John Comment

The Yukon Quest is the Iditarod's little brother, the sibling that grew up and moved out of the city into the backwoods.

Bright-eyed and inquisitive, a pale brown face poked its head from under a pallet of dog food bags. We're used to weasels and an occasional mink in our feed room, but the American pine marten is a rare visitor.

First a single, then five, 10, and finally a continuous unbroken line of caribou stretch from shoreline to shoreline.