DAWSON CITY – This year’s Trek Over the Top seemed calm to 14-year veteran Paula Bair, from Wasilla, Alaska, standing on the flood dike at about 5 p.m. last Friday.

“It seems kinda quiet,” she said, as she and her partner, James, joined the crowd on the dike waiting to see the sled drop.

“Quiet, but it’s always awesome.”

The trek is a round-trip snowmobile excursion between Tok, Alaska and Dawson.

In her view, the route from the border to Dawson was “perfect”, with the trail on the American side being “not perfect – but OK.”

With temperatures in the minus single digits, it was not a rough ride, although snowmobiles do generate their own wind chill.

Bair and her partner said it was “awesome Dawson” that has brought them back so many times. They also travel here most summers, often coming for the Goldpanning Championships or for Canada Day.

“We love it here. Everyone’s so nice; everything’s so beautiful,” Bair said.

By this time, the dike was filling up with people looking expectantly to the south, which was where the Fireweed helicopter would eventually emerge from the Klondike River with the superannuated snow machine dangling below it on a cable.

Down on the Yukon River, an arrow-shaped target area marked off in orange paint had filled up with 1,000 stakes.

The stake closest to where the sled finally landed would decide the winner of the popular event.

Those who bought more than 10 stakes had their names entered in a draw to win a chopper ride over the town and around the area. (One could say there was a lot at stake here.)

From North Pole, Alaska, Peggy Wells and her friend, Ron Blury, were enjoying their first Trek.

“Just beautiful,” he said.

“Great trail,” she added. “Great town. We’re glad to be here. It’s fun.”

They got the idea from people in Fairbanks who had done the trip over the years.

They had heard what it was like when there used to be three weekends in a row before terrorism made it more complicated to cross borders for fun.

Curt Stables also drove over from North Pole and was very enthusiastic.

An ex-military man who flew in many helicopters, he wasn’t interested in the chopper ride, but appreciated the amount of work it took to set up the event.

“We did the walk today,” Peggy said. “Went to the museum and took in the sights.”

“It would be nice if you could get it up to two weekends again,” Stables said. “It’s a good shot in the arm for the town, I bet.”

He said he was planning to “do the toe” sometime that night.

The chopper swung around the confluence, keeping so low that it was hard to see the dark-coloured snowmobile against the backdrop of the dark trees across the river.

The crowd seemed take a collective breath as it passed by, continued north to past the ice bridge, swung around and picked up speed for its southbound drop run.

It released the sled at speed without gaining much altitude. The machine bounced and slid to a stop near the apex of the arrow, shedding a few bits and pieces as it landed.

Amongst the chatter, someone could be heard saying, “I want a re-throw” in a plaintive voice.

By last Sunday morning, the Trekkers had dined well on three nights, participated in a poker run, toured the town, been entertained by the Boardwalk Burlesque and the Snowshoe Shufflers, and were ready for the 322-kilometre ride back to Tok on what was a grey but moderately warm day.

Several of them were happy to pause for comments as they gassed up at the 5th Avenue North 60° Petro Express.

Dave and Tane Bathke are old trail hands.

“We love coming here,” he said. “We loved the Shufflers and all the people in Dawson.

“We loved the Burlesque show and the music. Paul, at KVA (the Klondike Visitors Association), is awesome. I cannot say good enough words. So – more Trek!”

“It was nice to see so many new people,” Tane said. “Whenever anybody asks us how many Treks we’ve done, the answer is, ‘not enough.’”

Mike Kerr, from Anchorage, was dressed in a very bright sledding outfit.

“This is my third Trek, and, as you can see, if I have a problem, I want people to find me.

“This was a very nice trip. I’ve been very lucky. The trips I’ve been on have all be zero or above, Fahrenheit. That’s pretty warm.”

Wynola Possenti, from Fairbanks, was the originator of the “not enough” quip. She made her first Trek in 1999, and has done many since.

“It was wonderful this time, and it’s always been wonderful.”