The gruelling 36-hour Yukon Adventure Challenge is set for June 11, when teams will get the checkpoint coordinates and have five to six hours to plot their route before they take off.

"Teams have to go through the entire sequence of checkpoints in 36 hours,” said Mike Tribes, who is organizing this year's race.

This is Tribes' first year organizing the race, but he has competed several times before.

In the past few years the race has been organized by Denise and Greg McHale, but this year the two adventure racers wanted a chance to be competitors.

The teams will receive the checkpoint coordinates just five to six hours before they are set to leave. This sets off a flurry of activity as teams must plot their route, pack their things and set off.

"It's very hectic,” said Tribes. "It's just a panic.”

Each team is provided with the same government issue map.

Teams of two to four will bike, hike, run, walk and kayak the course.

"You start together, you stay together,” Tribes said. Racers are required to stay within 100-metres of each other at all times.

Tribes estimates the top finishers will be back in Whitehorse within 24 hours.

"This is orienteering, but it also has mountain biking and kayaking,” he said.

The Yukon Adventure Challenge is the only race of its kind in the Yukon, but adventure races are growing in popularity all over the world.

"In the past we've had about 14 teams,” Tribes said. That equals about 30 people altogether taking part in the races, but each year the number varies.

This year Tribes has tried to make the race accessible to beginners, by having an advanced section as well as the regular trail.

"Beginners could try it and see how far they get,” he said. "I've tried to make it a bit simpler.”

He plotted the trail based on a path he had been thinking about hiking.

"It was actually a route that I wanted to do for awhile just as a hike,” he said."I'm hoping it's a challenging, interesting trek. That was my goal.”

The adventure racer says a good training run would be doing the Chilkoot trail in a day.

But other than that, Tribes has remained quiet about the details of the trail.

He remains the only person who knows the complete trail, and has enlisted a few tight-lipped volunteers to help with certain sections.

"It's more interesting when its a surprise,” Tribes said. "It kind of makes it more of an adventure if you don't know.”

That adventure can sometimes lead to mishaps in planning.

"In the past people have plotted the wrong checkpoint,” Tribes said.

The mistake causes racers to end up at a place where no one is waiting, unable to get the proper position to continue the race. Some have also run into trouble expecting a transition area and their support crew at a certain point, only to find no one there.

Tribes said that many people enjoy the races because they are tough, and racers are pushed to their limits.

"It's a real challenge,” he said. "It's a real sense of accomplishment to get through an adventure race.”

Starting one adventure race often leads to another.

"First they want to finish one, then they want to see how well they can do,” Tribes said.

The races are extremely tough, and rely on more than just physical strength.

"It's more than just physical,” Tribes said.

In the 36 hours, Tribes said the racers may stop once or twice for a quick power-nap, but for the most part they go without sleep.

"In 36 hours you can go through without sleep,” he said. "You basically treat yourself like a machine.”

The racers eat every 15 minutes to keep themselves fueled.

"It's amazing how long they can go,” Tribes said.

New this year will be a walk or sprint section that Tribes said will give an advantage to those with the physical ability to sprint.

"The runners will certainly have an advantage,” he said.

Without revealing any details, Tribes said there could be a few more surprises in store for the competitors.

"I'm trying to arrange a surprise event right near the start,” he said.

Tribes said he will post the coordinates on the race's website once the teams receive them, so that those interested will be able to follow the race. He hopes to have some viewing areas set up along the way as well.

Anyone interested in the race can visit the website at www.yukonadventurechallenge.ca

Tribes can also be contacted at yukonac@gmail.com for more information.

The race leaves from Whitehorse at midnight on June 12, and will end in Whitehorse on June 13.

A banquet will follow the race at noon on June 13 after the finish.