Alcan 5000

The 20th anniversary edition of the Alcan 5000 started yesterday in Kirkland, Washington. The 24 teams in the rally will average 500 miles per day for the next ten days, and go as far north as Tuktoyaktuk (that’s on the the Arctic Ocean) before turning south and finishing in Jasper, Alberta. The rally will include a lot of nasty weather and 240 miles of ice roads in the Northwest Territories. And just to make things more interesting, there are four ice races on frozen lakes. Teams are divided into three classes: Class 1 teams can use an onboard computer that calculates distance, Class 2 teams can use an adjustable auxiliary odometer and a hand calculator, and Class 3 teams are limited to a stock odometer to monitor their position. The rally costs $2,800 per team, which also covers motels. Lots of info at the Alcan 5000 site, including maps and the entry list. We’ll keep you posted.