Bigger Than the Trail to head up the Sugarloaf Road Aid Station at the Superior Fall Trail Race

Dec 13, 2022 | Uncategorized


Photo from the Bigger Than The Trail aid station at Kettle 100

We are excited to announce that Bigger Than the Trail will be heading up the Sugarloaf Aid Station at the Superior Fall Trail Race for the 2023 race and beyond.

Bigger Than The Trail is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that is using trail running as a platform to advocate for mental health.
We come alongside individuals, providing educational support and treatment options. Please don’t think our mission is limited to just people who run. This is much bigger than that. Running is not the focus, but rather the people we can impact. Our focus is to bring light to the real struggles and challenges associated with mental health.

The Sugarloaf Aid Station is at mile 71.5 of the 100 mile race and 21.5 of the 50 mile race. Bigger Than the Trail founder Tommy Byrne will be the aid station captain. Tommy has been part of the Superior family for a number of years, primarily joining us in order to support Bigger Than the Trail athletes as a crew member and pacer. Bigger Than the Trail has also been heading up the Bluff Road Aid Station at Kettle Moraine 100 for several years – the aid station is a welcome oasis at that race. From Tommy… “Bigger Than the Trail is honored to be part of the race and excited to create an amazing aid station to help get Superior runners to the finish!” If you are already a Bigger Than the Trail ambassador or would like to volunteer with their crew, please reach out to Tommy [email protected] and/or the Superior Trail Race [email protected]

A heartfelt thank you to outgoing Sugarloaf Aid Station captains Jan and Joe O’Brien…

Jan and Joe O’Brien captained the Sugarloaf Aid Station for many many years, initially with their good friends, and friends of the race, Pam and Loren Albin. They took what was a modest little outpost on the side of Sugarloaf Road and turned it into a wonderful aid station. Under their care and direction the Sugarloaf Aid Station was always well organized and runners were well cared for. They always had an outstanding crew by their side, great food and brought the good vibes! 2022 was Jan and Joe’s last year heading up Sugarloaf, but certainly not the end of their relationship with Superior. Thank you Jan and Joe, we are grateful for your many years of service! Some of the dedicated Sugarloaf volunteers of year’s past plan to stick with the Sugarloaf Aid Station, some may disburse and try out another one, and some will take a year or two to run themselves.

Superior Fall Trail Race
100MI, 50MI, 26.2MI Trail Race(s)
Lutsen, Minnesota
(approx 4hrs North of Minneapolis, MN)
September 11 & 12, 2020
• 100MI Friday 8:00AM
• 50MI Saturday 5:15AM
• 26.2MI Saturday 8:00AM

Registration / Lottery:
Registration via 15 day lottery registration period.
Opens Wednesday January 1st, 2020 – 12:01AM CST
Closes Wednesday January 15th, 2020 – 11:59PM CST
Complete Lottery / Registration Details HERE

Directions:
100MI Start: Gooseberry Falls State Park, MN HERE
50MI Start: Finland Rec Center – Finland, MN HERE
26.2MI Start: Cramer Road – Schroder, MN HERE
Races Finish: Carbibou Highlands – Lutsen, MN HERE

Terrain:
The Superior Fall Trail Races 100MI, 50MI & 26.2MI are run on rugged, rooty, rocky, 95% single-track trail with near constant climbs and descents.  The race is held on the Superior Hiking Trail in the Sawtooth Mountains paralleling Lake Superior in Northern Minnesota / not far from the Canadian border.  The race located approximately 4 hours North of Minneapolis, Minnesota.   The Superior Fall Trail Races are very difficult / challenging races and are probably not a good choice for your first trail or ultra race (see Registration Info for qualifying requirements).

100 Mile:
Point to Point 103.3 Miles
Elevation Gain 21,000 FT
Elevation Loss 21,000 FT
NET Elevation Change 42,000 FT
13 Aid Stations
38 hour time limit
Complete 100MI Info HERE

50 Mile:
Point to Point 52.1 Miles
Elevation Gain 12,500 FT
Elevation Loss 12,500 FT
NET Elevation Change 25,000 FT
7 Aid Stations
16.75 hour time limit
Complete 50MI Info HERE

26.2 Mile:
Point to point 26.2 Miles
Elevation Gain 5,500 FT
Elevation Loss 5,500 FT
NET Elevation Change 11,000 FT
3 Aid Stations
14 hour cutoff
Complete 26.2MI Info HERE

More About the Race:
The Superior Trail 100 was founded in 1991 when there was no more than a dozen or so 100 mile trail races in the USA, back then if you wanted to run a 100, you had choices like Western States, Hardrock, Leadville, Wasatch, Cascade Crest, Umstead, Massanutten and Superior . Superior quickly earned it’s reputation of its namesake today – Rugged, Relentless and Remote and is known as one of the tougher 100 mile trail races.  Superior lives on now as one of the “legacy 100 milers” and is considered by many to be one of the most challenging, prestigious and beautiful 100 mile trail races in the country. Shortly after the inception of the 100, the Superior 50 was started and in the early 2000’s the Moose Mountain Marathon was added. None of the history or tradition of this race has been lost and is a great event for those looking for a world-class event with a low-key, old-school 100 miler feel.  The Superior Trail Race is put on by ultrarunners for ultrarunners.

More About the Area:
The North Shore of Lake Superior runs from Duluth, Minnesota at the Southwestern end of the lake, to Thunder Bay and Nipigon, Ontario, Canada, in the North to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, in the east. The shore is characterized by alternating rocky cliffs and cobblestone beaches, with rolling hills and ridges covered in boreal forest inland from the lake, through which scenic rivers and waterfalls descend as they flow to Lake Superior. The shoreline between the city of Duluth to the international border at Grand Portage as the North Shore.  Lake Superior is considered the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. It is the world’s third-largest freshwater lake by volume and the largest by volume in North America.  The Superior Hiking Trail, also known as the SHT, is a 310-mile long distance hiking single-track hiking trail in Northeastern Minnesota that follows the ridgeline overlooking Lake Superior for most of its length. The trail travels through forests of birch, aspen, pine, fir, and cedar. Hikers and runners enjoy views of boreal forests, the Sawtooth Mountains, babbling brooks, rushing waterfalls, and abundant wildlife. The lowest point on the trail is 602 feet above sea level and the highest point is 1,829 feet above sea level.