Jessie Howland Gladish will do the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra 430 mile race on a bike this year – interviewed for a podcast by Yukon North of Ordinary. If she finishes, she will be the second athlete (and first woman) to have done our race to Dawson in all three disciplines – as she already reached that finish line on foot and ski before. We all keep our fingers crossed and look forward to having Jessie with us again!
Not much longer now! The most recent Yukon cold spell was a reminder just how extreme things can get during the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra. It’s dangerous under any circumstances but when tempertures reach the – 40°C or even lower, any mistake can be fatal. Athletes in our race know this but a reminder every once in a while does not hurt. It’s also important to note that anybody can get in trouble, even the most experienced participants. Obviously, the raw and challenging wilderness is also a big part of why we are all drawn to the Yukon and challenges like this. It makes us feel alive and – even tough the MYAU is exhausting – it recharges our batteries.
For 2023 we have a great group of athletes who will take off on February 4th at 10:30 AM at Shipyard’s Park in Whitehorse. Provided there are no cancellations, 9 of them are in the marathon, 13 will do the 100 miles, 7 will do the 300 miles and a total of 26 athletes will attempt to finish the 430 mile race that goes all the way to Dawson City. A total of 12 nations will be represented. The youngest is 24 and the oldest participant is 66 years. Many are MYAU veterans but there are also plenty of people having a go at it for the first time.
As always Trackleaders.com will provide the tracking service via SPOT devices. Each ultra distance athlete gets a tracker and this will allow you and us to follow their progress on the trail via an embedded map on our website’s landing page. In case you are not familiar with this kind of „tracking“, beware, it can be addictive! A big plus for safety, these devices also allow athletes to send us different types of messages, i.e. „Help“, „I am okay“, „I am resting“ and „911“. It’s important to know that a SPOT can fail – like anything that runs with batteries. That’s why athletes need to have a lot of kit with them and also to have the skills needed for survival in difficult situations. We will always try to exchange a SPOT if it does not work but the Yukon has got some very remote areas. So, dealing with this kind of an issue can take time.
Other ways to follow the MYAU are news on our website, our facebook group and instagram. Facebook and instagram will be more frequent.
A sports event like ours would only be half the fun if it weren’t for people who can catch the many great moments via photography. We are lucky and super happy that Mark Kelly will once again take on this role for us. Having been with us many years now he knows when and where to go in order to get the best possible results. Also, Mark is fully selfsufficient on the trail. He is equipped to head out onto the trail on his own which makes things very easy from an organiser’s point of view. Last but not least, Mark usually has got his drone with him and it’s this birdseye view that is so great to see just how vast and beautiful the Yukon is. We will try to have a daily dose of Mark’s photos on our website, facebook group and instagram page. Athletes can order photo packages from Mark and we ask any media interested in our race photography to approach us. We are more than happy to help.
Copyright: Mark Kelly
It’s not often that brands support an event for as long as Montane now has been supporting the Yukon Arctic Ultra. They have been with us almost from the beginning! At the time I was looking for a company that makes clothing that can handle all the challenges that our athletes and crew face. Montane was the answer. The rest is history. To this day Montane makes superb clothing for people who are active in the winter – from a regular cold day to the absolute extreme. Their season’s campaign is „find your unknown“ and if you like ultra races and places like the Yukon you will understand it right away:
Thank you Montane for all these years of being involved and thank you for being with us in 2023!
It’s so great that once again we can count on the support of local business partners. Thank you
Total North
Driving Force
Fraserway RV
Coast Mountain
Yukon Yamaha
Muktuk Adventures
Atlin Mountain Coffee Roasters
Sternwheeler Hotel Whitehorse
Downtown Hotel in Dawson City
for your help! We could not do it without you.
It will be an interesting year for our co-operation with the Yukon Quest. As always we will be on the trail that the Canadian Rangers break for this amazing sleddog race. What’s new in 2023 is the timing. Initially, there was going to be more time between our start and the start of the Yukon Quest. Then the Quest had to make a change and they will start on February 11th, one week after us. So, for the first time ever, there is a good chance that, North of Pelly Farm, the leading mushers will catch up to us. We are all confident that this will work out just fine. Because of the timing MYAU is co-operating with the Quest on checkpoints like Scroggie Creek and Dawson City and we have been in close contact over the last few months co-ordinating. Good luck to all the Quest crew and of course the mushers and their dogs!
Last but not least, to all of you – the big MYAU family and all those following our adventure – HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Temperatures are dropping and stores now have the new winter products in stock. So, it was the perfect time to update our gear list. On this list you will find out what it is you need to face the elements of a harsh Yukon winter. Also, you will get plenty of useful input for the main product categories.
A great place for some gear talk is our facebook group.
To shop our sponsor’s products you can go to their respective websites (montane.com, cumulus.equipment and kahtoola.com) or check out the MYAU shop-in-shop on Racelite.de.
Like our title sponsor Montane says:
“Trust yourself.
Trust your kit.
Find your unknown.”
On July 13th, 2021 we lost Shelley Gellatly, one of the pillars the MYAU was built on.
Shelley was part of our family pretty much from day 1. She competed many times and from the beginning she did everything she could to help this race. Shelley gave advice to anyone who asked for it. She helped with and later organised MYAU training courses. If she was not racing herself she would be there to support. No matter what time of day or how far the drive, Shelley would do it and she also liked to be there to see others finish. She got to know some of her best friends through the MYAU and she often said that it had a great influence on her life. I believe I can speak on behalf of all who got to know her in saying that she has had a great influence on us, too. I said it in a post I wrote a short time after her death, you do not often meet people who give and do not expect anything in return. Shelley was one of those people. She liked to be there for others, share her experience and to be part of it all. Shelley also had a competitive side. She trained hard and as an athlete always wanted to finish. But she also took care of others and she learned that a DNF is part of the experience and it does not make much sense to dwell on it. You learn, improve and try again next time.
