Stewardship Work

Recent Work on the Trail

1. 

   2026

   Rainforest trails, Seward to Moose Pass

   This summer, Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance helped sponsor trail improvements on approximately 10 miles of Iditarod National Historic Trail between Seward and Moose Pass. This region of the trail traverses a temperate coastal rainforest ecosystem. Upwards of 70 inches of rainfall per year means brush grows fast and wet trail and flooding are common.

   From The Tripod, Fall 2026, page 3

2. 

   2026

   Clearing the trail before the race

   Thank you to the crew of six volunteers who spent nearly two weeks on the ground in February preparing the trail in advance of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Three of those days were spent clearing eight miles of tree blow-down in the Farewell Lake area between the checkpoints of Rohn and Nikolai. Iditarod Trail Committee managed the project. The Alliance funded trail maintenance supplies, travel and fuel costs.

   From The Tripod, Fall 2026, page 2

3. 

   2025

   Repairs after Typhoon Halong

   Here’s an example: Late in 2025 we quickly provided funds to repair damage caused by Typhoon Halong. As a result, Topkok safety cabin and seventy miles of trail between Unalakleet and Kaltag will be ready to use this winter.

   From Annual Report, FY2025, page 2

Earlier Projects

1. 2014

   Farewell Lake

   Farewell Lake area was severely damaged by the 2010 Turquoise Lake fire and subsequent erosion. A major project with the Iditarod Trail Committee in the fall of 2014 helped repair the trail!

2. 2013

   Waymark signs, Alaska Range to the Yukon

   In 2013, the first ever system of Waymark Signs were installed on the Iditarod NHT on a 260 mile segment of the trail system between the Alaska Range and the Yukon River. The effort included 285 mileage signs, place name signs, and directional arrows. Four community partner groups and BLM staff installed the signs at remote, pre-identified locations after traveling hundreds of miles by snowmachine to installation locations. The Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance provided funding for sign acquisition and shipping ($8,400) and $22,000 of grants to local groups and government to cover the cost of fuel and supplies for winter work along remote sections of the Trail. This sign project will continue as we look to provide waymarking signs where needed throughout the trail!!