Dog mushing is truly amazing. Teams travel hundreds or thousands of miles in bone-numbing temperatures across vast expanses of Alaska wilderness using little more than the power of dogs. It sounds impossible, but the system works, and for thousands of years has defined native cultures through travel, trade and subsistence activities. Twice I’ve covered the 1,000 Mile Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner as a staff photographer. The Quest alternates start and finish lines between Fairbanks, Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon. The namesake is the mighty Yukon River, but the race traverses many smaller rivers and climbs numerous summits throughout Alaska and Canada. In 2021 I covered the pandemic-shortened Summit Quest 300 for the same publication, but under the Media North umbrella. It’s always astounding to see teams dogs and mushers travel for days on end with almost no rest, and a true pleasure to be out in amazing Alaska wilderness documenting their adventures.
Note: Some images on this page are ©Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.
Jason Campeau checks in at Circle City, Alaska, the fourth checkpoint of the Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race. Campeau suffered multiple concussions that year, eventually resulting in a helicopter evacuation. Feb. 5, 2018.
Healy, Alaska musher Dave Dalton travels along the Yukon River just outside the halfway point of Dawson City, Yukon, during the 2018 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race. Feb. 9, 2019.
Two Rivers, Alaska, musher Allen Moore approaches Eagle City Checkpoint along the Yukon River during the 2019 Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race. Moore won the race that year, his third victory and sixth top-five finish. Feb. 6, 2018.
Brent Sass tends to a dog during the 2019 Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race. ©Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Katherine Keith of Kotzebue, Alaska, crests Eagle Summit during the 2019 Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race. Keith would later suffer a broken wrist after a crash and scratch from the race. Feb. 4, 2018.
Two Rivers, Alaska, musher Matt Hall takes to the Yukon River shortly after leaving Eagle City Checkpoint during the 2019 Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race. Feb. 8, 2019.
Dogs nap during the 2019 Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race.
Chase Tingle of Two Rivers, Alaska, mushes past bluffs along the Klondike River just outside Dawson City, Yukon, during the 2019 Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race. He finished his rookie race in 25th place.
Four-time Yukon Quest champion Hans Gatt of Whitehorse, Yukon, pushes his sled up Eagle Summit during the 2019 Yukon Quest, in which he finished second.
Hugh Neff, a two-time champion of the 1,000 Mile Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, mushes up and over Eagle Summit on day two of the 2021 Summit Quest 300 across Interior Alaska. Low snow and wind-scoured summits contributed to tricky conditions for the race, in which Neff finished third. Feb.14, 2021.
Michelle Phillips of 10 Mile, Yukon, rests at the top of Eagle Summit during the 2019 Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race. Phillips finished fourth.
Healy musher Alex Buetow mushes past a Gold Dredge #4 near Dawson City, Yukon during the 2018 Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race. Feb. 10, 2018.
2021 Summit Quest 300 fourth-place finisher and Rookie of the Year Adam Lindenmuth arrives at Circle City Checkpoint early Monday morning, the third day of the race. Lindenmuth mushes and trains out of Willow, which is relatively flat compared to the Summit Quest. His home training grounds made Rosebud and Eagle summits difficult for the team, but Lindenmuth said his dogs excelled on the flat terrain of Birch Creek. Feb. 15, 2021. Robin Wood/Media North
Rookie musher Eddie Burke Jr. of Nenana begins descending Eagle Summit on day two of the 2021 Summit Quest 300. Summits have unique challenges each year, in 2021 low snow made the trek bumpy and dangerous for most mushers. Robin Wood / medianorthak.com
Fairbanks-based musher Deke Naaktgeboren travels just outside Circle City Checkpoint toward to finish line on day three of the 2021 Summit Quest 300. Naaktgeboren, a former 1,000 Mile Yukon Quest finisher, took second place in this year’s pandemic-shortened race. Robin Wood / medianorthak.com
Summit Quest 300 winter Dan Kaduce of Chatanika gets help loading his sled onto his trailer Tuesday morning. Kaduce will now turn his attention to the march 7 start of the Iditarod. Feb. 16, 2021. Robin Wood for the News-Miner.
Fairbanks-based musher Hugh Neff travels through frost-laden black spruce shortly after leaving the Circle City Checkpoint of the 2021 Summit Quest 300. The Yukon Quest 1,000 Mile International Sled Dog Race was canceled this year because of Covid-19, but organizers managed to stage a 300 mile qualifying race, in which Neff finished third. Feb. 15, 2021. Robin Wood/Media North
Fairbanks-based musher Deke Naaktgeboren travels along Birch Creek toward to finish line on day three of the 2021 Summit Quest 300. Naaktgeboren, a former 1,000 Mile Yukon Quest finisher, took second place in this year’s pandemic-shortened race. Robin Wood / medianorthak.com
2021 Summit Quest 300 champion Dan Kaduce cruises along Birch Creek en route to the finish on the third day of the race through Interior Alaska. Birch Creek — notorious for being long, circuitous and cold — lived up to its reputation with temperatures around negative 50 this year. Feb. 15, 2021. Robin Wood/Media North