Meet The Mushers

Photo by Paul Cyr

Happy and excited to be back racing at the Can Am. Looking forward to trying to beat the Canadians that have been winning the race lately.

Erin, her husband Matt and 4-year-old daughter live near Grand Marais, MN. They have been mushing for 12 years. Combined, this will be their sixth Can-Am Crown and they take turns mushing the team at races. Between dogs, work and our young child, life is busy, but we wouldn't have it any other way.

Some things are better left unsaid. But since I do have to write something; I've been running dogs since 2009. I started off with Yeve Carrier from st Francois and have had many mentors along the way. Im grateful for the dogs and what they teach me everyday. Remember this is all about the dogs!

Some things are better left unsaid. But since I do have to write something; I've been running dogs since 2009. I started off with Yeve Carrier from st Francois and have had many mentors along the way. Im grateful for the dogs and what they teach me everyday. Remember this is all about the dogs!

Je pratique le sport depuis 2013 . Ce que je préfère le plus du traîneau à chiens, c'est de partager ma vie avec mes chiens , la liberté de voyager les sentiers en symbiose .

Animals have always been apart of my life. I have always worked with and around either dogs or horses and they never cease to inspire me. I have always been drawn to northern landscapes. Some people dream of sandy beaches, I dream of snowy adventures. Dog sledding for me merges everything that is important to me, discipline, honesty, hard work and perseverance. There is nothing I rather do then be out training my dogs. It's indescriptable to explain. My partner and I have a kennel of 35 dogs together and we motivate each other to reach our respective goals. We have one daughter, Marianne, who has been raised in our mushing world and we believe raising her in such an environment brings on very important values in her life. We can't wait to be back in Fort-Kent!

I'm an helicopter pilot half of the year and musher half of the other, I get to have the best of both worlds. I have always seeked adventures and love to travel desolate country. Luckily, one of these passions permits me to do the other. My partner and I have had dogs since we have been together and our aspirations are always growing! This is our eleventh time coming to the Can-Am-Crown on different distances and we are just as excited to run it as the first time!

Le mushing est une histoire de famille, de génération en génération. J'ai eu une très belle saison 2020 en coursant d'importante courses tel que Can-am 250, Up200, la tchitogama 100.... Je suis impatient d'être de retour au courses.

When I was 8, I put a harness on our house dog, a big St-Bernard!!! Then, one day, I saw a team of several dogs, and that's when I realized that I wanted to harness more dogs. As a teenager, I was doing sprint races and it was only in 1996 that I actually started doing long distance races, racing from 60 miles to 400 miles races in the same year, the Labrador 400. I climbed the ladder and I started winning the Can Am Crown 250 (Fort Kent, Maine) in 1998, then in 2019, I won it for the 10th time, six in a row. I did the race circuit in North East North America, but in 2003 I realized one of my dream by running the Yukon Quest (1000 miles), where I placed 6th. I won the Hudson Bay Quest in Manitoba (220 miles) twice and I placed 2nd at UP200 in Michigan many times. In 2022, I was the first musher from Quebec to complete the Iditarod and I placed 21st.t What I like most about dog sledding is to be in the nature, discover new territories and especially to listen to my dogs and to see that we are an amazing team between human and the beast.

I was born in Attleboro, Massachusetts and at age one I moved to Florida with my mother for my next ten years. At age 11 we moved to Maine and raised a small farm where I recreationally started training sled dogs. Finishing high school I started work making dog sledding equipment and handling for Mountain Ridge Kennel in Shirley, Maine. At age 18 I had the opportunity to race the Can-Am 250 and was determined just to finish the race, but ended up placing 4th that year and again the following year. During the process of building a house and kennel, I met my husband Mark, which made it all come together. We are currently training 28 Alaskan Huskies from our now 40 dog kennel. I look forward to the Can-Am every year.

I am a musher from the SE corner of Minnesota where mushing is about as common as deep sea fishing. We operate a relatively small kennel of 20 amazing dogs. I have been able to compete in races as far west as Alaska but this will be my first trip mushing in the North East. I am greatly looking forward to experiencing the wild places of northern Maine with my furry four legged friends. When I'm not busy doing all the things dog mushers do, I enjoy spending time with my wife and 3 kiddos. My other hobbies include hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing and so many more.

