Only once in its 42-year history has the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race not started from Southcentral Alaska.
In 2003, a lack of snow forced organizers to move the restart to Fairbanks. Instead of setting out from Willow, mushers and their teams left from the Chena River, passing under bridges and past the historic steamboat Discovery.
Late Tuesday, the Iditarod board of directors voted unanimously to move the restart to Fairbanks for the second time, citing poor snow coverage on rugged portions of the tradition race trail. A ceremonial start is still scheduled for Anchorage.