article_snippet: (CNN)An unseasonably warm winter has left parts of Alaska's Iditarod trail without snow, exposing grass and gravel and forcing Alaska's famed Iditarod race to move 225 miles north.
article_snippet: Opening ceremonies in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race kick off Saturday in Anchorage.
article_snippet: When Alaska's famed Iditarod race begins Monday, mushers will cross the starting line in Fairbanks instead of Willow, the traditional starting point.
article_snippet: It's the second time in Alaska's famed Iditarod race's 43-year history that the starting point has moved from Willow to Fairbanks because of weather-related issues, an Iditarod spokesperson said.
article_snippet: Race organizers made the unanimous decision in February to move Alaska's famed Iditarod race after determining that conditions were worse than last year in critical areas, and "therefore not safe enough for Alaska's famed Iditarod race," Iditarod Chief Executive Stan Hooley said in a press release.
article_snippet: While snow has fallen east of the Alaska Range over the past couple of weeks, other parts of the trail did not get much or any of other parts of the trail, " Iditarod Chief Executive Stan Hooley told CNN affiliate KTVA-TV in February.
article_snippet: The racing course spans a 1,000-mile trail across the Arctic tundra, ending in Nome.
article_snippet: Alaska's famed Iditarod race usually takes 10 days to finish, although Dallas Seavey finished the race in 2014 in a record time of eight days, 13 hours, four seconds, and 19 minutes.
highlights_snippet: Alaska's famed Iditarod race starts Saturday .
  
highlights_snippet: a lack of snow forces the starting point to move 225 miles north .
  