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Yukon
Quest, One of the World's Most Challenging
Dog Sled Races The Yukon Quest challenges mushers and
dogs with 1,000 miles of trail through
some of the most spectacular wilderness on
the North American continent during the
depths of the Arctic winter. Following
traditional mail routes, Gold Rush trails,
and other Klondike-era transportation
corridors, the Yukon Quest Trail demands
phenomenal endurance on the part of both
the canine athletes and their mushers. Teams must tackle the fearsome Eagle
Summit, a 3,650-foot pass with a steep,
treacherous final ascent; icy slopes of
glaciated streams along the Chena River;
sheer, glare ice of the wind-swept Yukon
River near Circle City; unpredictable and
problematic overflow on Birch Creek;
steep, windy sidehills of American Summit;
relentless switch-backs through the Black
Hills; natural moguls at McCabe Creek; and
a thousand more obstacles along the
trail. And that doesn't even include the
weather! White-out conditions in the
mountains; temperatures dipping to below
50 degrees (Celsius) along the Forty Mile
River; and fierce winds along the Yukon
River and on the summits. With these
conditions, it's no wonder that mushers
often arrive at checkpoints covered in
fresh snow, beards and hair iced, with
shoulders hunched. And when they travel
through overflow, they arrive encased in
thin shells of ice that crackle and
shatter with every step. The race route runs on frozen rivers,
climbs four mountain ranges, and passes
through isolated, northern villages. With
freezing temperatures, 100-mile-an-hour
winds, open water and bad ice all working
against the teams, the Yukon Quest is a
modern-day test of the abilities of humans
and canines, and a lasting tribute to the
strength of the timeless bond that unites
them. The Yukon Quest begins in Whitehorse on
February 13; the winner will most likely
cross the finish line some two weeks
later. The Yukon Quest is a proud member
of YukonWILD, a consortium of 26
independent companies offering premier
wilderness trips in the Yukon and
surrounding areas. The consortium's goal
is to provide adventurous travelers with a
central source of information about the
range of activities that are possible in
the North, one of the world's last true
wilderness destinations. For more information about the Yukon
Quest or any of YukonWILD's other
outstanding offerings, call 867-668-3369
or visit
www.yukonwild.com. CONTACT: Paula Pawlovich PHONE: 867-668-3369 E-MAIL: wtaymarketing@klondiker.com WEBSITE: www.yukonwild.com
WHITE HORSE, Yukon: Every February for the
past 22 years, the Great White North has
hosted avid dog mushers and sled dog teams
who flock to the area for the world's
toughest sled dog race ...the Yukon
Quest.