HUMAN
Name: Russ Wilkins
Age: 63
Residence: Minneapolis area, also in Coco Beach, Florida
Occupation: Property managing
Years involved with Iditarod: I started in 2019, been too busy with life, but I’m back up here in ’23 and I plan on being here every year from now on.
Iditarod Role: I am trail crew and I will be spending a week in Rainy Pass Checkpoint, which is a couple hundred miles up the trail. And then I’m going to spend about a week or less up in Unalakleet so I’ll be there for about a week.
Current Location: Lakefront Anchorage Hotel.
Date of Photo: March 2, 2023
Temperature: About 20 degrees and getting colder I think.
What, who or how and when did you first get involved with the Iditarod?
I got involved with the Iditarod a few years ago. I’ve always been infatuated with the race, but been just too busy in life to actually get up here. But I finally did in 2019 as a volunteer for the start and then restart.
What is your Why? Why are you here TODAY and involved with the Iditarod?
I’m here today and involved with the Iditarod because of a lot of things. I love Alaska. I’d love to move to Alaska, but my wife will not. I love the woods. She loves shopping.
Tell me about just one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences:
One of my most memorable experiences in the Iditarod was I was totally infatuated with Lance Mackey for years. And one of my most exciting experiences was I was in the lobby downstairs here in 2019 and I was just geeking on all the mushers coming in and Lance Mackey was in a hurry running in the bathroom and the poor guy was probably dying to go to the bathroom and I’m like, “Lance Mackey.” And he turned around and look at me like, “Oh geez, another fan.” So I’ll never get that out of my head, especially now.
What in life do you know for sure?
What I know for sure is life can really be super exciting and there’s so many things to do if you can find the time and the money to do it in Alaska and Alaskan culture. The indigenous people here are all awesome and I’m just totally stoked to be here.