THE ROUTE FOR 2008
RACE ROUTE REPORT
Please forgive us for the use of both metric and imperial measurements – its not intended to confuse, but is a consequence of what seemed appropriate in various circumstances.
The race starts at Eagle Plain which is approximately 225 miles from the Dawson junction on the Klondike Highway. It is a solitary hotel and fuel stop and is the only oasis for a meal, bed and gas until you reach Fort Mcpherson. You will receive a very warm welcome here from both the Owner and staff and you will hopefully also get a good night’s sleep the night before the start.
The start line is directly outside the hotel amid stunning scenery with the beautiful Richardson Mountains to your right.
On starting the race. you immediately descend gently through young forest for about 9km. After crossing the bridge at Eagle River, the road bears right and ascends quite steeply for about 8.5km, then sweeps down again and becomes more exposed. At 20km there is a quite sharp ascent which takes you up onto the emergency airstrip. Although unlikely, please be aware that aircraft DO use the road here as a landing strip. This rise and fall continues until the first checkpoint at the Arctic Circle at 712m above sea level. Weather permitting, you will have the most awesome views of the most stunning, remote and inhospitable landscape our planet has to offer.
From the Arctic Circle, the route continues to rise and fall. Approaching Glacier Creek it’s a little exposed with possible cross winds. It remains quite open past 50km with long open flat stretches. Racers are advised to either carry strap on wheels which can be used on sections or to fit there sled with metal runners for sections where the snow has blown away. This whole stretch is affectionately known as Hurricane Alley, and with good reason. The potential is there for EXTREMELY strong Katabatic winds. Lorries using the Dempster are regularly blown over and any human caught in these winds could quite literally be forced to crawl. When the winds are blowing (see video clip of a day when it was open and you will then appreciate the severity of hwat is being described), the road is usually closed to vehicles. At 64.2km there is a “Big Dipper” which should be quite testing for the athletes at Sheep Creek. At 77km there is a Highways open shelter on your right which you are free to shelter in if necessary, but a little further on your left is Rock River Campground - for 2008 we intend to introduce a further poroper checkpoint here, where there is an open sided cabin with a stove. At 83km the route once again becomes exposed to possible severe winds and is a likely to be the toughest part of the race all the way through to the steep ascent to Wright Pass at 92km. At the top of the Pass is the border with the North West Territories and you are reminded to put your watches FORWARD one hour! The third checkpoint is approx 10km further on to a Highways Depot at James Creek.
At 120km you will pass through a most stunning gorge where some of the frozen river is a beautiful ice blue. It really is fantastic to see. The route then descends towards Midway Lake. Lots of spindrift across the route all along this section. The route now becomes much straighter with long sections and slightly less wild. At 149km there is another emergency airstrip on the road, so just be aware. There are warning signs. At 160km you drop down with panoramic views of the open Mackenzie Delta before you.
The route now descends further to the Peel River ice crossing at 174km.This is another very pretty part of the route. One of two ice bridges on the Dempster, this crossing obviously only exists during very cold periods, but during the summer months, ferries provide access across the rivers. The Dempster is generally impassable in early Autumn and late Spring whilst the ice is forming and subsequently breaking up. The road changes now to long flat straights pretty much all the way to Fort McPherson, about 8-10miles away, and the finish line of the 120 Miler or Checkpoint 4 if you are racing all the way to Tuktoyaktuk.
Fort McPherson is a small community and subject to confirmation we will be once again using the community hall within the village.
On leaving Fort Mcpherson, the racers will now be facing what we consider to be an extreme mental challenge. The route to the next community at Tsiigehtchic is predominately flat and straight. 15 miles after leaving Checkpoint 4 the racers are advised to enjoy the last little ascent for a very long time. On cresting this hill, it’s head down and wobble to the next Checkpoint 20 miles away.
At Tsiigehtchic the racers will pass over the second ice bridge, turning sharp right on the ice to enter the community. We will be using the community gymnasium as our Checkpoint (tbc) . The community itself is very pretty and sits on the hill overlooking the River Junction of the Arctic Red River and the famous MacKenzie River.
We said it would get worse….The course from CP 5 all the way to CP 7 at Inuvik is equally flat to what has come before but the straights are LOOONNNGGGEEERRRRR. The original intention was to have this section without a break all the way to Inuvik but on reflection that even for the hardiest of racer’s sanity, we’ll split this long haul with a remote CP at Caribou Creek approx 2/3 way along this stretch. We will arrange for the Highways to plough the entrance so we can have access and will set up a walled tent checkpoint. Space will be limited and far from luxurious. For 2007 we were lucky at the last minute to be able to use the cabins at Caribou Creek which we will do again if they are avaialble. The last miles into Inuvik are the only part of the route to be tarmaced and might not be snow covered.
The route just touches Inuvik at approx 233 miles with the checkpoint being situated on the edge of the town in the log cabins at the Arctic Chalets. Again, you will have the benefit of a warm, comfortable place to have a sleep, shower and food.
The route now drops immediately onto the winter ice road that takes the racers all the way to the finish at Tuk. This road is approx 120miles long and a real test of an athlete’s mental, as well as physical toughness. We will arrange for a remote checkpoint, possibly a mobile home with stove, beds etc, part way along the ice road but that will be the only respite in this challenging environment. The ice road itself is very wide with a ploughed snow bank along either side. This road goes all the way to the finish. The scenery changes and the trees become more and more sparse until there is nothing but whiteness. It is the most remote, barren, stunningly beautiful place we have ever had the fortune to visit, it is purely magical, and will make memories of this race ones which will hopefully stay with you all your lives.
Eagle Plain - Start - 0 miles
Arctic Circle - CP1 - 23 miles
Rock River - CP2 - 48 miles
James Creek - CP3 - 69 miles
Fort McPherson - Finish or CP4 - 116 miles
Tsiigehtchic - CP5 - 154 miles
Caribou Creek - CP6 - 205 miles
Inuvik - CP7 - 235 miles
Swimming Point - CP8 - 305 miles
Tuktoyaktuk - Finish - 352.64 miles
