Yukon Quest 2017 – The Trail
The race starts this Saturday, February 4th, in Whitehorse.
Whitehorse 2089 feet [637 meters] Start
Braeburn 2326 feet [709 meters] 100 miles [161 km]
Carmacks 1722 feet [525 meters] 77 miles [124 km]
Pelly Crossing 1558 feet [475 meters] 73 miles [117 km]
King Solomon’s Dome 4002 feet [1220 meters]
Dawson 1050 feet [320 meters] 202 miles [325 km] 24 Hour Stop
American Summit 3920 feet [1195 meters]
Eagle 880 feet [268 meters] 147 miles [237 km] 6 Hour Stop
Circle 597 feet [182 meters] 159 miles [256 km]
Central 435 feet [133 meters] 74 miles [119 km]
Eagle Summit 3685 feet [1123 meters]
Mile 101 2250 feet [686 meters] 33 miles [53 km]
Rosebud Summit 3640 feet [1109 meters]
Two Rivers 750 feet [229 meters] 42 miles [68 km] 8 Hour Stop
Fairbanks 440 feet [134 meters] 45 miles[72 km] Finish
There is a 6 Hour Stop required in Breaburn or Carmacks. There is an adjustment made for the difference in starting times at this stop. On the Alaska side another 6 Hour Stop is required in Circle, Central, or Mile 101. The trail between Central and Two Rivers checkpoints is really a nasty piece of work, going up and down two mountains at the end of the race.[Two Rivers is also called Chena Hot Springs on some maps.]
Conditions are generally good this year with some open water to skirt in both the Yukon and Alaska.
9 comments
I never noticed the steep ascents until you just mentioned them. 3200 feet from Central to Eagle Summit. Dang. Dogs are amazing. I consider it exercise to climb the big hills behind my house.
You climb 3200 to the top of Eagle, descend 1400 to Mile 101, and then climb back up the 1400 to the top of Rosebud. That is the test of your team in odd years, because it comes at the end of the race.
Oh, I get it. They alternate the start location each year, so odd years puts the climb when they are fairly exhausted!
Looking at the winners the past several years, Hugh wins on even numbers. Allen has won both back to back, and Lance Mackey won several years in a row!
Speaking of Lance, he apparently withdrew from the Iditarod this year. Have you heard anything about his health? I can’t imagine anything else stopping him, but I haven’t taken the time to poke around the internet and see if anything comes up about it.
On the live Tracking page that red graph just below the map is actually a side view of the trail showing the climbs. The blue ‘bubbles’ are the teams on the trail. The Quest is anything but flat. Hugh has jumped out to an early lead but it won’t last.
Lance has had circulation problems with his hands which caused a difficult infection. He needs consistent medical attention for the problem, and the lack of circulation would contribute to frostbite on the trail. He also has a new child to enjoy.
Yeah, I see the graph. Good grief.
It’s 8:17 pm EST, and it looks like Hugh is in the lead again, going about 8 mph.
Didn’t realize that Lance was a father again. I’ve never had children myself (so maybe I don’t understand), but I can’t imagine wanting to start over again at his age. Maybe it will keep him young. Lol.
Hugh finished the mandatory at Carmacks and can disappear for a while. The question is – can his puppies sustain the pace? As long as the temps stay low, I think they can, but Brent and Allen probably disagree.
Small children are wonderful when you are an uncle and can leave them after you have them all revved up, but they are not for people with low energy levels. Based on friends and family, they do not keep you young 🙂
Based on friends and family, they do not keep you young 🙂
Well, it seemed a bit unlikely to me, too, but he must have thought it was a good idea for some reason. After all, these days we have stuff to stop that. 🙂
Given his medical history, it was definitely not considered a big possibility, so I doubt any ‘stuff’ was considered necessary.
🙂 I see.