Yukon Quest & Satworx Satellite Phones

As Race Manager for the 1,000 Mile Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, it is my job to ensure that all of the official race personnel are capable of getting to the correct places at the correct times to support the event and provide the absolute best in veterinary care to our competitive sled dogs.

What is Yukon Quest

The Yukon Quest is particularly unique in the world of top-class sporting events because it travels through extremely remote terrain during a time of year when the winter weather can blow you off Alaska's mountain tops or freeze you to the core with temperatures that drop at times to - 60 degrees Fahrenheit. In order for our race to function as smoothly as possibly in these extremes, Satworx Satellite Telephone Communications are essential. We rely heavily on our Satworx Satellite phones to maintain contact between our race officials, support and medical staff, who as the race progresses, must monitor and support a field of competitors which could be separated by hundreds of miles and multiple days.

The Team

Quest sled dogs are considered elite, ultra-marathon athletes, bred to survive and thrive in a harsh arctic climate. No other animals combine their endurance, dedication and ability to perform in the extreme conditions of the North. Their mushers are coaches, cooks & cheerleaders for their canine team. Mushers, who are required to have completed at least 1 200-mile and 1 300-mile to qualify, carry mandatory equipment, food and supplies at all times. They cannot replace their dog sleds without penalty, and are not permitted to accept any assistance, except in Dawson City, the home of the Klondike Gold Rush and the half-way point of the race. A limit of 50 teams ultimately competes for a purse that is shared between the first 15 finishing teams with $35,000 going to 1st place.

The Need for Satworx Satellite Telephone Communication

Satworx Satellite phone service provides a much needed safety net. Official personnel, working on the trail and off-road, remote settings have little more than a warm change of clothes, a good sleeping bag, their learned survival skills, and a Satworx phone to protect and call for assistance in the event of a mechanical failure or accident on the trail. It is imperative in this modern era that our people are properly equipped while performing their race-related duties.

The Trail

Enlarge Trail Map

The Yukon Quest Trail follows historical Gold Rush and Mail Delivery dog sled routes from the turn of the 20th Century. Once the transportation "highways" of the Northern frontier, the Yukon Quest Trail now comes alive during February when the frosty breath and haunting howls of hundreds of sled dogs return to the route. Dog teams consisting of one human 'musher' and 14 canine athletes race across some of the last pristine wilderness remaining in North America.

The Yukon Quest race starts on schedule regardless of weather and lasts from 10 to 16 days until the final dog team arrives at the Finish Line. Eleven checkpoints lie along the Yukon Quest Trail, including the Start and Finish lines. Some checkpoints are more than 200 miles apart. Teams are on their own, relying on a combination of toughness and skill, the commitment and endurance of the dogs, and sometimes luck. Race updates provide information on dog teams' positions, progress and times as mushers check in and out of race checkpoints. 5 veterinary stations, strategically positioned along the race route provide additional support to the mushers and their dog teams.

Satworx satellite phone service provides voice, text, email in the palm of your hand at the pole and everywhere in between.