Cody Strathe
42 YEAR OLD YUKON QUEST Veteran
Nationality:
American
Occupation(s):
Archaeologist, Sled Builder, Guide
Kennel Name:
Squid Acres Kennel
Kennel Name Origination:
We first got sled dogs in Fairbanks while attending UAF. Paige studied squid for her Master's Thesis and we decided to name our little homestead Squid Acres as a cute little joke. It stuck.
Kennel Bloodlines:
Squid - a little of this and a little of that, all mixed up.
Breeds:
Alaskan Husky
# of Dogs in Kennel:
45
http://www.squidacres.com
Sponsors:
Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Fairbanks; Clear Alaskan Glacial; Woodland Wellness Center; Nonstop Dogwear; Horst Expediting and Remote Operations; Ursa Major Distilling; T Rose Veterinary Services; DogPaddle Designs; TNT Dog Center; Hard Eats; Heather's Choice

Musher Question & Answer

How many years have you been running dogs?
13
How did you get started running dogs?

Started skijoring on camping trips and then it morphed into a small team, which didn't stay small for long.

What do you love most about running sled dogs?
Why did you enter the Yukon Quest? What are your goals for the race?
Last year, I ran my 5th Yukon Quest, it was with our young inexperienced dogs. I had 10 dogs that had never run a thousand mile race before, they did so amazing! Four of those youngsters went on to run a very competitive Iditarod with my wife two weeks later. I'm looking forward to seeing how this group of dogs mature this winter. I think they will be hard to beat.
How did your dogs get their names?/ How do you choose names?

Sometimes we go with themes. For instance, we have the Car-themed litters...Chevelle, Nova, Sierra, Astro, Iroc, Coupe, Volt, Cuda, El Camino. Sometimes a name just comes to them, like Fredro Starr.

What music do you listen to on the trail?
Share a quick story about one of your indispensable Handlers

You know you have a good handler when you get back from a training run and they tell me what each dog's poop looks like at home, before they even ask how I am doing. A good handler loves and knows the dogs as much as we do. It's a hard job but one of the most important on the team.

Tell us about your favourite experience with a volunteer on the trail
All of the volunteers are amazing. It is what puts this race far above the others.
List recent sled dog races and/or best performances
2019 Yukon Quest - 12th; 2018 Iditarod - 29th; 2017 Iditarod - 30th; 2017 Copper Basin - 5th; 2016 Iditarod - 42nd; 2016 Yukon Quest - 15th;