How did your kennel get its name?

For our customers; we wanted a kennel name that would not include anything we couldn't guarantee they would experience while on their tour. We have great mountain and aurora views from our place, but can't guarantee any of that if the weather doesn't cooperate. We are also located in a dense black spruce forest, which provides shade in the summer, firewood for winter, privacy from our neighbors, and is beautiful when burdened with snow in the winter.

How did you get started running dogs?

I'm originally from northwestern Wisconsin, where some people do still run dog teams, but it's harder to get started in the sport. I came to Alaska in the summer of 2010 to take a job at a dog sledding tour company in Juneau. I met my husband there, who had already been running dogs for about 6 years, and I never left.

What do you love most about running dogs?

The scenery and the solitude.

Please share with us some stories or facts about your dogs that will be running in the 2025 YQ450.

Combined, my husband and I will be running his 2025 Iditarod race pool. We'll have several dogs who have run many long distance races, including multiple Iditarods. We will also have some young dogs for whom this is their first season of racing. All of the dogs we will have on our teams were born and raised in our kennel, so most of them are related to each other in some way. I'm most excited about the return of my favorite leader, Chippewa, who was out for all of last season with a shoulder injury.

Are you a member of any other organizations involved in sled dog sports?

No

Why did you enter the 2025 YQ450 and what are your goals for the race?

Jeff and I hope this will be a good "training run" as our dogs prepare for Iditarod 2025. I'm looking forward to seeing some new country, and meeting new friends. My goal is always to finish with a happy, healthy dog team and a smile on my own face as well.

What music do you listen to on the trail?

During the day, I'm usually listening to music. I like singer-songwriters. My favorite artists are Noah Kahan, Bon Iver, Charles Wesley Godwin, Zach Bryan and Hozier. I like music that is upbeat enough to keep me awake, but mellow enough to help me maintain a slow-and-steady speed. After dark, I listen to audiobooks. The longer the better. I like westerns, historical fiction, non-scary Stephen King books, and anything post-apocalypse that isn't too sci-fi and also doesn't have zombies.

How did your dogs get their names/How do you choose names?

We name our dogs in themes, so littermates get names that go together.

Share a quick story about one of your indispensable Handlers.

Not sure yet who will be handling for me!

Tell us about your favorite experience with a volunteer on the trail.

In the 2023 Iditarod, I had a great talk with a volunteer in Kaltag. I was nearing the Bering Sea coast, and starting to feel lots of anxiety surfacing, related to my trauma from the 2022 Iditarod. This volunteer and I had a wonderful conversation about bravery and courage, and what that looks like. He was a war veteran, with lots of insight to share. Before I left, he wrote me a little note of inspiration and left it on my bed. I still have it.