Kyla Durham, who grew up in Upper Lake, Calif., will take place in the 2011 Yukon Quest dog sled race in Alaska. She's pictured with a DogPaddle sled. Photo courtesy of http://blog.wildandfreealaska.com/.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – A young woman who grew up in Lake County will take part in a famed sled dog race early next year.

Kyla Durham, who grew up on Clover Creek Family Farm in Upper Lake, will compete in the 2011 Yukon Quest, a race which may be even more arduous than the Iditarod.

The race will take place Feb. 5-18.

Durham will race a team of dogs over more than 1,000 miles and four mountain ranges from Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory to Fairbanks, Alaska.

At her childhood home in Upper Lake she began working with dogs by providing a foster home for puppies rescued from the Lake County Animal Shelter.

Once given a clean bill of health, the puppies would go to adoption clinics in Santa Rosa and Marin. More than 120 rescued puppies benefited from her care and attention.

Lake County’s 4-H Guide Dog project was Durham's first experience raising a working dog. Myrtle, the guide dog puppy, went every where with Durham for 18 months until being called back for formal training.

As a high school student in Lake County, Durham was honored by the Lake County Arts Council for her acceptance into the California State Summer School of the Arts based on her artistic talent as a potter.

Durham is now responsible for the care and training of more than 100 dogs at the Wild and Free Alaska kennel. In the winter they train in Eureka, Alaska about four hours north of Fairbanks.

“Dog Gone Addiction,” a documentary about three women running the Yukon Quest, shows some of what Durham will experience on the trail in subzero temperatures behind a team of dogs.

Come see this movie starting at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at Ancient Lake Gardens, 8993 Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville, three miles from Kits Corner on the left, and get a taste of Durham's and the dogs’ coming adventure.

In addition, there will be some footage showing Durham training dogs in Eureka, as well as a short Skype interview with her if possible.

This event is free although donations to help Durham and the dogs will be gratefully accepted.

To learn more about Durham and the dogs visit http://blog.wildandfreealaska.com/ . To learn about the Yukon Quest, visit www.yukonquest.com/ .

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Call 707-275-9315 for more information about the movie showing.

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