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Whitehorse to Braeburn
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Whitehorse to Braeburn Overview |
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The first section of the Yukon Quest trail is reported to be
100 miles, although there have been suggestions that it is really
85 to 90 miles. From the Start Line, mushers travel along the
Yukon and Takhini Rivers to the Dawson Trail, and then overland
to Braeburn Lodge, a small restaurant and lodge located on the
Klondike Highway, about halfway between Whitehorse and Carmacks.
In the past, front-running teams have usually taken 17 to 19 hours to cover
the distance, doing the run in two stretches with a 5 or 6
hour rest in the middle. One or two mushers have done this
run "straight through," reaching Braeburn in 13
or 14 hours; however, that tactic has not proved too successful
to date. With such a long race, a fast start is not always
the best approach.
For 2003, this section of trail could prove especially challenging.
There has been little to no snow in the Whitehorse area, as
of January 5th, and January is traditionally a "dry"
month in the region. With so little snow cover, the overland
section of trail will be extremely rough in places. In addition,
some sections of the Yukon River have not yet frozen over.
Race officials face a daunting task as they will have to determine
where the trail will go – a problem similar to that
faced in 2001. We will update this section of the trial notes,
with a special report, once we know where the trail will go.
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Start Line |
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The Quest Start Line is located on 1st Avenue in downtown Whitehorse.
First Avenue runs parallel to the Yukon River – about
200 feet from the river – for about seven blocks, from
the Government of Yukon buildings to the old White Pass &
Yukon Route yards. Teams park their dog-trucks along several
side streets that intersect with First Avenue.
The parking is all mapped out in accordance with the bib
numbers, with the first teams positioned closest to the start,
for example. The actual starting line is located just in front
of the old White Pass & Yukon Route Train Station, at
Main Street and 1st Avenue (seen in the photo below).
Race fans line up along First Avenue and through the White Pass
Yards, all the way to Tim Horton's. Some fans will line the
route further along the river, while some will drive out to
viewing spots along the Yukon and Takhini rivers. |
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Start to the Takhini River Bridge |
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The first ten miles on the trail is not the most scenic, in
some respects, as it takes the teams past an old municipal dump
and the city’s new sewage lagoon and outflow. The outflow
can cause some challenges as the river remains open in that
area. There are also several warm streams that flow into the
Yukon River, causing areas of open water. The volunteer trailbreakers
put the trail close to the shore to avoid open water and other
hazards. After the dump, they pass below the Mountain View Golf
Course, the last landmark within city limits.
After about
18 miles on the Yukon River, the teams turn off onto the Takhini
River. Just after they get onto the Takhini River, they pass
underneath the Klondike Highway, under the Takhini Bridge.
There is a boat launch beside the bridge, affording race fans
an opportunity to see the teams a short distance into the
first day’s racing. |
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Takhini Bridge to Dawson Trail
Head |
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Teams stay on the Takhini River for about 15 miles. This stretch
of trail runs past a couple of rural residential subdivisions,
including Couch Road and MacPherson. There are quite a lot of
homes along the river for the first three or four miles, and
then some larger farms and ranches, including Muktuk Kennels.
So Frank must be very careful in how he drives the dogs along
this stretch of trail.
There are several viewing spots along
the river. Although teams will not go into the Takhini Hotsprings,
they will pass close to the Takini River Road, a few miles
beyond the Hotsprings. The trail leaves the river at the old
Dawson Trail, which now doubles as a section of the Trans
Canada Trail. The trail head for the Dawson Trail is located
where Flat Creek flows into the Takhini River.
Once teams leave the river, they will be out of the public
eye until they reach Braeburn Lodge. |
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Dawson Trail Head to Braeburn
Lodge |
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This section of trail follows an old wagon trail dating back
to the Gold Rush era. Many prospectors, settlers and entrepreneurs
used the trail to get to the Klondike strike. They travelled
on horseback, in covered wagons, and on foot. More recently,
the trail has been used by trappers and recreational snowmobilers.
A few years ago, the trail was formally recognized as part
of the Trans Canada Trail. With this new designation, the
trail underwent some upgrading. The clearing and trail-markers
contribute to making this a better trail. Now even more travellers
are using the trail, on foot, on horseback and on snowmobiles.
In the summer of 2002, some extreme adventure racers bicycled
along this section of trail.
On the way to Braeburn, teams will cross several small lakes
and streams. Depending on weather conditions, they may encounter
some overflow on the streams. There are several farms, outfitting
operations and ranches along the trail, and some grazing horses.
Though horses are not ordinarily a danger to sled dogs, they
can create hazards on the trail if they walk on the packed
trail and leave deep hoof prints. A trotting dog whose foreleg
slips into a hole can easily injure shoulder, a difficult
injury to deal with on the trail.
These hazards, however, are not as great as some encountered
the first year this trail was used. At that time, a trapper
in the area insisted on leaving his traps out and set....
and some of the traps were located only a few feet off the
main trail! While there were no injuries, there were a few
close calls, leaving mushers quite rattled. |
