Aliy Zirkle, 43, was born in New Hampshire. She spent her childhood in New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, and Missouri. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Biology and came to Alaska in 1990, where she lived in a wall tent on the Alaskan Peninsula and worked for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. She’s lived in Two Rivers for the last 15 years and says she “enjoys the community and the surrounding wild lands.” Aliy lists her occupation as “dog musher” and has finished the Iditarod 11 years. Her 2012 finish was her best ever, finishing in second place. She and her husband, Allen Moore, also an Iditarod musher, share the kennel. Aliy has two adult step daughters, Bridgett and Jennifer. She says she enjoys guiding novice dog mushers on wilderness adventure trips around Alaska.