The dogs yap, pulling at their lines as they dig into the sparsely snow-covered ground.

With a bit of speed, their ears flop back as tongues roll out the sides of their toothy grins.

They depart and arrive at the same clearing, bookending a 13- or 7.5-mile run on the Ibex Valley trails at the Babe Southwick Memorial Race.

Named for Destruction Bay musher Babe Southwick, the memorial race celebrates the Rendezvous spirit and remembers the colourful woman who died unexpectedly in 1965 at the Sourdough Rendezvous dog races.

Then, they were held in downtown Whitehorse and were a popular affair that saw teams from the communities travel hundreds of kilometres to participate, racing dogs, socializing and having a good time.

For the last decade, the race has been a one-day event.

“It’s kind of been hanging on by a thread,” said race organizer Armin Johnson.

Now, members of the Yukon Dog Mushers Association are resurrecting the race, turning it into a two-day event this year.

The Rendezvous race was “the biggest thing around for sprint racing years ago,” said Johnson. “People would come in from all the communities and celebrate together.”

Their effort has kicked in this year, with the race becoming a two-day event that they hope to continue growing.

Top Results (combined run times from both days)

Skijoring (two-dog, 7.5 miles)

1. Virginia Sarrazin
2. Maxime Aerts
3. Jackie Taylor

Dog sled (10-dog, 13 miles)

1. Rob Peebles
2. Mandy Johnson
3. Armin Johnson

Dog sled (six-dog, 7.5 miles)

1. Armin Johnson
2. Mandy Johnson
3. Mel Rasmussen