I have been involved in sled dog sport for over twenty years. I started competing in New Zealand doing a mixture of dryland and snow events. We moved to the US four years ago, to pursue our dream of developing a mid- and long-distance racing team. I competed in races in the Western US, before moving to New Hampshire two years ago. Last year I completed the CanAm 100, and I'm now attempting the 250. Currently with have a kennel of twenty-three Siberian Huskies, of which seventeen are of working age, with the remainder in the retirement home or busy growing.



I have a PhD in canine nutrition, which means I'm fortunate in that dogs are also part of my professional working life, completing research and formulating diets specific for different dog conditions and needs. My goal both regarding training and racing sled dogs, is simply to enjoy spending time with my dogs, human family and being outside.

I have been training sled dogs for over 30 years

I began racing 18 years ago . What started out as a hobby turned into my very own crazy, beautiful life — a life that grounds me and at the same time sets my soul on fire!!

In 2008 I danced with the grim reaper, I survived death and since then my focus is to LIVE and always do what I love to do. What makes me appreciate & love life are my dogs, our time together. There's so much beautiful detail in creating a team, in building them up, to watch them grow into amazing athletes and know that you were the one to see the quality each had, to bring out the best in them to help them excel! It's not just about the miles it's about enjoying the beauty of the trails, the incredible team you've created, your time together and the priceless bond you share.

Grew up in Pittsburgh, but moved to Ely full time in 2013. I first got on the runners when I was 18 years old and have loved it ever since. I'm excited to be running Nathan's team again this year.

Looking forward building a team and get back on some distance races in a few years , i got 20 pups growing up from 3 weeks to yearlings , we ´ve started running most of the pups ready to run some short fun runs!

I like all kind of races. Races short or longer is always a good stories. This is my second years as a competitive musher. I came last year to race the 30 miles. But before that i tried many racing sports. Cycling, skiing, running and even sailing. Today i'm racing our family dogs. i like to train them with my teenagers (when they show up). To be outdoor with dogs is the best family time.

I am SO happy to be running my favorite race once again! The community, organization and trails here are awesome! We couldn't have gotten here, however, without the help of our amazing support crew! Thank you: Charlotte, Liv, Meghan, Nicole and Sarah. You all are GREAT! And... we can't move and inch down the trail without our AMAZING dogs! Rockstars, every one!

I have been working with dogs for 30 years now. In expeditions or races, the goal has always been to spend time in nature with dogs. I operate a tourist company that offers walks. I also own a large-scale farm. This will be my 3rd participation in the can am and it is a great pleasure to be here.

hunting moose, bear, trapping, and of came to Fort Kent every year !

Can't wait to get back to can am this year, my favorite event!

Passionné de traîneau à chiens depuis mon enfance et musher depuis presque 25 ans, je suis très heureux de revenir à Fort Kent pour la CanAm 100 !! Ce sera ma première course de 100miles et mon but est de terminer avec 10 chiens heureux et en santé !!


Merci beaucoup à toute l'organisation et félicitations pour ce super événement !!





Passionate about dog sledding since my childhood and a musher for almost 25 years, I am very happy to be back in Fort Kent for the CanAm 100!! This will be my first 100 mile race and my goal is to finish with 10 happy and healthy dogs!!


Thank you very much to all the organization and congratulations for this great event !!

j'adore travailler avec les animaux les pousser plus loin me plait, les entrainer me passionnes,

I have been running dogs for 22 years and have completed many Can-Am's in the past. I haven't been up to run the Can-Am since 2019 so I'm really looking forward to being back here amongst the Can-Am 'Family'! I run a mixed team of siberian and alaskan huskies, mostly bred by me.





Team Sibersong is sponsored by Emerald Environmental Technologies (Wentworth NH), Minus33 Wool (Ashland NH) and The Last Chair Brewery (Plymouth NH).

I am a cancer scientist / professor at the Université de Sherbrooke in QC, and I am married to my beautiful wife Maryse and we have a 15 year old son, Gabriel, who keeps us busy! In fact Gabriel will participate in the Can Am 100 with me this year!! Asides family, work, and DOGS, I have no time for hobbies :) What I like most about my dogs is their genuine happiness while running, and that keeps me living the present moment, which is awesome therapy!

I am excited to come back to Fort Kent and see old friends, and especially the Saunders, who have become like family to me!

De retour pour la deuxième fois pour le 100 milles pour cette superbe course! On est ici et on se pratique pour le 250 milles dans quelques années ! D'abord et avant tout nous sommes ici entre amis et amoureux du mushing!

