Mushers: Conquering the Yukon Quest

Canada's Yukon is synonymous with the wilderness and the gold rush but also with the most extreme dogsled race in the world: the Yukon Quest. The contest takes place at the start of February, lasting more than 10 days. Its 1,600 kilometers cut across the inhospitable far north from Whitehorse to Fairbanks. Numerous obstacles await the 26 fearless teams and their 364 dogs, including 4 craggy mountains, raging rivers, and the occasional hostility of the wildlife--to say nothing of having only 6 hours of sunlight a day and having to sleep under the stars while the thermometer plunges to -50 degrees Celsius. It's no surprise that only the most fearless take on the Yukon Quest!