The mushers at the annual Yukon Quest International Sled dog race are already racing toward the finish line som 1,600 km away.
Twenty-six teams left Whitehorse, Yukon on Saturday, cheered on by hundreds of well-wishers in spite of a temperature hovering around -35C.
The leaders should begin showing up at the halfway point in Dawson City by midweek where they’ll have a mandatory 24-hour layover. Both drivers and dogs will be given health checks before continuing on the grueling race. Veterinarians assess the dogs at each checkpoint along the way.
Teams can start with up to 14 dogs, as some dogs might have to drop out due to fatigue, illness or injury. A team must have at six dogs at the end.
Depending on a variety of weather factors, the leaders should reach the finish line in Fairbanks Alaska bye the end of the week, with others arriving on the weekend or early next week.
Along the way, they will traverse steep climbs and summits, sleep deprivation, and temperatures which have been known to dip to -50C.
The purse for the Yukon Quest is just over $127,000 USD.
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