HUMAN

Name: Sonny Lindner

Age: 76

Residence: Fairbanks, Alaska

Occupation: Retired and still working construction

First Year Ran Iditarod: 1978

How Many Years Involved With Iditarod: 40 or so years

Iditarod Role: Musher & doing trail work

Current Location: Two Rivers, Alaska

Date of Photo: June 21, 2026

Temperature: 70F outdoors

Question 1: What is it about running sled dogs that you love so much?

What I love about running sled dogs is spending the time with the sled dogs. Because you get to teach them little things, and then put them all together and see how that works.

Question 2: What, who or how and when & why did you first get involved running the Iditarod?

II got involved running the Iditarod because I first heard about it when having breakfast with Dick Wilmarth the year he won. I was down in Palmer. I think he was laying block, and I was pouring concrete. And ran into him, and he was talking about it. I had dogs out of Johnson River then for life. But he talked about it, and then later helped Steve Jones do it in maybe ’77, and then I went the next year.

Question 3:  Tell me about just one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences running the Iditarod.

 

My most memorable experience running Iditarod is really a tough one to pick, because I ran it 20 some times, and I ran the Yukon Quest in there many times as well. And then several times I ran both races back to back. So makes it hard to differentiate between every experience. But a good memory is my last run in, I think it was 2014. That trail was about the worst we’d ever had it, and there was no snow and pretty rough going. But dogs did really well, and it was really enjoyable. Got out towards the coast with the big team, and I had fun watching them.

Question 4: What in life do you know for sure?:

 

Well, what I know for sure in life is a good quote that my old trapping partner, Carl Jojola used to say is, “It’s a good life if you don’t weaken.”