HUMAN

Name: Meret Buetler

Age: 23

Residence: Fairbanks, Alaska

Occupation: I’m a student

Years involved with Iditarod: This is my 7th

Iditarod role: I’m trail crew checker, trail crew

Current Location: Unalakleet, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 16, 2020

Temperature: 28F/Outdoors

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

I got involved with Iditarod because the people that kind of ran Finger Lake checkpoint are from Seward and I grew up in Seward. So they invited us out. And they knew I loved animals and dogs, and yeah, that was first experience. Couldn’t get away from sled dogs after that.

What is your Why? Why are you here TODAY and involved with the Iditarod?

I am here today and involved with Iditarod because of the dogs, definitely. I love sled dogs. I’ve gotten really involved in the whole mushing part. I love working with them and just being out here and seeing all the different teams, all the different mushers, has been incredible.

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

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was flying back to Anchorage from Unalakleet in one of the little planes and just getting to see all of the country from here and not being way up high and actually seeing everything down low.

What in life do you know for sure?

What I know for sure in life is that I want to stay up in Alaska and definitely have a lot to do with sled dogs in the future, just animals in general. Working on that currently as a student.