2018 Yukon Quest Start Line

The Yukon Quest is an annual 1,000 mile sled dog race across Alaska and Canada's Arctic wilderness.

Fairbanks, AK
2018

Young spectator gets a better view atop his father's shoulders. n some areas spectators were behind several rows of people. Crowds packed the barricades at the start line of the 2018 Yukon Quest despite the freezing temperatures of -20F. Folks were bundled in their winter gear and most armed with cameras. (c) Sarah Manriquez 2018

Dog handler, Max Veio embraces Wiseman in the dog yard before the start of the race. Wiseman runs for 21 year old Yukon Quest rookie, #21 Vebjorn Aishana Reitan. Reitan is from Kaktovik, AK and works as a polar bear tour guide there. (c) Sarah Manriquez 2018

# 15 Laura Neese disappears in the crowd with her team as she ascends out of the chute and onto the frozen Chena River in downtown Fairbanks, AK on the first day of the 2018 Yukon Quest. Spectators line either side of the trail on the frozen river. (c) Sarah Manriquez 2018

#25 Mark Stamm cruises by spectators on day one of the 2018 Yukon Quest race on the frozen Chena River near Nordale Road in Fairbanks, AK. Stamm is a 60 year old Yukon Quest veteran. He has been running dogs for 42 years. His lead dogs, Elmly and Blaze are half border collie. He last ran the Quest in 1988. (c) Sarah Manriquez 2018

#10 Paige Drobny barrels down the chute on at the start line of the 2018 Yukon Quest in downtown Fairbanks, AK.

Drobny is a 42 year old Yukon Quest veteran. She has been running dogs for 12 years. Her kennel name is Squid Acres Kennel because she studied squid for her Master's degree. Last year in 2017, she came in 4th place overall in the Quest. (c) Sarah Manriquez 2018

#21 Vebjorn Aishana Reitan waves at the spectators and photographers waiting his arrival under the Normal bridge in Fairbanks, AK. Reitan has been running dogs for the last 17 years. Although this is his first time running the Yukon Quest, Reitan is no stranger to racing- he ran his very first race when he was four years old. (c) Sarah Manriquez 2018

Official Yukon Quest photographer, Seth Adams, stands at the start line on day one of the race outside of the Morris Thompson Visitor Center in downtown, Fairbanks, AK. When Adams isn't photographing the quest, he works a freelance adventure writer and photographer in Fairbanks, Alaska. He specializes in outdoor adventure journalism and first-person trip reports. (c) Sarah Manriquez 2018

UAF photography student, Ruby Campbell sits in the snow and photographs #22, Ike Underwood as he makes his way down the frozen Chena River on the first day of the Yukon Quest. (c) Sarah Manriquez 2018