Yukon Quest photo courtesy Government of Yukon

Whitehorse, Yukon Territory – It doesn’t get much cooler – imagine gripping your mittens to a simple wooden sled as a team of 14 dogs pull you madly across 1000 miles (1,600+ km) of ice and snow, through blizzards, against 100-mile-an-hour winds, and with temperatures dropping as low as -60 C!

Not ready for this kind of punishment? The comfy option: schedule a visit to Whitehorse to stay in a nice warm hotel so you can go out and watch the start or climax of the Yukon Quest – an incredible event.

The Yukon Quest, which follows the Yukon River for much of its route, starts in Fairbanks and ends in Whitehorse during even numbered years, and reverses direction in odd-numbered years.

The race is considered the toughest sled dog races in the world. The course  follows the historic route of the Klondike gold rush, and the dogs are descended from the canine of the Klondike era. There are vet stations and drop-off points along the route – Yukon Quest Veterinarians examine each dog at least six times from the pre-race Vet Check to the Finish Line.

According to Wikipedia, the race’s length is equivalent to the distance between England and Africa.

The race starts in early February and the teams usually take about 10 to 13 days to finish. Click to Fly over the trail in 3D, track the race live by satellite.