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Karin Hendrickson and Varan Hoyt both grew up in Mt. Baldy, a small mountain town in California. Yes, there are real mountains in Southern California. We had snow, bears, and had to split wood to keep the house warm.
Karin Hendrickson In 2002 Karin came up to Alaska to volunteer at the Iditarod. She met the Redingtons, and also got a chance to go mushing herself. After a horrific high speed ride through the woods and several major crashes (click here to read the story), she knew she was hooked. She came up again for the 2003 Iditarod, this time to help Ray Redington prepare for the race. And that's when she made the decision to scrap her old life and become a dog bum.
She went home to Idaho, quit her job as an air pollution analyst, sold her house and everything she owned, and hit the road for Alaska. The first year she worked as a dog handler for Vern Halter, helping prepare for the 2004 Iditarod. The next year she handled for Diana Moroney.
Varan Hoyt Varan had
lived in Alaska between 1997 and 2000, but was living back
in the states when he heard what Karin was up to.
Varan flew to Anchorage and called her up. There was an instant connection, and within a few weeks, Varan had come back to Alaska permanently. Varan lived in Anchorage, working as a finish carpenter. Varan spent all of his free time up at the dog lot helping to train Diana's team for the 2005 Iditarod.
In January 2006, Varan and Karin were married on mile three of the Iditarod trail. Now they are busy building their own dog kennel.
Click here to see more photos from the wedding.
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(Photos by Martha Ethridge)