Overall, Shelley Gellatly has shown us all what the „Spirit of the Yukon“ is and why we love this place and this race. Therefore, I want to create the Shelley Spirit of the Yukon Award – to remember her and her values and to honour athletes or crew members who demonstrate the same kind of attitude, because to me this is what matters the most. Yes, it’s normal that athletes want to win or place well, there is nothing wrong with that, but I think what inspires us is when athletes or crew show this special kind of dedication and give their all for someone else to be safe or for the event to be a success, regardless of what it means for them personally.
There is no prize for the Shelley Gellatly Spirit of the Yukon award, just like there is no prize for the winner of this race. Rather, it is a celebration of the North and the fact that we need each other out there. This page will introduce you to the people who get this recognition every year from now on. I hope it will inspire you and remind you of what matters in life: Not a finish or a win, but who you meet along the way, lasting and honest friendships and being able to count on others when you need it most.
In 2022 many athletes deserve the Award – actually anyone who showed up despite the Covid-19 pandemic and necessary race changes deserves it. However, the athlete I want to give this recognition to is Pat Cooke-Rogers from England. Pat has competed in the MYAU many times. Some years she finished and some years, like in 2022 she did not. Pat has a very strong belief in God. Personally I am not religious at all but I have enormous respect for Pat’s beliefs and the fact that on her days and nights on the trail she feels close to God. Some years ago Pat, as the MYAU race chaplain, also started the Yukonprayer which takes place before the race – this time it was online. Anyone can attend and the feedback received has shown just how valuable it is to have this special gathering. It is Pat’s nature to be there for others if they want it – before, during and also after the race. She knows what the much feared „DNF“ feels like and helps athletes to get over the initial disappointment. That does not mean she is not disappointed herself if she can’t finish. But, like Shelley, she does not dwell on it and instead looks at it in a positive way and is then immediately ready to help – often as a volunteer at checkpoints right until the MYAU is over.
Given all this, I am convinced that Pat deserves the Shelley Spirit of the Yukon Award. Just like Shelley she has become an integral part of our family and we hope to see her back as an athlete and race chaplain for many years to come. Thank you Pat for everything you have done for the MYAU – both the athletes and the crew.
Pat greeted by Gary Vantell at Muktuk Adventures in 2022 – photographed by Mark Kelly
I have created a page featuring all atheletes and crew members who receive the Shelley Spirit of the Yukon Award. It will ge a great way to get some inspiration for many years to come!
For almost 20 years we have worked with the Coast High Country Inn. Since the High Country Inn was recently sold we stayed at the Best Western Gold Rush Inn last winter. It’s been a great pleasure staying in both hotels and working with their friendly staff. Thank you Northern Vision Development LP (owner of these hotels) for many years of support and co-operation.
From next winter onwards we will start a new chapter! I am super excited that from now on we will have the Sternwheeler Hotel & Conference Centre as our new partner when it comes to accommodation. It is the Yukon’s largest hotel, boasting 181 rooms and suites, a fully modernized event space and a vibrant onsite restaurant and lounge. Guests arriving at the hotel are welcomed into a modern lobby teeming with Old Yukon character and charm. They feature a well-equipped fitness centre with the latest weight and cardio training equipment. Complimentary perks include airport shuttle service for commercial flight travellers and parking on a limited basis.
Most important of all, General Manager, Nicole Horlbeck, has been part of the MYAU family pretty much from its beginning. For many years Nicole was our host at the High Country Inn. Now she is at the helm of the Sternwheeler and it will be lovely to see her again and to know that her front desk team will do anything they can to make this a perfect stay for our crew and all athletes.
For information on the athlete rates and booking procedure please check out our info page on Travel.
As always, the 2023 training course takes place immediately before the MYAU. It is organised by Jessie Howland and friends. Details for the course and the cost for participants have now been confirmed. Please have a look at the Training Course page for all the information.
The entire MYAU is really thankful and proud that we get the support of some of the region’s best and most innovative companies. Atlin Mountain Coffee Roasters is one of them. We all can’t wait to drink that great coffee again 🙂
It took a bit longer than normal to set next year’s start date. However, now that the Yukon Quest announced their date for next winter, we can confirm our timing, too. The Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra 2023 will start on February 4th at Shipyard’s Park, Whitehorse. The distances offered will be marathon, 100, 300 and 430 miles. So, as planned, our maximum distance that goes all the way to Dawson City is back. Time limits are as always: 3 days for the 100, 8 days for the 300 and 13 days for the 430 mile race. Disciplines to choose from are foot, xc-ski and fatbike.
Entries are possible as of now. Our Application page features the entry fee in Euros. Please note that entry fees will go up after the end of June and again after the end of August. Anybody who wants to sign up, please send an email to info[a]thegreatoutdoors.de. Then you will get the necessary paperwork.
Updated information on the training course should be available from Monday.
I have been getting a lot of messages about the MYAU dates for 2023. So far, I do not have the answer. It depends a lot on when the Yukon Quest will start and if they will go back to the original 1,000 mile format. Hopefully, they decide next week.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy our documentary from the very first Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra which was released yesterday 🙂
Happy Easter everyone!
