluk before pouring back in Kaltag. From there, the route is mostly the same – through Unalakleet, shaktoolics, Koyuk, Elim, White Mountain and Security, then Nome.

How many dogs are in a team?

Musher must bring out the race with at least 12 dogs from fairbanks, but can have up to 16.

The race previously only allowed up to 14 dogs, but brought back a rule last year This increased the maximum to 16 dogs per team. The Iditarod Had no limit On the number of dogs in the early days.

For various reasons, Musers will “fall” on the racing path for various reasons. How Injuries, illnesses or simply not the setting to the breed. When a dog is dropped, keeping veterinarians in the eye on every checkpoint until they rise an airplane for an anchorage or nome.

Require racing rules Every musher has at least five dogs pulling his sled when he crosses the finish line.

(Musher only have eight dogs at the start of the ceremonies.)

How often do teams keep on their way?

The teams have to take 24-hour break at a checkpoint of their choice. You also need two 8-hour breaks, one on the Yukon River and the others in White Mountain, the second to the last checkpoint on the way about 71 miles from the finish line.

Outside the obligatory breaks, Musher will stop at control points much more times to feed their dogs and rest them. Some also stop and camp along the way.

After leaving fair banks, Musher will go through 19 checkpoints before reaching Nome.

How are trail conditions?

Snowy from Fairbanks to Nome, said race director Mark Nordman.

The Fairbanks route enables Musher to avoid one of the technical trace of Willow. But the flatter path through the interior presents its own challenges, said Nordman.

“It will be a really exciting race that demands in another way,” he said. “(If) flat, you have to manage your team because you like to tear and take off.”

Nordman said that he received several reports on strong ice along the route and was not concerned about open water.

Who will compete this year?

There are 33 Musers: 16 newbies and 17 veterans. It was connected to the smallest racing field in history in 2023, and it is a piece of the 2008 record racing when 96 Musher was on the way.

This year's teams include two former champions: 2023 champion Ryan Edington and the three-time Champion Mitch Seavey, who returns after a two-year break.

In the Musher's hostile, there is no Six painted Champion Dallas Seavey2019 -Champion Pete Kaiser and Champion from 2018, Joar Leifseth Ulsom, as well as frequent top candidates such as Jessie Royer and Richie Diehl.

What can Musher win?

There is a lot on the table.

The officials have not announced the total price balance this year, but say that it will be at least 550,000 US dollars – the same amount as in the previous year. The amount that Musers wins depends on the number of finisher and the way they work in the race. The first up to 20th place will receive the highest payments. All of them, which ends, receive 2,000 US dollars.

Last year the first place, Dallas Seavey, received a check of $ 55,900.

Musher can also win a variety of prices and awards to be the first in certain control points.

When can we expect a winner?

The first team usually arrives about 8 days after starting in Nome. Based on the last run of Fairbanks of Iditarod in 2017 and an additional around 130 miles, we can expect this year's champion on Wednesday, March 12th.

How do I follow?

Alaska Public Media and our partner stations, including Knom in Nome and Kuac in Fairbanks, have online and on the radio throughout the race. Keep an eye on Alaskapublic.org/iditarod For the latest trail stories. The Iditarod itself also has different reports on its paid Iditarod insider subscriptions.

What did we miss?

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