ᮤ Bleak and sorrowful site / D2 Ⅵ Georgia’s islands with a past / D3 Ⅵ Find bargains in Traveling / D3 Ⅵ Civil War page / D5 Travel Ⅵ World weather map / D6 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2007 SECTION D Photographs by Kerry McCaslin/Special to The Washington Times Teams of Alaskan huskies from Muktuk Kennels mush along the frozen Yukon River about 15 miles from Whitehorse, where the 2007 Yukon Quest race to Fairbanks, Alaska, begins today. Sled-dog whisperer Frank Turner Resort Whistler gets ready skiing pleasure for another of the Seasons Yukon race By John McCaslin THE WASHINGTON TIMES By John McCaslin WHISTLER, British Columbia THE WASHINGTON TIMES ot every luxury hotel manager trudges through MUKTUK, Yukon snow to the base of a ski undled in his bright red coat, mountain to make certain icicles dripping from his his guests are equipped beard, his cheeks like roses, with the proper skis, his nose like a cherry, cham- boots and poles. Scott pion musher Frank Turner Taber, who orchestrated is a dead ringer for Santa the opening of the Four Seasons Resort Claus as his sled, pulled by NWhistler, isn’t your typical hotelier. 14 spirited dogs, flies past Hosting dinner at the hotel’s fire-and-ice- me on the frozen Takhini River, leaving a themed Fifty Two 80 Bistro — the mile of ver- Bcloud of snow crystals in its wake. tical feet one can ski down Blackcomb Moun- As in the Christmas tale, it will take the en- tain — Mr. Taber admits to being a bona fide tire night for the renowned musher and his fly- marathon runner and sports nut, especially ing coursers to finish their appointed rounds. when it comes to winter recreation. “If you have an aversion to cold, this is not ”I grew up playing hockey in Rochester, what you want to do,” Mr. Turner says over N.Y.,” he says. “I was even crazy enough to a breakfast of play hockey in Singapore.” Now his young cranberry pan- son is skating after the puck in this snow- cakes and caribou packed winter wonderland, which can’t wait sausage before he to be the host mountain and athletes’ village and his pack of for the XXI Olympic Winter Games in 2010. run-thirsty dogs set off at sunrise see WHISTLER, page D6 (10:34 a.m.) for overnight team training — “40 or 50 miles, lots of hills; we’ll camp, then come back.” Yukon musher Frank Working as a team of musher Turner, 59, a former and dogs is key in Toronto social worker, preparing for the has been sled-dog racing 1,023-mile Yukon for almost 30 years. Quest, the “tough- est sled-dog race in the world.” It’s run every February (it begins today), the Frank Turner’s beloved Alaskan huskies (top) take a breather after a midday run in subzero coldest month, from nearby Whitehorse to temperatures. Antlers (left) are all that is visible of an elk that tried crossing the Takhini River Fairbanks, Alaska, with the starting point but ran into a soft spot in the ice. Tulina is one of 108 dogs at Muktuk Kennels. rotated each year. This year, 28 teams from around the world — one-third more than sprinted away to be rescued: 84 dogs, one-by-one, plucked Counting a recent litter of six snow-white from the starter’s chute last year — will at- to safety by U.S. soldiers flying in Apache hel- puppies, 108 dogs are enjoying life at Mr. tempt the international quest. Mushers will icopters. One of the teams was driven by Mr. Turner’s 100-acre Yukon ranch, Muktuk Ken- drive their dogs down dark, obscure trails Turner’s 25-year-old son, Saul. nels. Not the taste, but the sound of Muk-tuk (teams sleep during the brief daylight, Mr. Turner, 59, has been sled-dog racing for — “whale fat” in Inuit — has always ap- when it’s warmest); along frozen (or so almost 30 years and won the Yukon Quest in pealed to Mr. Turner. “Muktuk is a place for they hope) rivers and streams; and up and 1995. In doing so, his team set a new Quest people who love dogs” is the kennel’s slogan. over four treacherous mountaintops: King record of “10 days, 16 hours, and some change.” Mr. Turner doesn’t buy or sell his dogs; all Solomon’s Dome, American Summit, Eagle “Bozo and Streaker are still alive,” the are born and raised here. Each is an Alaskan Steam rises above the heated outdoor pools Summit and Rosebud Summit. musher says with a smile, referring to his husky, mixed here and there with Labrador, at the Four Seasons Resort Whistler in During last year’s Quest, a blizzard blew lead dogs from a dozen years ago. “Bozo has British Columbia. The 2010 Winter Olympics into one of the summits, and six teams had since pulled me over 30,000 miles.” see YUKON, page D4 will be held at Whistler Blackcomb..