I stumbled into the world of mushing three years ago. Over the past few seasons I've learned a lot about myself and mushing along the way. I am looking forward to racing again this year and can't wait to hit the trails.

I am very blessed to be supported by my wife and three boys. Together we have a small kennel of 19 sled dogs. We love to run and spend time with each other. When we are not training to race the Can Am we give tours in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont , spreading the love and amazing drive of these beautiful dogs

Caleb, 18 years old, has been breeding, training and mushing Seppala Siberian Sleddogs with his father right here in the Saint John River Valley since he was old enough to walk. Caleb is senior at Wisdom High School in Saint Agatha and serves as the senior team captain for the Valley Mustang's Football team.



Last year Caleb's dog team was repeatedly attacked by a moose during a training run. The 45 minute standoff only ended after Caleb shot the moose. Two days later he entered the Can Am 100, but scratched 3/4 way through the race.



Caleb looks forward to finishing what he started in the Can Am 100 this year before heading off to the US Marine Corps like his father and older brother.



Caleb says, "Our team bench is larger than ever, and we have trained harder than ever- I'm looking forward to finishing strong!"



Caleb will be running a purebred team of Seppala Siberian Sleddogs, fueled by NATIVE 4 Performance Nutrition For Canine Athletes.

Le can-am est ma course favorite! Je course la 250 depuis plusieurs années. Depuis les dernières années je course avec mon fils ce qui est encore plus agréable! Nous avons un chenil de 50 chiens. Le mushing est une affaire de famille pour nous, ma conjointe est également notre Handler a tristan et moi depuis toujours.

Every once in awhile, when on trail with the dogs, something anchors me to place and time, something catches the attention of my heart. I am immediately and totally aware of my surroundings: the gradients of topography, the wind moving through the trees, the other critters that share the landscape. I can see the bigger picture, one might say, and suddenly feel so small, so humble. In those moments, I turn to the dogs and say 'I'm so happy to be on this trail, in this place, with you all right now.'





While I aim to train a competitive race team, what I love most is the sense of scale traveling by dog team in the winter offers you. As a writer, I still struggle to explain what it feels like to not only train dogs, but to travel with them through winter landscape. I love Can Am for the sense of wilderness, unlike any other race, as we travel through the mountains of Northern Maine. As we race through the mountains of Northern Maine, I, and the dogs, are so grateful to everyone who makes this race possible.





Home is the mountains of northern NH and western ME, where I work for a land conservation organization creating or adding to new conservation lands. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to race on land I've helped protect for public access. I have a non traditional home life, as the guardian and primary caregiver for my two disabled adult siblings, but am fortunate to have a team to help make it all work. Thank you to my partner Chuck, to Brianna our superstar handler/ co-musher, and to Patrice and Jack who take care of my siblings this winter, and thank you to the community of dog and team sponsors.





Gemma, let's go racing!

We have been coming to Can Am for many years and always love this race! Last year was an awesome trail and crew! This year we have 9 yearlings on our team, so we splitting them up within 2 teams and going to enjoy the trail and time out there with these yearlings and make it fun for them!

My wife and I have been training and racing sled dogs for over 10year together. I have

been guiding since 1997 and have been enlightening people about the outdoors and

animal behavior ever since. I love seeing how the variety of genetics keep coming

out in the sled dog with each new generation, slightly different and also so similar

This is my 10th season training and racing sled dogs, and this will be my 5th Can-Am Crown race (Can-Am 30: 2015, 16, 19 and Can-Am 100: 2017, 20). I manage a kennel of 13 Siberian Huskies based in Alton, New Hampshire, all of which have names from the popular Star Wars franchise. Currently, I am taking online classes from Southern New Hampshire University to peruse a degree in Game and Digital Media Design. Other than training and spending time with my dogs, I enjoy drawing, archery, weightlifting, and reading.

This is my 10th season training and racing sled dogs, and this will be my 5th Can-Am Crown race (Can-Am 30: 2015, 16, 19 and Can-Am 100: 2017, 20). I manage a kennel of 13 Siberian Huskies based in Alton, New Hampshire, all of which have names from the popular Star Wars franchise. Currently, I am taking online classes from Southern New Hampshire University to peruse a degree in Game and Digital Media Design. Other than training and spending time with my dogs, I enjoy drawing, archery, weightlifting, and reading.

Matt and his wife Erin Altemus (who is running the 250) love coming out to this race from Northern Minnesota. We usually only bring one team for the 250 but this year we said "what the heck", let's bring another 10 dogs and here we are. I've done the 250 a few times and love that race, but I'm looking forward to sleeping in a warm bed after the race and watching the tracker for the long race.

