HUMAN

Name: Justin Olnes

Age: 35
Residence: Fairbanks, Alaska
Occupation: Wildlife Biologist
Years involved with Iditarod:
Iditarod Role: Musher
Current Location: Coast Inn, Anchorage, AK

Date of Photo: FEBRUARY 27, 2025
Temperature: 68F

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

I got involved with the Iditarod when I helped my wife run in 2022. My wife had a wonderful experience on the trail and it was also really rewarding for us to go through the whole process of training our dogs and getting them ready and then having that experience out on the trail with them. And she encouraged me to have that experience myself.

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

I’m here today and involved with Iditarod because I’m really excited to showcase my dogs and the effort that we’ve done building our kennel, rerun kennel, and to enjoy traveling through Alaska.

Tell me about your most memorable Iditarod experiences?:

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences, given that I am a rookie and don’t have a lot of Iditarod experiences, was getting to see my wife finish. That was pretty cool.

What do you know for sure?:

What I know for sure in life is that you’ve got to make the most of your time here.