Chuck Schaeffer, 60, was born and raised in Kotzebue,, Alaska. He began mushing in 1980, when his brother-in-law, Iditarod veteran, Roger Nordlum, started racing dogs. He says, “I have been driving dogs forever. I sold out my kennel in 1991. Then I met my wife, Tracey, and we slowly started building another kennel. I took some of my old breed and bred them into the Iten and Seavey lines, and now after 10 long years, I have enough dogs to run some races. I ran the Iditarod in 1985 and didn’t finish because of a race rule, and then tried it again in 1991 and dropped out in McGrath because of illness. This time I’m really ready to finish this thing.” He has run the K-400 a number of times as well as other mid distance races. Chuck served in the US Army from 1972 to 1975. He says he has been a commercial fisherman and worked in construction “a long time.” Chuck moved with his family to Willow three years ago because of “money and the environment.” Chuck says his hobbies are hunting and fishing. He and Tracey are the parents on one daughter, Bailey, 14.