Frank Turner and his Team at the Start of the Race - Photo by Carsten Thies

The Yukon Quest trail follows historic Gold Rush and Mail Delivery routes from Whitehorse, Yukon Territory to Fairbanks Alaska, a distance of 1,000 miles. Dog teams include 14 dogs and one mushier and travel for two weeks, racing through some of the last pristine wilderness remaining in North America. The Quest is dedicated to excellence in canine care, mushers carry mandatory equipment, food and supplies at all times. They cannot replace their sleds, and are not permitted to accept any help, except in Dawson City, the half-way point along the race route. Ten checkpoints lie along the trail, some more than 200 miles apart. The race runs on frozen rivers, climbs four mountain ranges, and passes through isolated, northern villages. With temperatures hitting 40 below, 100 mile-an-hour winds, open water and bad ice all working against the teams, the Yukon Quest is a true test of the capacity of humans and canines. While in Whitehorse we spent the day with Frank Turner and his dogs. Great experience and a fun day.

Frank finished the race in seventh place, the race started on Feb 13, 2005 and he arrived in Fairbanks on Feb 25th. His 1999 record time remains unbroken. Frank has announced his retirement after his 23rd Quest. His kennesl are still active and you can visit for a day or he offers several packages at his bed and breakfast plus trail adventures.

MukTuk Kennels site: www.muktuk.com

Yukon Quest Site: www.yukonquest.com

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