John Hopkins-Hill

Brent Sass poses with his lead dogs after crossing the finish line in Whitehorse on Feb. 11 to win his third Yukon Quest. (Crystal Schick/Yukon News file)

Organizers cancel 1,000-mile Yukon Quest sled dog race for 2021

Sept. 3 announcement highlights COVID-19 impacts as rationale

Brent Sass poses with his lead dogs after crossing the finish line in Whitehorse on Feb. 11 to win his third Yukon Quest. (Crystal Schick/Yukon News file)
Brent Sass’s team digs in to start the 2020 Yukon Quest at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center in Fairbanks, Alaska, on Feb. 1. (John Hopkins-Hill/Yukon News file)

Alaska man wins 1,000-mile Yukon sled dog race

This is the Alaskan musher’s second consecutive win

Brent Sass’s team digs in to start the 2020 Yukon Quest at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center in Fairbanks, Alaska, on Feb. 1. (John Hopkins-Hill/Yukon News file)
A man named Jason arrives at the Dawson checkpoint on Richie Beattie’s sled after he found the team running alone near Moosehide on Feb. 7. (John Hopkins-Hill/Yukon News)

Yukon Quest dog team arrives at Dawson City checkpoint without musher

“I see the dog team coming from a distance around the bend and there was no musher”

A man named Jason arrives at the Dawson checkpoint on Richie Beattie’s sled after he found the team running alone near Moosehide on Feb. 7. (John Hopkins-Hill/Yukon News)
One of Allen Moore’s dogs digs into a snack after reaching the Dawson City checkpoint on Feb. 6 during the Yukon Quest. The dog is wearing a fox tail, a piece of fur worn around a dog’s underbelly to protect its genitals from wind and frostbite. (John Hopkins-Hill/Yukon News)

Sled dogs prepare to face intense health challenges during Yukon Quest

“It’s something you’re used to doing and you don’t think twice about it”

One of Allen Moore’s dogs digs into a snack after reaching the Dawson City checkpoint on Feb. 6 during the Yukon Quest. The dog is wearing a fox tail, a piece of fur worn around a dog’s underbelly to protect its genitals from wind and frostbite. (John Hopkins-Hill/Yukon News)
Hans Gatt arrives at the Mile 101 checkpoint during the 2019 Yukon Quest. Gatt’s sled for this race was a “tail dragger” but he removed the rear box earlier in the race. (John Hopkins-Hill/Yukon News file)

The Quest for perfection: How dog sleds get technical for a 1,000 mile Yukon race

“A wooden sled and you hit something, it’s pretty hard to fix and you’re very likely out of the race”

Hans Gatt arrives at the Mile 101 checkpoint during the 2019 Yukon Quest. Gatt’s sled for this race was a “tail dragger” but he removed the rear box earlier in the race. (John Hopkins-Hill/Yukon News file)
Seth Adams/YQ2019                                Yukoner Rob Cooke took the lead getting four stuck teams, including his own, up over Eagle Summit on Feb. 12.

Yukon Quest mushers make treacherous trek through wind, whiteout conditions

‘I shined my headlamp on the marker and I just talked to her: ‘Do you see it Inca? Do you see it?’

Seth Adams/YQ2019                                Yukoner Rob Cooke took the lead getting four stuck teams, including his own, up over Eagle Summit on Feb. 12.
(File photo)

Necropsy to be performed on sled dog that died during Yukon Quest

It’s the fourth time in as many years a dog has died during the race

(File photo)
Brent Sass hands out steak to his dog team at the finish line after winning the 2019 Yukon Quest on Feb. 11 in Fairbanks, Alaska. (John Hopkins-Hill/Yukon News)

Alaskan musher wins Yukon Quest with full team of dogs

Sass arrived at the finish in Fairbanks just before 1 p.m. local time

Brent Sass hands out steak to his dog team at the finish line after winning the 2019 Yukon Quest on Feb. 11 in Fairbanks, Alaska. (John Hopkins-Hill/Yukon News)