The World's Longest, Most Gruelling International Sled Dog Race — And Those Who Cherish It

Welcome to the Yukon Quest, a thousand-mile sled dog race through the subarctic wilderness, from Fairbanks, Alaska to Whitehorse, Yukon.

As our feature contributor and award-winning photographer Katie Orlinsky explained for National Geographic, “The race takes place in the dead of winter along a route that was used by sled dog teams during the gold rush to deliver mail and supplies. The Yukon Quest is considered one of the toughest sporting events on the planet: Temperatures frequently reach minus 50°F, winds can blow over 40 miles an hour, and the days are so short that most of the race happens in the dark.”

And from mushers and race organizers to spectators and dogs — Alaskans and Yukoners alike cherish every minute of it.

With all this in mind, our story here tackles one big question: How can a landscape so harsh, so unforgiving engender such a powerful sense of community, a love of the land, of all creatures who inhabit it, and even a profound sense of healing? Listen in as host Liz Beatty and feature contributor, Katie Orlinsky, share how this event reveals the true heart of these far northerners — on both sides of the border.

The Work of Whitney McLaren — Photographer and Videographer

Our heartfelt thanks go to Whitney McLaren of www.mushingphotos.com. See below the video trailer of a film she worked on with her brother Chance McLaren (find the whole Born for This film on Vimeo) and her stunning images below. Whitney also generously shared a good deal of the race sound for this episode, giving us a powerful workaround at a time when in-person reporting was impossible. Thanks too to the Yukon Quest for sharing the content of this video trailer and film. Check out Whitney’s diverse work, much of it a study in the magic of far-north life.

The official 2020 Yukon Quest trailer is here and premiered at the Finish & Awards Banquet! Fifteen teams embarked on the 2020 Yukon Quest on February 1. Take a glimpse inside their journey in this official trailer to the feature film Born for This (Vimeo.com/ondemand/YQ2020BornforThis)