Fairbanks community prepares to host 2025 Iditarod restart

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU/KTVF) - The 2025 Iditarod dogsled race is scheduled to have its restart in Fairbanks on Monday, March 3.

Beginning at 11 a.m., teams will take off from in front of Pike’s Waterfront Lodge every two minutes, passing under a nearby arch before traveling on the Chena River.

This year marks the fourth time Fairbanks has hosted the event — the first since 2017.

In anticipation of the event, people are preparing the area for the restart.

According to Howie Thies, Fairbanks Coordinator for the race, this process involves moving and grooming snow, plowing out a field, and getting a right-of-way permit from the State of Alaska.

It also involves marking the trail around the area. Organizers with the Iditarod, according to Pike’s Chief Operations Officer Michelle Davis, are coming up to the lodge on Sunday to set up barriers and other parts of the race.

Thies has been organizing the event in Fairbanks since the 2003 Iditarod, and since then, he said a lot of people show up.

“This year, for example, they’re going to take 1,000 kids in school buses and take them down to Broadmoor [Avenue], so they can go in the river and watch it, which is great for the kids, but the community will show up even though it’s Monday and they’ve got to work. The place will be a disaster, I’m sure, but we got it organized so that it’ll all be fenced off. They can go to the river,” Thies said.

Because parking in the area of the restart is limited, those attending are asked to take a bus service from the Carlson Center, which will start at 8 a.m.

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