Two major international races have had to make significant changes due to unseasonably warm weather recently in the far north.
The Yukon Quest is an annual 1,600 kilometre dog sled race between Fairbanks Alaska, USA, and Whitehorse Yukon Alaska.
The Arctic Ultra is a marathon for runners, skiers, or cross country cyclists, this year with 160 and 480 km versions from Whitehorse travelling north.
Although the temperature is currently a little below freezing and predicted to remain more or less in the -10 degree Celsius range for the next couple of weeks, above freezing temperatures this month have made portions of the original course unsafe.
The Quest start and finish lines have been moved as the ice on water courses which typically form important sections of the route are either not frozen deep enough, or not frozen at all.
The Quest start line has been moved off the Chena river where the ice is not thick enough to support the big crowds for the start and has been moved into Fairbanks itself
Officials also say there is too much open water on the approaches to the finish line in Whitehorse, so that has been moved about 30 km north to Takhini Hot Springs.
The Arctic Ultra has also moved its start from Whitehorse to the Takhini Hot springs.
Earlier this week Quest officials announced the trail would be re-routed along the Yukon River between Eagle, Alaska, and Dawson City due to poor snow conditions on the Taylor Highway, which will shorten the race by about 80 kilometres
The Yukon Quest starts February 1, and will take mushers from 10 to 16 days approximately.
The Arctic Ultra starts today and will take participants about a week.
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