Iditarod veteran Ramey Smyth to build new Burled Arch
NOME, Alaska (KTUU) - The Burled Arch marking the end of the Iditarod trail will be rebuilt by a familiar name.
Iditarod veteran Ramey Smyth will create a new finish line arch for the last great race in Nome, according to race officials, after the current one collapsed last month due to wood rot. The most recent edition of the Burled Arch had greeted racers since 2000.
Race Director Mark Nordman said in a statement that Smith’s family has been entrenched in the Iditarod since Smith was a little boy, as the son of Iditarod mushers Bud Smyth — a competitor in the first Iditarod — and Lolly Medley, who raced in the second running in 1974.
“The current arch will be dearly missed by tourists and locals alike this summer, but we are so excited to see what Ramey builds for the next phase of Iditarod history,” Nordman said.
Smyth has racked up 26 finishes in 27 attempts over 30 years, starting in 1994 when he finished 21st as a rookie. Smyth has 12 top-10 finishes, with a top result of second place in 2011, and has earned over $623,000 in prize winnings over his career.
The arch collapsed April 27, likely due to wood rot, according to Nome Mayor John Handeland. Nordman later announced that the arch would be rebuilt in time for the 2025 running.
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