01/30/00
IDITAROD FINISH LINE AWAITS REPLACEMENT OF FAMED ICON
By Tony Lewis
Daily News Correspondent

A replacement for the Iditarod's famous burled arch is making a journey across Alaska, albeit by truck and plane, not dog sled.
The arch, a carved, burled spruce log, was trucked from Sterling to Anchorage last week. Northern Air Cargo plans to fly it early this week to Nome, where it will span Front Street and greet mushers who finish the 1, 049-mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race in March.
The original arch crumbled last spring after enduring 25 years of Western Alaska's harsh weather. The arch's absence has left Nome feeling a little naked, said Mayor Leo Rasmussen.
In addition to marking the official end of the Iditarod, the monument has blessed weddings and framed countless photos of tourists over the years.
''I'm trying to remember all the crazy things that have taken place under it,'' Rasmussen said. ''It's an icon. There's no question about it.''
The new arch, while not an exact replica of the decayed monument, is a good imitation. Like its predecessor, it has two large burls bubbling out of the 26-foot log. Keeping true to form, ''1,049 Miles'' is written on one burl, with ''Anchorage'' and ''Nome'' decorating the other.
Iditarod aficionados will notice one minor change. Across the face of the old arch was engraved ''End of Iditarod Dog Race.'' The replacement reads, ''End of Iditarod Sled Dog Race.''
The burled arch has dressed the Iditarod's finish line for all but the first two years of the race.
Legend has it that the first race from Anchorage to Nome in 1973 had no official finish line. When the first musher neared Nome, someone bought a package of Kool-Aid from a local store and painted a line in the snow with the colored drink crystals. The next year, a banner hung over Front Street to mark the race's end.
Red Olson, a Fox gold miner, was the last musher to pass under that banner in 1974. He decided the Iditarod needed a permanent finish marker and built the burled arch as a gift to the race. The arch is officially known as the Red ''Fox'' Olson Trail Monument.
''I personally can't imagine a finish without some type of burled arch overhead,'' said Greg Bill, development director of the Iditarod Trail Committee. ''It's just become synonymous with the race.''
Finding a log that so closely matched the original was not easy. After a lengthy search, a suitable tree was discovered in the back yard of a resident of the tiny town of Hope. The owner agreed to donate the 200-year-old spruce, which towered over his sauna.
The tree was felled in June and dried during fall. Bob Kuiper, a Sterling furniture maker, volunteered to do the finish work. He used a chain saw to cut a flat surface across the log, planed and sanded the new face, then carved the words with a router. Dark brown paint was brushed into the letters as a final touch.
A hat was passed around Nome to help pay for transporting the original arch from Fairbanks. That won't be needed this time.
Bill said volunteers have lined up to help. ''Everyone donated everything in regard to this arch,'' he said. ''People love this race and want to do what they can to help.''
Weaver Bros. trucked it to Anchorage. Northern Air Cargo is donating the flight.
Mayor Rasmussen said he expects this monument to last at least 50 years, maybe more.
A clear coating was supposed to seal the original arch from the ravages of Nome weather, but water eventually seeped in. The sealant kept it in, causing the wood to rot.
Rasmussen promises this arch will be better maintained. The log has been treated with a wood preservative that city workers will reapply annually. In addition, a roof will be built over the arch to keep off the worst of the weather.
''That will be in this year's budget come hell or high water,'' Rasmussen said.
As for the old arch, it's being stored at the town's high school. Rasmussen hopes to involve high school students in its repair. Eventually, he would like to see it hung at the Nome Recreation Center, site of the Iditarod's awards banquet.