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From Around the World
Imagine racing along a broken trail behind a dozen running sled dogs. The moon and stars and several thousand marked stakes show you the way. As you take your chances against the frigid weather and rugged terrain, a few dozen men and women, and a few hundred racing dogs are bound and determined to leave you behind in the white, cold Arctic dust. Depending on your competitors for survival, you retrace the footsteps of Gold Rush trappers, miners, explorers and missionaries through ghost towns being slowly reclaimed by the wilderness. With more than 100 miles to the comfort of the next checkpoint, the only sound is the hiss of the sled runners on the frozen river and the padding of the dog-team pulling you relentlessly forward.
This is the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, a 1,000 mile journey aptly billed as The Challenge of the North. The annual race leads mushers between Fairbanks, Alaska and Whitehorse, in the Yukon Territory; through isolated wilderness in harsh winter conditions that test outdoor survival skills and the close bond between musher and dog.
2000 marks the 17th year of the race, which will start in downtown Fairbanks. Usually the course alternates direction each year.
The race takes between 10 and 14 days, depending on trail conditions and weather. John Schandelmeier of Paxson, Alaska won the 1996 race after 12 days, 16 hours and 6 minutes. It was Schandelmeier's second victory, having also won the race in 1992 after mushing for 11 days, 21 hours and 40 minutes. In 1997, Nenana musher Rick Mackey won to the delight of many Fairbanks fans, finishing in a time of 12 days, 5 hours and 55 minutes. In 1998, Bruce Lee finished in a time of 11 days, 11 hours and 27 minutes.
The Quest's hardy souls range from their early 20s to late 50s, and come from places throughout Alaska, Canada, Russia, and Europe. They come from all walks of life veterinarians, psychologists, economists, dentists, policemen, wilderness guides, environmental engineers and journalists. Others are subsistence hunters and trappers who live in bush Alaska, and depend on their dog teams for transportation on a daily basis. These men and women are brought together by a common desire: to challenge spirit and stamina in a competition known throughout the north as the toughest race in the world.
Human performance aside, the real heroes of the Yukon Quest are the dogs. Purebreds are rarely used in dog teams. Instead, Husky, Malemute, and Shepherd mixes make the best-tempered and fastest sled dogs. The dogs start training for the race as early as August, eagerly pulling wheeled-vehicles until there is enough snow on the ground to allow for sleds. Mushers put in hundreds of miles with their teams even before the first snowfall.
Watching the race is almost as exciting as being an actual participant. Yukon Quest enthusiasts can follow the progress of teams on TV or radio, or by driving to some of the ten official checkpoints along the course. The 2000 race begins in Fairbanks and continue for 100 miles/160 kilometers to Angel Creek where the mushers have their first mandatory 2-hour layover. After a short rest, mushers face the treacherous Eagle Summit, a steep 3,650-foot climb where teams have been known to sit down for hours. After passing Eagle Summit, it is off to Central and the checkpoint at Crabb's Corner. Next, the mushers encounter 75 miles/120 kilometers of winding roads and frozen swamps until they reach Circle City. From Circle, the trail follows 175 miles/280 kilometers of flat, sometimes soft, sometimes icy Yukon River until reaching Eagle. Leaving Eagle, in hopes to reach Dawson 150 miles/241 kilometers later, mushers face open water, side-hilling and overflow from the river. Once mushers reach Dawson, there is a mandatory 36-hour layover. After leaving Dawson, mushers continue on through Pelly Crossing, Carmacks and Braeburn for a total of 357 miles/565 kilometers. Once reaching Braeburn, the mushers are on their final leg to Whitehorse. This portion of the race is run on the Old Dawson Trail which has been dedicated as part of the Trans-Canada Trail. From here, the trail follows the Yukon River to the last checkpoint and across the finish line.
For more information of for a free copy of the Fairbanks Visitors Guide, call 1-800-327-5774 or write to the Fairbanks Convention & Visitors Bureau, 550 1st Avenue, Fairbanks, AK 99701. Internet users can contact the Bureau at info@explorefairbanks.com or visit the FCVB web site at www.explorefairbanks.com.
Copyright © Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau. Used here with permission.
