Work group hopes to reboot Canada's Yukon Quest

Earlier this month the CBC reported that Canada's Yukon Quest board had disbanded and the race in 2026 would not take place. The reason? Essentially volunteer burnout. 

But today, a band of long-time Quest volunteers announced they were planning a work group to reboot their beloved race - with the hope to make a 1,000mile race fully in Canada. The original message traveled the rounds on facebook in Yukon Quest group pages. 

"THERE IS going to be a Spcial General Meeting of the Yukon Quest on Feb 17 at 6:30 PM at the new Hyatt Place in Whitehorse, in The Yukon Territory," Harry Kern wrote on Facebook. "This meeting will welcome all who are interested in The Yukon Quest, and who wish to know what the heck is happening with this event, and who want to maybe become members, board mermbers, and/or work on a committee."

This post met with almost immediate questions on who was putting this on, how it would work, and all the standard questions trying to vet the information and make sure a scam wasn't in the works. Kern was good to answer questions for much of the morning.

"At present there is no board. They have all resigned. There is now a ‘working committee’ of very dedicated volunteers who have been putting together the pieces required to have a new board of directors in place so that we can plan for another race in 2027," Kern responded to one person's request for information.

Kern encouraged any and all to join the meeting - and pay for a membership to give them voting privaleges. At the Feb 17 meeting they will form an organizing board and committees that will have what Kern says will be a very short term - only until August when they will then hopefully vote a permanent plan and board.

In another comment Kern responded to fans wanting the race to go back to being 1,000 mile race that crosses the Al-Can border. "You cannot plan a thousand mile international race with a thousand volunteers and a million dollar budget and have it sunk by mad cow, covid, or politicians at a ‘whim’," he wrote. "There are opportunities for a thousand miler right here in Canada, and that’s what we aim to do."

As news started to spread there were mushers and fans who were excited and more who were ready to watch with interest but hedged bets. (Sounds like the early 70s and another race.) 

Now, the information appears on the Quest's website and their official social media - giving even more weight to at least the initial plans. Time will tell how far this goes and how successful this work group is.

Meanwhile, the 750 Yukon Quest Alaska is set to start out of Fairbanks on February 7, 2026.

Thoughts on the news out of The Yukon Quest today? Do you think it's possible to right the ship? Comment below!