HUMAN

Name: Toni Reitter
Age: 35
Residence: Kenai, Alaska
Occupation: Photographer
Years involved with Iditarod: 35, unofficially 
Iditarod Role: I’m a trail guard and area coordinator.
Current Location: Downtown Anchorage, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 7, 2020
Temperature: 17F/Outdoors

What, who or how and when did you first get involved with the Iditarod?

I got involved with Iditarod probably in diapers. My grandfather has been trail guarding as the area coordinator for this area near Tudor my entire life and even before me. And then in 2009 after my grandmother had her stroke and they could no longer be the area coordinators, I kind of took over for them. Now here I am in charge of all of these crazy trail guards and our group keeps growing and changing. So that’s kind of how I got my start. I mean, being an Alaska girl, you’re kind of always involved with the Iditarod.

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

I’m here today and involved with the Iditarod because for me it’s not only just the dogs and the mushers and the sport, which is amazing and great. But for me it’s a way to just kind of stay with family tradition. I mean, I’m not a musher. I don’t have the third generation-musher, but I’m third-generation volunteer. This is something that’s always been a part of our family. I mean, I’ve gotten to know a lot of the people involved with the race and the sport. So that keeps me going even when it’s like, “Oh, I really don’t want to stand out in the cold today. It’s really wet.” But it’s just the people and the history and the story, not only with the race, but with my families.

Tell me about just one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences?

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was just a few years ago, Dallas Seavey’s birthday was actually on the ceremonial start, so as he was running through our area, I talked all of the crowd into singing happy birthday. Dallas and I – I actually used to work for Dallas. So he turned and just glared at me because he knew I was the one that did that. It was just kind of a fun moment to just have… I mean, we had the whole crowd singing happy birthday all the way down. It was pretty awesome.

What do you know for sure?:

What I know for sure in life is nothing’s sure and you just got to take what it throws at you and roll with the punches.