The Yukon Quest

One of the biggest headline stories in Alaska and the Yukon right now is the running of the Yukon Quest. It is a 1,000 mile dogsled race ran between Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, and Fairbanks, Alaska. The beginning of the race alternates each year between Whitehorse and Fairbanks. This year the race began in Whitehorse on February 5th and the mushers will be reaching Fairbanks sometime within the next week. All but one of the mushers have made it to the halfway point at Dawson City in the Yukon. Several pulled out of Dawson this morning on their way to Fairbanks. Click HERE to check out Krista's Picture Imperfect blog for some photos she took as mushers left Whitehorse Saturday.

Below are some photos I took last March at one of the sprint races in Fairbanks. These are just short races and quite different from the endurance runs like the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod. The sleds are different and the dogs are lighter than those that run the Quest. One thing that is the same is the enthusiasm of the dogs to run. The photos below were taken at the starting gate and the noise the dogs made was incredible.

They are extremely excited to be running and have to be held back at the start.

They love to run and their joy in taking off is readily apparent.

The Yukon Quest has been run since 1984. It gets its name from the Yukon River, the "highway of the north." The route traces the route the prospectors used to reach the Klondike during the 1898 Gold Rush and from there the route they followed in chasing the gold to Interior Alaska in the early 1900s. Dogsleds were the dominant means of winter transportation in those early years and everything that moved went by dogsled, but the dogsled was replaced by the snowmachine and the airplane in the 50s and 60s. Today racing and recreational use keeps this northern transportation tradition alive. Dogs have been used as pack and draft animals by the Native populations of the North for thousands of years. Most of the dogs that are used in races like the Quest are the Alaskan Huskies, which are a cross breed that has been bred for generations for their racing abilities.

For more information check out the Official Yukon Quest Website. You can also check out photos from the trail on Flickr at the Yukon Quest's Photostream.

I hope to catch some of the Quest mushers as they come across the finish line in Fairbanks. Many of them finish during the night, but hopefully some will finish during the daytime and I will be able to get downtown to get some photos.

Dog Mushing

One of the favorite sports in Alaska is dog mushing. Many people have dog teams and run their dogs every day, just as a runner will hit the road every day to keep in condition and just for the sheer joy of it. There are many races throughout the winter, and you have probably heard of the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest, which are long distance races. There are also many shorter races, and sprint racing is very popular. While my son and his family were visiting we went to see some of the Limited North American. Below is a photo of one of the teams nearing the finish line. Preparing to take off the dogs are very excited. They love to run, and find it hard to contain themselves as they wait for their turn. It takes several people to control them as they are in the staging area.

They are very excited and very vocal. The noise level of several teams of dogs all yipping in excitement is quite high.

They are very intent while waiting for the signal to go.

When they hear the signal they are off in a mad dash, exuberant to be running.

As soon as one team is off, another is brought to the starting line, as eager as the last bunch to be off and running.

It was a lovely sunny day, and on the track there was lots of activity. Back in the parking lot were the trucks used to haul the dogs and sleds to the track. When they aren't running, the dogs are just like human athletes and kick back and relax. They work very hard, and they earn their rest.

I wanted to include a video so you could hear the sounds of the race start, but for some reason I can't get it to upload. I am thinking that perhaps I should provide the little gremlins that create havoc in my computer with a mini keg of beer or two. Maybe that would make them more helpful.