Dogsled Across Yukon travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises, spa and resorts

It is silent out there, except for the rhythmic patter of husky paws on snow and the gentle creaking of the sled. Occasionally the dogs heads pivot in unison to left or right. You may be able to spot a line of tiny wells in the powder, indicating that a wolf has walked this way before you. You are traveling through one of the last remaining great wildernesses in the world. Photo by: Mike Barish

It is a territory larger than the state of California, yet one that only 31,000 humans call home. There are, however, 70,000 moose for company, along with considerable numbers of grizzly and black bears, caribou, wolverines and Dall sheep. Photo by: Bill and Esther

You leave the forest trail and mush along the surface of a river. Evening is falling and a full moon rises high in the sky, casting a silvery light across this remote bitterly beautiful land. Later, perhaps, the northern lights will dance across the starry night sky for you. Visitors at Yukon Territory can try their hand at dogsledding for anything from half a day to a week or more. They can base themselves in comfortable accommodation at a kennel or can opt to camp with dogs along the extensive trails of the north. If you wish you can watch how the experts do it and follow the course of Yukon Quest, known as the toughest dogsledding race in the world. It runs each February with conditions often the harshest, for 1,000 miles (1,600 km) between Fairbanks, Alaska, and Whitehorse. Photo by: Mike Barish

Photo by: Mike Barish