HUMAN

Name: Pete Rando

Age: 48

Residence:  Talkeetna, Alaska

Occupation: Electrician

Years involved with Iditarod: 9

Iditarod Roles: Volunteer/Trail Sweep

Current Location: McGrath Alaska

Date of Photo: March 11, 2022

Temperature: 9F Outdoors

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

I first became involved with the Iditarod nine years ago, when the Head Trail Sweep, Will Petersen, asked me if I wanted to go for a snow machine ride. When I asked him, “Where?” He said, “Nome.” That was the beginning of my trail sweep career.

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 am a member of the Trail Sweep Crew. 

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

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was my rookie year as a trail sweep. The year was 2014, and the trail was rough. And we spent probably 12 hours getting through the burn, roping up snow machines and trailers to get over… seven or eight different hills. And I thought if we have a thousand miles of this, I’m whooped.

What in life do you know for sure?

What I know for sure in life is that traveling across Alaska in the month of March is about the coolest thing a person could do.