This account of a sled dog race colder and more dangerous than the Iditarod is "the best book on the Far North since Barry Lopez's Arctic Dreams" ( Los Angeles Times). In the tradition of Into the Wild, John Balzar's Yukon Alone is a story of daring and determination in one of nature's harshest, loneliest, and most beautiful places. The Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race is among the most challenging and dangerous organized sporting events in the world. Every February, a few hardy souls spend over two weeks racing sleds pulled by fourteen dogs over 1,023 miles of frozen rivers, icy mountain passes, and spruce forests as big as entire states. It's not unusual for the temperature to drop to 40 below or for the night to be seventeen hours long. Why would anyone want to run this race? To find out, John Balzar moved to Alaska months before the Quest began and spent time in the homes of many of the mushers—and then many days and nights on the trail. The result is a book that not only treats us to a vivid day-by-day account of the grueling race itself but also offers an insightful look at the men and women who have moved to this rugged and beautiful place, often leaving behind comfortable houses and jobs in the lower forty-eight states for the sense of exhilaration they find in their new lives. Balzar also reveals what goes into the training and care of the majestic dogs who pull the sleds, and whose courage, strength, and devotion make them the true heroes of this story. "A riveting yarn." — The Wall Street Journal "Immensely readable." — Rocky Mountain News "Wonderful." — The Seattle Times