I started the sled dog at 8 years old and I knew right away that I would progress you in this sport! in my family the mushing more than a passion these our lives and we are very proud of botre sport

I started mushing in my 20s and have enjoyed every year. The past several years I have worked weekends so I could not race for several years. I now have a schedule that I can enter a few races each year. I have started a new kennel and I m looking forward to hitting the trails again.

After handling for Kasey McCarty in the Can Am 100 last year, I am excited to be running a team in it this year. Running a team of veterans mixed with young dogs, this race is going to be an experience for musher and pups! I am very grateful to Kasey for the opportunity to run her magnificent Siberians in such a prestigious race.

I started out with a team of four Siberians about five years ago, then decided to race so adopted a few veteran dogs from the Pattersons and Sally Manikian. My first race was such a great experience, I decided to come back, and keep improving myself and my team -- I have now begun to train my own dogs (thank you Hyside for your patience and dependability as a leader these last 3 years) and I'm excited to see how these young dogs do. Thank you to the mentors and friends I've made -- near and far--through this shared love of working with dogs. I am continually grateful and amazed by your generosity and support. Finally, thank you to my family for kennel building, trail clearing, chore help-- and generally making sure "life continues" while I'm busy with dogs!

My name is Piper Ashley. I'm 13. I am a student at Valley Rivers Middle School (VRMS). I live in Fort Kent with 19 dogs, a horse and a cat. I enjoy dogsledding, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, camping, skiing, and skijoring. I also enjoy hanging out with my cousin Finley and Fletcher and my friend Kaylen. I started mushing in 2017, we got our own small team of dogs in the fall of 2018, we had a litter of puppies in the spring of 2020, there are 12 healthy puppies. I do skijoring races with the sled dogs and my favorite is Shenan. I am very independent and confident in my skills and asked my dad if I would run the race alone.

This is my second year competing and I am so happy to be back. Can-Am is by far my favorite race. Dog sledding has really become one of my favorite sports. I love the bond and connection I make with each one of my dogs individually and as a whole team. They put their whole heart and sole into this and show just how much they love it too. I also really enjoy the detail that I can enjoy it with my whole family.


We all know how long, harsh, and miserable our winters are here in northern Maine, mushing definitely makes them go by faster and so much more enjoyable.

Being a Fort Kent native, I have been part of Can Am since it started as a volunteer and have always admired the mushers and their dogs. I am honored to be here this year as a racer with my own dogs and racing with my wife Tracy and daughter Chantelle. I love being on the trail with my family.

I just love working in my kennel and being out on the trail with my dogs. My whole family works together to keep my kennel running smoothly and to get my dogs race ready. Paw patrol is ready to roll.

I was born and raised in the white mountains of New Hampshire. I started running sled dog tours when I was just 16. Fast forward 10 years, I've ran hundreds of sled dogs and made some pretty incredible friends. My favorite part of mushing is wrangling the chaos that is a team of yearlings! When I'm not behind a team of dogs, I run Over the Hill Senior Dog Sanctuary, an in-home rescue for Senior and special need dogs. This is my second Can-Am and I am so so happy to be back!

Première expérience de course l'an passé. Souhaite vivre l'expérience CanCrown cette année !

This is my second time racing in the Can-Am, and I'm very happy to be here. My goals for the next few years is to move to Alaska, and grow my kennel. I also hope to some day be racing my own team of Alaskan huskies in the Iditarod. Thank you to my mom who is my handler and helps take care of the dogs.

Have always been strunggling to be able to keep racing year after year. Just like every mushers, I guess.
2023, once more, happy to be in the race again. Let's have fun, dogs and mushers. Thanks to the organisation and to the public to make this event possible.

I am 15 years old and attend high school. I love being with my dogs and I enjoy cross-country and road running in my free time. Last year I could not take part of the Can Am 30 because I tested positive for Covid. This year I am very excited to finally be able to race the Can Am I will be happy to see my friends in Fort Kent (the Saunders family and especially Sophie) and I really hope to have a great time. My goal for this race is to finish with happy and healthy dogs!

Last year was my first year experiencing the CanAm as a handler for two teams. I was really inspired by how the community supports this event and couldn't wait to come back this year. Thanks to the generosity of my mentors, I am not only back but very excited to be running the 30! I love having the opportunity to train and race alongside these incredible canine athletes. A shout out to my mom and step-dad for all of their support!

