Iditarod director says crumbled Burled Arch will be replaced in time for 2025 race

NOME, Alaska (KTUU) - After the storied Burled Arch crumbled into pieces in Nome over the weekend, Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Director Mark Nordman said Monday that he’s working with the City of Nome to replace the arch in time for next year’s edition of the Last Great Race on Earth.

“If you look at the old one at all, you know, there’s just odd growths that come off of it in different pieces,” Nordman said, “and, you know, there’s a lot of character in the wood.”

Nome Mayor John Handeland said the likely culprit is wood rot, given the age of the nearly 25-year-old arch. Handeland said he put pieces of the iconic arch — which marks the end of the annual thousand-mile race — in his truck after finding them sprawled across snow and slush on Saturday.

Nordman said he and Handeland have already identified a company to work with for a new arch, adding that it’s important for the replacement to also “have character.” The last arch was hand-selected and took 500 hours to construct.

While a tree hasn’t been selected yet, Nordman guaranteed there will be a new arch crafted by the 2025 race.

“Put my life on it,” he said.

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