HUMAN

Name: Emily Smith

Age: 37

Residence: Colorado

Occupation: Illustrator

Years involved with the Iditarod: 6

Iditarod Roles: I have done both trail and comms.

Current Location: Nulato, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 12, 2022

Temperature: 6F Outdoors & Windy

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

I got involved with Iditarod when a friend… I was in a really negative dark place, and a friend’s like, “Hey, you want to do something to just completely clear your head, and get some cold weather and see some cool sites and run with dogs?” And he brought me up, and I just never stopped coming up.

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

I’m here today and involved with the Iditarod because I really just fell in love with the sport, because I’ve always really loved dogs. And it’s a team sport between the musher and the dogs, and they just work together. And it’s just, I don’t know, it’s just really fun to be here.

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

One of my most, probably the most memorable Iditarod experience was, we had a crisis at one of the checkpoints, but the entire team really came together. And that was my first year doing comms. And I’m still really close with absolutely everybody on that crew. We still text and we talk and we get together every time the Iditarod comes around.

What in life do you know for sure?

What I know for sure in life is something silly my dad says, but don’t pet the sweaty stuff.