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Course Details and Schedule

Date Jan 28-Feb 1, 2024

What you can expect from our pre-race workshop:

  1. Learn from the hard-won knowledge of race veterans who have spent thousands of accumulated hours in the Yukon wilderness and on the Yukon Quest trail.

  2. Receive detailed trail notes, gear recommendations, GPX tracks & more.

  3. We will help you with your race strategy, whether you are trying to accomplish a time goal or simply want to finish. 

  4. Access to a private Facebook group as soon as you sign up. Here we discuss various race topics and questions as they arise. 

  5. Visit Muktuk Kennels for lunch and see the sled dogs! Then travel the race trail from Muktuk Kennels to the Overland Trail, so you can better plan your strategy for race day(s).

  6. Participate in a full overnight bivy experience on the MYAU trail.

  7. Practice all the essential skills you will need for the race. These include lighting stoves, making a fire, setting up your bivy & resting in your bivy, and making a trail meal. This will be done during the day and night to get comfortable in the dark.

  8. Gear check and advice prior to the race. There will be homework/tasks to do at home before arriving.

  9. Three pre-workshop meetings online in Zoom format. These will be 2.5 hrs long and will allow us to maximize our time in person by covering topics ahead of arrival.


Our goal is for you to have an enjoyable experience regardless of what happens during the race!  We are all passionate about the trail, the race and the entire MYAU family.

2024 Costs:

Full Workshop (Online+four days): $1300 CDN + money transfer fees 

Facebook+Zoom: $200 CDN

1:1 meeting: $40 CDN/hr

Day Trip Only: $200 CDN

         2024 Workshop Jan 28-Feb 1

             Day Trip on January 30

Itinerary: Schedule
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Online Schedule

October 2023-January 2024

The exact dates and time TBD. Zoom meetings will be 2.5 hours.

Itinerary: Schedule

time TBD (late Oct/early Nov)

Meeting #1

Intro: Jessie, Gillian, Fabian, Marianne – followed by all participants.​

Topics agenda:

  • Training

  • Personal responsibility

  • Gear – mandatory gear overview

  • Race rules

  • Footwear

  • Travel: flights/airlines, hotels, insurance for travel & race

  • Questions

  • Homework

time TBD (Dec)

Meeting #2

  • Bivy systems

  • Stove/fuel

  • Clothing layers

  • Headlamps, batteries, electronics, battery packs, etc

  • Food and hydration planning

  • Overflow

  • Mental strength

  • Questions

  • Homework

Mid January

Meeting #3

  • Medical issues, cold injuries, personal first aid, emergencies, etc.

  • The Yukon – remoteness, environment, climate, etc.

  • Spot, In Reach, sat phones

  • Travel plans

  • Workshop plan – overview/questions

Workshop Schedule

Dates Jan 28-Feb 1, 2024

Day One - January 28, 2024

1000

  • Transport from downtown Whitehorse to accommodation (Takhini Hot Springs Resort Suites)

1100-1300       

  • Introductions

  • Review agenda for the day/weekend

  • Waivers

  • Housekeeping: hostel rules, hot springs use/location, coffee shop location & hours, room assignments, internet, etc

1300-1400

  • Lunch

1400-1700

  • Rental gear handout

  • Kit check (all mandatory gear must be present)

  • Stove lighting, bivy set up, & sled/bike packing demo – at least one instructor will go through their set up systematically, and then participants will find a spot to set up their own.

  • We will go for a short walk (~1.5 hrs) from the hostel to test sleds and rental gear.

1800

  • Dinner

  • During dinner we will review the plan for the next day.

Day Two - January 29, 2024

0700-0900

  • Breakfast

0900-1200

  • Powerpoint presentation:

    • Trail description for 100 & 300 mile routes

    • Etiquette on the trail

    • Weather forecast for today and tomorrow

    • Navigation – lesson on map reading which will be a hands-on lesson in the afternoon

1200-1300

  • Lunch

1300-1400

  • Pack full kit for a sled pull

  • We will be gone until dinnertime so bring water/snacks

1400-1700

  • Sled pull from overland trail into the hills (~20 min drive to trailhead)

  • Fire starting demo by instructors

  • Fire starting practice for all participants

  • Stove lighting

  • Navigation exercise

1830

  • Dinner

  • Free time after dinner

Day Three - January 30, 2024 - Day Trip & Overnight

0800-0900

  • Breakfast

0900-1200

  • Powerpoint

    • Overflow

    • Extreme cold – revisit medical issues and emergency scenarios

    • Animal encounters

  • Stove maintenance lesson - Fabian

1200-1400

  • Light snacks provided

  • Pack your sleds and be 100% ready to go by 2pm (full afternoon and night out, with late lunch provided at Muktuk; ***bring your own trail meal for dinner***)

  • You will need fuel, your stove, matches, firestarter, water, spare layers, full sleeping system – we are spending the night and will not be back at the hostel until about 7-8am.

  • This is a mock race day/night without the pressure of being timed or on a schedule, but the idea is to ‘do you’ and figure out a pace that works for the temp and manage your own breaks and layers. There is no expectation to keep up with the group and there are no ‘winners’.

  • Pack everything you are planning to bring to the race (for food just bring what you need for snacks + your trail dinner).

1400

  • Pick-up/transport to Muktuk Adventures (approx. half hour drive)

  • Anyone who is joining us just for the day trip will be picked up at the Sternwheeler Hotel (downtown Whitehorse) and taken out to Muktuk.

1500           

  • Lunch provided by Muktuk at their lodge

1600           

  • Leave for Old Dawson Trail

  • The stretch is about 18-20 km – it can take 3-5 hours depending on pace; it is all frozen river travel.

  • The group can spread out so be prepared to be alone. An instructor will be at the very back and the very front, and one somewhere in the middle. We will have a snowmobile for support, and a well-marked trail leading to where we will finish. An instructor will be at the bivy area and show everyone where to go to set up camp.

  • The finish location is off the river and in the forest near the overland trail parking lot

2000/2100

  • Approximate arrival at Overland Dawson Trail parking area – it will be dark!

  • On arrival find a spot to set up your bivvy (remember what you learned about choosing a spot – make sure it is a good spot to sleep)

  • Have your trail meal, light a fire, and get into your bivy

  • Be prepared to spend the night and not be able to sleep – bring a book!

Day Four - January 31, 2024

0700-0900

  • Transport back to hostel – unpack, warm up, dry out

  • Breakfast

0900-1200

  • Debrief trail outing and address any gear concerns/malfunctions/etc

  • Review trail descriptions for 100 & 300 where applicable

  • Chat about fatigue & decision making & mental strength

  • Problem solving exercise on mistakes & solutions

1200-1300

  • Lunch

1300-1700

  • Discuss pre-race schedule

  • Where to shop in Whitehorse for food/gear etc

  • Look at the forecast

  • Feedback forms to participants

  • Slide show/race video

  • Revisit any area of concern and/or cover anything we haven’t touched on

1700-1800

  • Free time

1800

  • Dinner

  • Group hot springs soak

  • Please be ready to move out in the morning by 11am

***If anyone wishes to be in town tonight instead of the next morning, we can accommodate this***

Final Morning - February 1, 2024

0900-departure

  • Breakfast

  • Clean up

1100-1200

  • Transport to town

  • Hotels may allow early check-in or hold onto gear until you can – sleds can stay in the U-Haul until check in

  • There are nice places to have lunch in town and walk around/shop

Itinerary: Schedule
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