HUMAN

Name: STEVEN CANATSER
Age: 57
Residence: FAIRBANKS, ALASKA
Occupation: AIRCRAFT MECHANIC AND PILOT
Years involved with Iditarod: SINCE 1977
Iditarod Role: COMING OUT EARLY, I PUT IN THE RUNWAY AND GET THE AREA WHERE WE’RE STANDING, WHERE IT’S PACKED DOWN, FOR ALL THE DOG TEAMS. SO WHEN THE LOGISTICS ARRIVE, THEY HAVE A PLACE THAT IS NOT JUST A BUNCH OF SNOW AND NO ONE AROUND. WE KIND OF COME OUT AHEAD OF TIME AND HAVE OUR SNOW MACHINE HERE. AND WE START OFF PACKING IT.
Current Location: EAGLE ISLAND, ALASKA
Date of Photo: MARCH 9, 2019
Temperature: 34F / OUTDOORS

What is your Why?.. Why are you here today and involved in Iditarod?:

COMING OUT EARLY, I PUT IN THE RUNWAY AND GET THE AREA WHERE WE’RE STANDING, WHERE IT’S PACKED DOWN, FOR ALL THE DOG TEAMS. SO WHEN THE LOGISTICS ARRIVE, THEY HAVE A PLACE THAT IS NOT JUST A BUNCH OF SNOW AND NO ONE AROUND. WE KIND OF COME OUT AHEAD OF TIME AND HAVE OUR SNOW MACHINE HERE AND WE START OFF PACKING IT.

Tell me about your most rewarding experience on Iditarod?:

I REMEMBER ME AND MY DAD AND MOM IN THE EARLY YEARS MARKING THE TRAIL TO KALTAG. WE’D GO ACROSS THE RIVER AND CUT WILLOWS. WE’D SPEND A DAY CUTTING WILLOWS; MARKING IT. AND THEN PROBABLY THE MOST MUSHER MEMORABLE WAS, I WAS PUNCHING OUT THE TRAIL TOWARDS GRAYLING. IT WAS PROBABLY 1978, THE SECOND YEAR IT COME THE SOUTHERN ROUTE. AND HERBIE NAYOKPUK WAS CAMPED ABOUT SIX MILES NORTH OF THE CHECKPOINT AND HE HAD NO IDEA WHERE HE WAS AT. AND THAT MADE US REALIZE THAT MAYBE WE NEEDED TO PUT SOME SIGNS UP ALONG THE TRAIL AND SAY HOW FAR THEY WERE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO GPS TRACKING. NO ONE KNEW WHERE THEY WERE AT JUST COMING UP THE RIVER. SO THAT WAS THE EARLY YEARS OF THE RACE.

What do you know for sure?:

WELL, WE KNOW FOR SURE WE’RE NOT HERE FOREVER. AND BEING OUT AND DOING DIFFERENT THINGS. I GUESS FOR SURE I LIKE ADVENTURE. AND FOR ME THAT’S KIND OF A STRANGE QUESTION OR DIFFICULT QUESTION, BUT I KNOW FOR SURE I NEED TO ENJOY LIFE WHILE I’M HERE.