[2] [3] Samuel Johannesen Balto was born in Karasjok Municipality in Finnmark county, Norway.

Balto participated in the first recorded crossing of the interior of Greenland, together with Nansen and four other expedition members.

Balto wrote his own book after the expedition: Med Nansen over Grønlandsisen i 1888 – Min reise fra Sameland til Grønland.

Samuel Balto, together with 113 other people from Finnmark were hired by Sheldon Jackson to be involved in the introduction of reindeer in Alaska.

Balto, the Alaskan sled dog made famous during the 1925 serum run to Nome, which transported diphtheria medication across the U.S. territory of Alaska to combat an epidemic, was named in his honor.