What started as a journey to find a four-legged running partner in 2019 morphed into traversing the Vermont woods with a team of sled dogs. The Misfits started with an Alaskan puppy (Loki) from Conway Area Humane Society, and the motley crew of retirees, re-homed dogs, and puppies quickly followed. Our goal this season is to get more race experience for the young team, and we are very excited to be part of the Can-Am this year.

My leaders, Khan and Spock, have led me on an incredible journey that has brought us to the Can Am, a long time dream. It's inspiring to work with such amazing athletes and build respect and trust with each dog. Khan and Spock have helped raise and train all the dogs behind them: Riker, Data, Mochi, and Squid. There's something special about watching youngsters find their stride and coming into their own. This team has so much potential and I can't wait to see what new adventures are ahead.

I was born into running dogs and my mom Maureen put me on a pair of runners as soon as I could stand. I started my 1 dog junior with Shania and Kube. Worked my way up to running open size teams for sprint and mid distance races. I am pushing myself with this 30 miler so it'll be a new goal. I am from Bow, NH which is 7 plus hours away, but I've always dreamed of doing this race. I came in 2019 to run the skijor race. Here I am to run the 30. I work full time and plus at Banks Chevrolet with the best work family along with running my own photograph & graphic design business on the side. Balancing all that, family time, training dogs, and working my barrel racing horse. I love hiking, fishing, skiing, nature walks, and my photography. I had to take a few years off from racing to finish 2 college degrees in exercise science and business management while battling a liver disease for almost 2 years. I am 100% healthy now and ready to rumble down the trail with my team. Thank You to all the support we've had, sponsors, and well wishes. The dogs want to thank Osborne's Farm & Garden Center, Victor Dogfood, and Nutrisource Dogfood for powering our amazing dogs and keeping them in tip top shape.

jai 68 ans sa fait presentement 30ans que je pratique ce sports. Nous avons presentement 16 chiens dans le chenil. Dans mes temp libre j'aime bien aller a la chasse et la peche aussi parler au telephone .

I love Can-Am and have been involves as a volunteer for a number of years now. Ive been wanting to get on a dog sled for a while now and have an opportunity this year. My first year

I have been mushing for 10 years now. I started with my rescue Siberian, Link, and my passion for it evolved from there. I got my first working Siberian from Kelim back in 2015, and then several dogs from Sibersong Sleddogs over the past few years. They are everything I could ask for, enthusiastic in harness while wonderful companions at home. Yona and her daughters Chise and Tira are my main leaders, Yona is all the brains of the operation while Chise and Tira are learning under her wing. I am excited to share the Can Am trail with my best friends.

Ses ma deuxieme fois a la can-am 30 milles. Nous avons 65 chiens au chenil moi et ma femme denise . Mon but pour les prochaines annees es d'aller faire la course pedigree stage stop au wyoming et d'aller au manitoba ( the pas et cross lake). merci a ma femme et tout ceux qui maide avec les chiens pour me rendre ici.

After seeing the discovery channel documentary Iditarod-The Last Great Race 14 years ago I thought that was a good way to exercise my four black labs. Never seen a dog team and knew nothing about mushing and was hooked immediately once we started. The incredible bond and trust that develops really hit me and I knew I had to do what makes me happy. I left a high paying career to scoop poop for min wage at a police dog academy. Eventually I was training dogs and took over the kennel. Opened a boarding kennel but I couldn't survive Covid and haven't reopened. I decided to take the winter to REBOOT my mental health. Dogs will keep you humble and teach you to live in the NOW. My goal for this race is to reconnect with myself and my dogs and to have fun.

Alex won his first race at the age of three and loves it just as much now as he did then! He is the Owner and a Guide at 'The Ultimate Dog Sledding Experience' in Oxford Maine where he offers guided dog sled tours in the winter season. In the off-season he is a white water rafting Guide and avid outdoorsman.

Fayth has been a part of the Can-Am Veterinary team for several years, but this is her first time behind a dog sled team on the Can-Am trail! Since coming to Fort Kent to volunteer with the vet team running a Can-Am race has been Fayth's dream! Fayth started running dogs when she was in middle school and has been blessed to run with several mushers all over the US. When she is not flying on a helicopter as a Registered Nurse or volunteering as a Certified Veterinary Technician she spends her time helping to train dog teams and with her three Siberian Huskies.