Profile: Carolyn Lang
By Marissa Carl
907-451-4023
Carolyn Lang鈥檚 life is consumed by one goal: finishing the Yukon Quest. For now, she鈥檚 a dog handler, which means scooping poop, putting on booties, cutting meat and performing minor vet care. She鈥檚 also a full-time student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Eight years ago, Lang, now 21, was living in New Jersey when she read 鈥淚nto the Wild.鈥 Jon Krakauer鈥檚 story hooked her on Alaska, and she traveled to Fairbanks the following year, witnessing her first Yukon Quest.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 when I fell in love with dog mushing,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 knew this is where I wanted to be.鈥
The day after high school graduation, knowing no one in Alaska, she moved to Fairbanks and began working toward her goal.
Because the world of dog mushing is unpredictable, Lang added 鈥渆arn a degree鈥 to her to-do list. Unwilling to take time off from working as a handler and volunteering at races across the state, Lang searched for a flexible program and found it in . She will graduate in May with a bachelor鈥檚 degree.
鈥淭he justice program is online, which I love, and there are always going to be jobs in the field,鈥 Lang said, adding that the captivating courses and instructors confirmed her choice. Though she鈥檇 enjoy working in the court system, her priority remains mushing.
Trying to get on a sled as fast as possible, she is on track to finish her four-year degree in three years. 鈥淭he dogs are my motivation,鈥 said Lang, who takes 18 to 21 credits every fall and spring and six to 12 credits every summer.
Having most of her classes online gives Lang the control she needs to succeed at UAF and be an active dog handler. 鈥淢ost of my courses don鈥檛 require you to sign in at a certain time, so I鈥檓 able to get two or three weeks ahead if I want,鈥 Lang said. 鈥淚f I know I鈥檓 going to be helping someone with an upcoming race or will be out of town for a few days, I can do it without falling behind.鈥
Moving forward is really the only thing she knows how to do. Just this month, she married fellow mushing enthusiast Adam Lang and was hired by an Iditarod and Yukon Quest veteran musher in Fox. She is working part-time during her last semester and will transition to full-time after graduation. It won't be long now until she'll be crossing the finish line of the Yukon Quest.