HUMAN

Name: Barbara Moore

Residence: North Pole, Alaska

Age: 70

Occupation: I’m retired from Youth Corrections

Years involved with Iditarod: Years involved with the Iditarod was 1976 up until 1980, when I ran my Iditarod.

Past Iditarod Roles: I helped organize the dog lot in 1976. I did that in ’76, ’77, ’78 and ’79. And then in 1980, it’s when I ran my Iditarod, and I came in last. Got the Red Lantern.

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 got involved with Iditarod in 1976, when the first mushers were coming to Nome and they needed somebody to work at the dog lot. So I helped organize the dog lot in 1976. I did that in ’76, ’77, ’78, and ’79. 1980 is when I ran my first Iditarod. And, I came in last, got the Red Lantern.

What was one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences?

My most memorable Iditarod experience was with Colonel Norman Vaughan out on the trail in 1980. We were running along, and he had a dog named Rabbit, and the dog didn’t really know Gee from Haw, but it would actually run down the trail like a rabbit, and then it would just go up trees or whatever. It would get Norman all tied up. Between that and the wolves chasing me, going into Unakaleet. There’s a lot more experiences that I had.

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

I just think it is an amazing feat of all the trials and tribulations that the Iditarod Trail Committee, volunteers. Losing planes out there, all the trials and tribulations of the race. Now we’re at 50 years. It’s amazing, and I’m very happy for Iditarod.

What do you know for sure?:

Since my 1980 Iditarod, I learned — what I know for sure in life is that the Iditarod in 1980 taught me a lot. That I can persevere anything, and I can do anything if I put my mind to it. It’s the same thing that Iditarod has done. They have persevered some down times, some up times, and I think this race is an amazing soul searching race that makes people either grow or not grow.