The 2025 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race officially starts Monday, March 3 in Fairbanks. Traditionally, mushers depart for Nome from Willow in the Mat-Su Valley every year, but insufficient snow in some sections of that route this year have convinced race officials to relocate the race start.

This is officially called the Iditarod "Restart" because there is a ceremonial start in Anchorage on Saturday, March 1. That day does not count in the standings - it's only for show in Alaska's largest city. But come Monday, March 3, the mushers are on the lock as they depart the restart. 

The Iditarod is Alaska's marquee sporting event, as mushers from around the world travel here with their teams of dogs to compete for Iditarod glory. While winning would be spectacular, just finishing the race is a testament to every musher and their dogs - more people on Earth have reached the summit of Mount Everest than have finished an Iditarod.

Teams will start with 14 dogs, and mushers typically travel with a full team for the first stages of the race before dropping dogs at checkpoints, where they are evaluated by veterinarians and then flown home by volunteers of the Iditarod Air Force.

Once the race begins you can follow the progress of the mushers at the Iditarod's web site, which has real-time information on when mushers check into and out of checkpoints. That can be misleading, however, as mushers may sign in to a checkpoint, grab their supplies and then check out within minutes, only to camp a few miles outside of the checkpoint as a strategy to keep their competitors guessing. The Iditarod also offers "Insider" packages that take you deeper into race coverage, including live video and more. They also offer the Iditarider auction every year. Winning bidders have the opportunity to be in the sled of a musher during the ceremonial start in Anchorage.