Cain Carter, 19, was born in Palmer, Alaska. He began mushing when he was 13 when he came to live with his step dad, Lance Mackey. He has completed and won the Jr. Iditarod and completed a number of mid distance races around Alaska. He has lived and gone to school in Sterling and in Fairbanks, most recently attending Lathrop High School in Fairbanks. He has worked the last two summers as a deck hand for Pacific Tugboat Services. Cain will be running dogs from the Mackey kennel in the 2011 race, and says, "I love the dogs, the challenge and the whole Iditarod experience." He lists his hobbies as music and snowboarding.