The Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race, or just the Yukon Quest, also known as ‘the toughest dog sled race in the world’, is an international dog mushing race held every February. It runs from Whitehorse, Yukon to Fairbanks, Alaska on odd-numbered years, and from Fairbanks to Whitehorse on even-numbered years.
A single musher and a team of 14 dogs race for about two weeks, following historic Klondike Gold Rush and mail delivery routes from the start of the 20th century. The mushers must pack their own equipment, are not permitted to replace their sled, and cannot accept any help except when they reach Dawson City, Yukon, the halfway mark of the race. Ten checkpoints lie along the trail, some more than 200 miles (300 km) apart.
The race route runs on frozen rivers, across open water and bad ice; over four mountain ranges, reaching an elevation of 3,800 feet (1,160 m); and through isolated, northern villages. Racers cover 1,000 miles (1,600 km), as temperatures hit −40 °F (−40 °C), and winds reach 100 miles per hour (160 km/h).
USD $125,000 is divided among the top 15 finishing teams and the winner takes home $30,000.
The first musher to win the Yukon Quest was Sonny Lindner in 1984. The fastest run was completed in 2006, with Lance Mackey winning in 10 days, 16 hours, and 20 minutes, beating Frank Turner’s previous 1995 record by 7 hours and 51 minutes. It should be noted that approximately 50 miles of trail were cut off for reroute in 2006. The longest finishing time was in 1988 when it took Ty Halvorson 20 days, 8 hours and 29 minutes. The closest finish was in 1991 with Bruce Lee a mere 5 minutes behind winner Charlie Boulding. Aliy Zirkle became the first woman to win the race in 2000, in 10 days, 22 hours and 57 minutes.
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