YQA Trail Crew Report | January 15, 2025

by directorin Announcements, Race Newson Posted on

Here are a few updates from various sections of the 2025 Yukon Quest Alaska trail from the head of our Trail Crew, Mike Reitz:

  • The North Fork Trail from MP 55 CHSR, 14 miles to the base of Rosebud climb is packed and well traveled but IS NOT currently staked.
  • On Thursday, January 9th trail crew broke and staked the 38 miles of trail over Rosebud, through Mile 101, over Eagle Summit, and out to Steese MP 115.5 where the trail crosses the road.
  • Snow cover is generally good other than the usual bare ridges on Rosebud and crossing Eagle Summit.
  • The climb up to Rosebud is steep. Once on top there are approximately 3.5 miles of rolling alpine ridge which can be very windblown.
  • 1.5 miles before the Mile 101 Checkpoint the trail is on and off glare overflow ice for a few hundred yards.
  • The climb to Eagle Summit is only 5.7 miles and has good snow on it until the last few hundred yards, where it’s rocks, snow, and frozen tussocks. There are multiple large tripods and stakes to guide mushers over the top. There is good snow for braking on your descent down the north side. Remember the large dogleg in the trail. You will drop steeply but then turn 90 degrees right and slightly climb to another small ridge before the trail continues it’s drop to the valley below.
  • Sled runner plastic will get torn up by rocky mining roads north of Eagle Summit. Be careful.
  • The cutoff from 12 Mile on the Taylor into Tok is now staked. Decided to do the last 1/2 mike of trail alongside one of the streets, (5th Ave), to the Highway and then down to Fast Eddy’s about 100′ off of the Ak. Highway for visibility’s sake. 
  • The trail is now staked from Tok to Eagle and then west down the Yukon for 30 miles.

The trail crew plans to be working out of Circle Jan 16-17, hopefully near Eagle on Jan 21st. Thank you to the 7 riders with snow machines who took part and supported Mike Reitz and others in the trail crew so far!

Thanks for reading the YQA Trail Crew Report and if you have any questions at all please reach out to director@yukonquestalaska.com.