Brent Sass

The Sockeye Fire caused evacuation of hundreds of sled dogs from Willow area kennels earlier this month, and now new fires have forced movement of huskies from a remote kennel north of Fairbanks. KUAC’s Dan Bross reports.

Mile 101, Steese Hwy, AK - The race for the finish line is on after Brent Sass gave up a 10-hour lead Sunday on Allen Moore’s dog team. The top two Yukon Quest mushers will layover for a mandatory eight hours after they arrive in Two Rivers, the last checkpoint on the trail.

It was early morning when Allen Moore met up with a Yukon Quest trailbreaker as he drove his team down the meandering trail on Birch Creek. “I met him head-on when I was running his morning and he said Brent had a bit of a problem and I would probably catch him because he was till walking,” said Moore.

Dawson City, YK - After Yukon Quest mushers arrive in Dawson City, they drive their teams head across the Yukon River to a public campground, where handlers build elaborate camps for the dogs. They’ll get massaged, fed and sleep during the 24 hour layover.

Brent Sass had his dog team lined out and waiting to leave the dog camp more than a half hour early. “I’m a little anxious, because it’s a lot easier once you get out on the trail,” said Sass. “This is like before that big game.”

  Dawson City, AK - The top Yukon Quest mushers have been arriving in Dawson City all night. The trail to the race’s halfway point has been rough, but mushers know the Alaska side of the trail could be even tougher and there’s plenty more racing to be done.

Eureka musher Brent Sass has a six-hour lead. He also stands to win a little extra prize money. If he crosses the finish line in Fairbanks, Sass will win the Dawson award: four ounces of gold, valued at roughly six thousand dollars. 

  Pelly Crossing, YK - On the Yukon Quest Trail, there are a few things mushers have to be especially picky about including a sturdy sled.  Jumble ice near McCabe Creek, half way to Pelly Crossing, is testing sled engineering this year.

When he’s not running dogs, musher Cody Strathe builds dog sleds for a living. “I built the same sled I built for about ten people this year, but it’s a nice sled and it was originally my design for myself,” he said.

Carmacks, YK - Yukon Quest mushers continue to battle subzero temperatures, but the race is heating up as teams complete the first of four mandatory layovers.  Mushers are trying to decide if they should rest their dogs early or keep moving and try to claim an early lead.

Perhaps it was no surprise Tok musher Hugh Neff arrived in Carmacks ahead of his competitors. In recent years, Neff has pushed his team early. “I just like to be out on the trail by myself, I don’t want to be around hoard of other people,” said Neff.