HUMAN

Name: Kiana Korta

Age: 21

Residence:  Galena & Fairbanks, Alaska

Occupation: Dog Musher

Years involved with Iditarod: 19

Iditarod Roles: Volunteer/Assistant Checker

Current Location: Galena, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 11, 2022

Temperature: 12F Outdoors

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

I first became involved with Iditarod when I first came to Galena, which was at two years old. My dad was running the checkpoint back then. And so, I was sleeping on the benches here and they had to drag me out of the checkpoint because I wanted to spend as much time as I could with the dogs. So for the last 21 years, I’ve been hanging out at the checkpoint and meeting mushers, and I have my old parka hanging up with all mushers signatures from 2008 when I was eight years old. So it’s a lot of good memories here. And like I said, I’m getting back into mushing and with dreams of doing the Iditarod myself. So just coming full circle for me.

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

I am here today and involved with Iditarod because I think it’s a really important thing for this community and all the communities to remain involved with. And the more that we support the community and support the checkpoint, the better it will be. And it’s really exciting to see young people, all the kids here volunteering, young people like myself being able to come out here and do it. So I think that the more young involvement that we have with Iditarod and races, the longer that this sport can continue. And so, for my own fun, coming home to visit Galena and also just in the of the longevity of the sport. Because now I’m invested in dogs, and I want to keep doing it. So yeah, that’s why I’m here.

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

So one of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was 2007. It was my dad’s first Iditarod and we were at the start and I got to ride in his sled to the starting line with my grandma on the runners. And there was a picture of the three of us hanging out and I got my favorite beaver hat on, and my dad leaned over and was like, “See you at the finish line, kid.” And that was like… never going to forget that. The feeling of being in front of the whole crowd of Iditarod spectators and also just being able to share that with my dad has been pretty incredible, and just feeling my future.

What in life do you know for sure?

What I know for sure in life is that I don’t know anything about life, but I do know that Alaska is the best place to live it.