1st March, 2002
The 2002 Yukon Quest
At the start
line |
Orange booties |
Every February since 1984 a number of sledge-dog teams make their way
between Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada and Fairbanks, Alaska, USA.
Start and end point of the race alternate annually. (This year the race
began in Fairbanks.) The race was dedicated to the Yukon river, the
old highway of the north. The trail is largely along the route that
gold prospectors followed from the "Klondike" (Canada) to
the interior of Alaska during the gold rush in the late nineteenth century.
Dogs entangled |
Team on the
run |
The total length of the trail is about 1609 kilometres (1000 miles),
and varies every year due to snow and river ice conditions. The trail
passes through black-spruce forest, over frozen rivers, and across country
above the tree line. The teams have to manage several extreme climbs
and drops. From Fairbanks (elevation 130m) the teams need to climb four
times to elevations (Salomon's Dome [1180m], Eagle Summit [1113m], Rose
Bad [1063m], and American Summit [1042m]) above 1000m before reaching
Whitehorse (elevation 760m).
Team and
spectators on the Chena River |
Dogs taking
a rest along the way |
There are ten official checkpoints (including start and end) along
the trail: Whitehorse, Braeburn, Carmacks, Pelly Crossing, Dawson City,
Eagle, Circle, Central, Angel Creek, Fairbanks. The longest distance
between checkpoints is 328km [between Pelly Crossing and Dawson City].
The shortest distance between checkpoints us 112km [between Central
and Circle].
Sled crossing
hills |
Dog bedded
down for a sleep |
The race is biased towards fair play and considers good care of the
dogs a priority. At the start each team is limited to a maximum of 14
dogs. Along the trail sick or slow dogs may be dropped. No dogs can
be picked up, or exchanged. There are several race veterinarians employed.
Their duty begins with pre-race check-ups for every dog. At every checkpoint
the dog teams are checked again, and only after the vet gives the thumbs
up a team may move on.
The race rules require each team to have a mandatory stop-over of 36
hours at Dawson City, Canada. Another rule lists the minimum gear to
be carried by each team: a sleeping bag, an axe of a minimum length
of 0.56 metre, eight booties per dog, and advertisement material. O.K.,
and there is a total of US $120,000 in prize money, that is distributed
over the top 15. The winner takes home US $30,000.
