Musher Lauro Eklund has built his life around Alaska’s original mode of transportation: the dog team. The son of rogue Alaska adventurer, Neil Eklund, Lauro grew up exploring the remote and rugged interior with his father and living on a log raft they’d float down the Yukon River every summer. Inspired by his dad and other old-timers, Lauro acquired his first sled dog and began mushing as a teenager. Over a ten-year period, he grew his kennel to more than thirty Alaskan huskies. Lauro uses his team for hunting, trapping, guiding backcountry expeditions, and running competitive sled dog races – including the famous 1,000-mile Iditarod. Caring for and training the team for trips like these is a year-round occupation, and requires gathering resources from the land. It’s not glamorous work; the conditions are tough and the days long, but it’s what Lauro loves – and what he’s built for.