HUMAN

Name: Skylar Whitcomb
Age: 27
Residence: New Prague, Minnesota
Occupation: Dog handler
Years involved with Iditarod: 3
Iditarod Role: I am handling for Emily Ford and Anna Hennessey in Shameless Huskies
Current Location: Downtown Anchorage Ceremonial Start, Anchorage, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 1, 2025
Temperature: 30F outside

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

I first became involved with Iditarod when I started working with Black Spruce Dog Sledding out of Fairbanks, and they’re a racing kennel and tour kennel, and they’re big Iditarod mushers, and so that was my first experience with Iditarod and helping them just get ready and see what Iditarod’s all about.

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

I am here today and involved with Iditarod because I love working with sled dogs. I fell in love with Alaskan Huskies, I want to say four or five years ago, and they just took over my heart and I love hanging out with them and spending a lot of my days with them.

Tell me about your most memorable Iditarod experiences?:

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was probably last year I got to go to Nome to meet my musher, Anna Hennessey, as she finished Iditarod, and it was just … I felt really proud of her and her team crossing the finish line in Nome and just seeing all of her happy and healthy dogs and her smiling face.

What do you know for sure?:

What I know in life for sure is just do whatever you want to do and whatever makes you feel happy and spend some time outside.