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Braeburn to Carmacks
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Overview
| Braeburn Lodge Checkpoint | Braeburn
to Coghlan Lake | Coghlan
Lake
Coghlan Lake to Chain Lakes | Chain
Lakes | Chain Lakes to Carmacks
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| >> Trail Description: Braeburn
to Carmacks << |
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Overview: Braeburn to Carmacks |
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This stretch is one of the shorter ones of the entire race at
just 79 miles. However, it contains some of the roughest terrain
that mushers will encounter. Once teams leave Braeburn Lodge,
they cross the Klondike Highway and head east towards Coghlan
Lake. Coghlan Lake is the point where the newer trail rejoins
the old Quest Trail, which ran the full length of Lake Laberge,
then overland to Coghlan. The lake was always a difficult section
– very windy and exposed – and there were virtually
no viewing opportunities for the public. From Coghlan, teams
run through the Chain Lakes and then overland into Carmacks.
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Braeburn to Coghlan Lake |
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The first short stretch of this section of trail takes teams
through the rolling Lake Laberge hills, over to Coghlan Lake.
The run from Braeburn to Coghlan is about 12 miles, and takes
the mushers on winding, hilly trails through the Laberge hills.
At Coghlan, "new meets old", as the new trail re-joins
the old Quest Trail.
Until 1996, teams ran along the Yukon River all the way to
Lake Laberge, then travelled the full length of the lake to
the Thirty Mile, the next section of the Yukon River. As Laberge
is long an narrow, and surrounded by low hills, the lake is
a virtual wind tunnel, and a very tough run for the teams.
Not only that, race fans who made the trek to the Deep Creek
campground, on the shore of the lake, could barely see the
teams, as they usually ran on the far side of the lake.
The tough lake conditions, combined with the lack of viewing
opportunities, prompted race organizers to move the trail.
And indeed, moving the trail to the Takhini River has dramatically
increased the number of viewing opportunities for race fans. |
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Coghlan Lake |
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This informal checkpoint was hosted, for many years, by Tracey
Harris, a dedicated race volunteer. She went out to Coghlan
on a snow-machine and set up camp in an old cabin there, always
offering the mushers good food, hot water, and a warm smile.
Unfortunately, Tracey no longer travels out there, and there
is no longer a great need to stop there, since the cabin is
a mere 12 miles beyond Braeburn Lodge. All mushers must take
a two-hour mandatory layover in Braeburn, and most take longer
rests there; as a result, they are usually ready to run for
more than 12 miles before they take their next break. This
year, incidentally, Tracey has spent many, many hours volunteering
in the Whitehorse Quest office, helping with administrative
and fundraising activities.
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Chain Lakes |
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The trail through the Chain lakes is about 37 miles. Teams travel
across one lake after another, and cross short portage trails
between the lakes. Trailbreakers must be careful putting in
this section of trail as there is often some open water near
the ends of the lakes. Some of the lakes reportedly have warm
springs in them, which contribute to the open water. In addition
to the open water, these lakes are often affected by overflow.
Overflow occurs when the ice "drops" – once
a lake or river freezes, water levels usually drop, leaving
the ice suspended above the water. Eventually the weight of
the ice, and weather conditions, cause the ice to drop down
onto the water again. When that happens, the ice landing on
the water forces some water out around the edges and up onto
the surface of the ice. |
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Chain Lakes to Carmacks |
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Once teams get through the Chain Lakes, they are about 30 miles
from Carmacks. They move onto a bush trail, and travel along
an old telegraph line. The trail used to be extremely narrow
and winding in this area, with a lot of trees and stumps and
branches presenting hazards on the trail.
At one point, mushers nicknamed part of this section "the
bowling alley" – they felt as though they were
driving through a maze of bowling pins, and either knocking
them over or getting knocked over by them. Over the years
trailbreakers have found better routes and improved the condition
of the trail, but it remains a challenging section.
The final stretch of the trail into Carmacks crosses the
Yukon River a couple of times, and the ice in this area can
be very rough. Mushers often have to slow their teams down
in such conditions, to prevent wrist and shoulder injuries
among their canine athletes.
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