A burled spruce log destined to become the new finish line of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race has been selected. Veteran Iditarod musher Ramey Smyth is leading the effort to build the new arch.
The third iteration of the arch will be carved from white spruce found near Seward, the site of the iconic sled dog race’s historic start line. Smyth, a 27-time Iditarod finisher, says the approximately 5,000-pound log was selected after a summer-long search.
Once logs for the arch and support pillars are prepared — stripped of bark, sanded, and polished — they’ll need time to dry, a process Smyth says can take months. Then, the musher and log home builder will get to work on making his next mark on Iditarod history, an assignment he holds in high regard.
“The first moment I was selected, I understood the responsibility and what it means to Alaska. The arch really symbolizes teamwork and follow-through,” Smyth said. “I feel very honored to be a part of everybody’s race who gets to do it.”
Smyth’s involvement brings a deep personal connection to the project, given his family’s rich history with the race. His mother Lolly Medley was one of the two first women to compete in the event. His father, Bud Smyth, raced in the first-ever Iditarod back in 1973.
While Smyth doesn’t plan to race in the upcoming Iditarod, he’s committed to ensuring that the arch is ready to welcome future mushers and their supporters to Nome.
“I’m going to have people in Alaska in mind when I’m working on the arch,” Smyth said.
City of Nome Mayor John Handeland announced at a city council meeting last week that Nome’s Marty Silvernail will help build the platform the arch will rest on. The second iteration of the iconic burled arch collapsed last April after serving for over two decades. Handeland feels confident that with Silvernail’s help, the new arch will serve for generations to come.
“All I can say is that if Marty is involved in the process, it’s not going to fall down in 20 years or whatever. It’ll be built like a brick,” Handeland said.
Once complete, the arch will be flown from Smyth’s shop in Willow to Nome, just in time for the March finish of next year’s race.
