Iditarod begins in Alaska after lack of snow caused a location change

Fairbanks, Alaska. Image by Amy Meredith / CC BY 2.0

The competitive portion of Alaska’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race began in Fairbanks, Alaska, on Monday. Officials had to move the competitive start of the 1000-mile dog sled race from Willow to Fairbanks after concern grew over unsafe sections of the route in the traditional starting line resulting from a lack of snow. Not to break tradition, artificial snow was hauled in and a ceremonial start was held in Willow on Saturday. The race commemorates a 1925 mission that delivered diphtheria serum via dog sled relay to Nome, Alaska, in the western part of the state. Read more: reuters.com