Photo courtesy of Yukon Quest / Carsten Thies

There are few events that capture the true frontier spirit of the North more than the Yukon Quest dog sled race. Considered one of the toughest dog sled races in the world, the Yukon Quest covers 1,000 miles between Whitehorse, Yukon Territory and Fairbanks, Alaska during the cold Arctic winter. The race began in Whitehorse on Feb. 10 with the first musher crossing the finish line in Fairbanks on Feb. 20.

“As Lead Dog Sponsor for Yukon Quest we’re doing more than just honouring the tradition of travel by dog sled. We’re helping to showcase the culture and tradition of the North to people across North America,” says Cheryl Bishop, community investment manager for TransCanada. “TransCanada is committed to the North and proud to support events that bring communities in the Yukon and Alaska together.”

Teams of one human "musher" and 14 canine athletes travel for two weeks, racing through temperatures hitting 40 below, 100 mile-an-hour winds, open water and bad ice. The Yukon Quest Trail follows historic Gold Rush and Mail Delivery routes from the turn of the 20th Century. The race route runs on frozen rivers, climbs four mountain ranges, and passes through isolated, northern villages.

The Yukon Quest is also dedicated to excellence in canine care. Yukon Quest mushers are coaches, cooks, cheerleaders, and companions to their dogs. Yukon Quest dogs are elite, marathon athletes. Bred from stock that survived and thrived during the Klondike Gold Rush, no animal on earth can match them for endurance, dedication and their ability to perform in the extreme conditions of the North.

Mushers carry mandatory equipment, food and supplies at all times. They cannot replace their sleds, and are not permitted to accept any help, except in Dawson City (the home of the Klondike Gold Rush) the half-way point along the race route. Ten checkpoints lie along the trail, some more than 200 miles apart. Teams are truly on their own, relying on a combination of toughness and skill, the commitment and endurance of the dogs, and sometimes luck. The Yukon Quest is a unique test of the capacity of humans and canines, and a tribute to the true spirit of the North.