HUMAN

Name: Denny Albert

Residence: Denali National Park, Alaska

Age: 68

Occupation: I’m a semi-retired veterinarian.

Years involved with Iditarod: From ’95 for about 15 to 16 years I worked from the start to the finish.

Past Iditarod Roles: Trail vet, pretty much always.

Current Location: Settler’s Bay Lodge in Wasilla, Alaska
Date of Photo: March 1, 2022

Temperature: 68 F Indoors

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

I first got involved with the Iditarod, well basically heard about it in 1986. I was an intern after graduating from veterinary school, and I was working at Angel Memorial in Boston, Massachusetts, where I’m from actually. And heard about it from a late-night duty with an older intern. He had been in Alaska to do some work at one point, and told me about how he met someone who’d worked on the race. I started reading books about it and thought, “Someday I want to do that when the opportunity presents itself.” It wasn’t until 1995 that I eventually became involved, and met veterinarians who kind of made it their lifestyle by doing relief work. So, I really changed my career path, did the same myself, and then just got totally wrapped up in working with sled dogs, particularly mid- and distance-sled dogs. And I did it all over the country, and even some in Argentina. And just was an addict after that. But the first time I worked Iditarod was the first time I had been in Alaska and the first time I’d touched a sled dog. Karen Schmidt was the head veterinarian back then.

What was one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences?

I was just remembering this evening a very memorable experience at the Ophir Checkpoint. Late at night everyone was sleeping except Joe Sr., Joe Reddington, and Herbie Nayokpuk were sitting at the table in the Ophir cabin, and I was sitting there with them listening to them exchange tales of the trail for hours. That’s a pretty memorable experience for me.

What does the 50th running of the Iditarod mean to you?

I feel wonderful that this is the 50th Iditarod because it’s such an important thing to the state of Alaska and anyone involved with it. It’s something good, and it’s heartwarming to know that something good can be so enduring.

What do you know for sure?:

What I know for sure in life is you have to do what you want to do if you want to be happy.