Iditarod says it plans to maintain southern route for 2025 race

The Iditarod Trail Committee said Friday it intends to maintain the southern route for the 2025 edition of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Low snowpack throughout much of Alaska had put the southern route, traditionally raced in odd-numbered years, in jeopardy. The committee said earlier in the month that it was evaluating an alternative route for the thousand-mile race from Willow to Nome.

But the organization said in a prepared statement Friday that “after extensive trail flyovers, on-the-ground reports from snow machiners and information from Checkpoint communities, the current weather conditions will allow for the race to run” as originally planned.

The Iditarod’s northern and southern routes diverge at the Ophir checkpoint. During odd years, the race heads south and west through the ghost town of Iditarod, followed by Shageluk, Anvik, Grayling and Eagle Island. The northern route, run in even-numbered years, heads up through Cripple, Ruby, Galena and Nulato. The two routes meet again at Kaltag, where mushers continue in a push to the Norton Sound coast.

Race organizers did say that course modifications may be necessary — including at the March 2 official restart, depending on snow coverage at Willow Lake, the traditional start point.

If changes were made, it would not impact the remaining southern route, organizers said.

The ceremonial start is still scheduled for downtown Anchorage on March 1.

Thirty-four mushers have signed up for the 2025 Iditarod, according to the race’s website. Eighteen are veteran Iditarod racers, including 2023 champion Ryan Redington and three-time champion Mitch Seavey.