Superior Spring Trail Race Volunteer Communication 3 2021

Date: Monday May 17, 2021
Subject: 2021 Superior Spring Trail Race – More Info for Sawbill Volunteers

Hi Sawbill Volunteers!

[ Reminder, you can see who everyone is HERE https://www.superiorspringtrailrace.com/volunteer-assignments/ I am also CC’ing the course sweeps Paul Hasse and Todd Rowe, the HAM coordinators Rick and Jayne Johnson, Medical Lisa Byrne and Chalayne Palmgren and Supply / Resupply Travis Harvieux ]

First off… THANK YOU. I cannot tell you how thankful I and the runners are for your help!

Second, I have attached a copy of the printout that we are including in the aid station bin for you to review in advance of the race(s).

Next, a couple more notes not included in that printout…

• Jeff Miller will be working Sawbill each day. I have spoken with Jeff and he is willing to handle cutoffs each day. Obviously Dale and Micki who will be there Saturday have experience with this as well, having worked Sawbill (both Spring and Fall) for longer than I have been the Race Director of either!

• For anyone that misses the cutoffs or drops from the race and needs transport, either Bob Marsh, Travis Harvieux or myself will be providing transport / sag for these runners.

• Travis Harvieux (CC’d on this email) will be dropping off and picking up water stop supplies each day. If throughout the race, should you need anything, use the HAMS to get in touch with Travis so he can bring it out (more water, another tent or table, etc.)

• Please remember to treat your day(s) at the aid station like a camping trip so you are as comfortable as possible throughout the day. Have warm clothes, rain gear, pack a lunch, snacks and beverages, bring a chair so you can get off of your feet etc. Keep in mind, the aid station will be SUPER bare bones (water only!)

• We have these fancy new hand free water dispensers, Jeff had the opportunity to work with them at Zumbro, so he can train everyone in. If it is raining, cover the back half of the dispensers with a garbage bag to protect them (these are still prototypes made of wood). If for any reason they stop working, please just set up water jugs as normal – that said, they worked flawlessly at Zumbro.

• The water tables do not need to be tented, the tents are for your (volunteer) shelter. Please set the tents up in proximity to, but not right on top of the water tables – we want to give the runner’s space.

• 50K runners will be able to have a drop bag at Sawbill, Travis will be running them out each day.

• Due to the daily number of runners, I am only concerned about doing traffic control at the road crossing on Saturday. I have assigned Bill Pomerekne and Paul Kinney as the “Leads” for Saturday, but please everyone rotate in and out of this position (unless Bill tells you he does not want you 😉 For your reference, you can see the daily number of runners HERE https://www.superiorspringtrailrace.com/2021-bib-assignments/

• There will only be one HAM operator at the aid station each day, so you should all work together to record runners numbers as they come through.

• Due to the way this year’s race is set up due to Covid, you will naturally not have as much to do as in years past, that is by design. We want to give the runners space as everyone has a different comfort level right now. If a runner asks you directly for help with something, please feel free to help them, obviously within your comfort level.

• We have two primary medical volunteers this year, Lisa Byrne and Chalayne Palmgren – they will be at different locations at different times throughout the four days, please use the HAMS should they be needed.

• Do to intentionally keeping volunteer numbers down and the greater time range over which runners will be starting and finishing the races, I may not be out to the water stops (aid stations) each day – please just know that if for some reason I do not see you, I love you and I am grateful for your willingness to give (almost all of you two days) of your time and in several cases four days! I am so thankful and so are the runners!

That is all I have for you today, please let me know if you have any questions!

Thank You,

John Storkamp
Race Director
racedirector@superiortrailrace.com

 

Superior Spring Trail Race
50KM, 25KM & 12.5KM
Lutsen, Minnesota
Saturday May 16, 2020
• 50KM 7:00AM
• 25KM 8:00AM
• 12.5KM 9:00AM

Registration / Lottery:
Opens Wednesday January 1st, 2020 – 12:01AM CST
Closes Wednesday January 15th, 2020 – 11:59PM CST
* Due to high demand, registration for the Superior “Spring” Trail Race is held via a lottery, more details about the lottery can be found HERE

Directions to Race Start:
Caribou Highlands Resort / Lodge
371 Ski Hill Road
Lutsen, MN 55612
Google Maps Directions HERE
Approx Travel Times
1:15 North of Two Harbors, MN
1:45 North of Duluth, MN
4:00 North of Minneapolis, MN

Terrain / Course Description:
The Superior 12.5KM, 25KM and 50KM Trail Races are extremely hilly, rugged and technical out-and-back (100% trail) trail-races which traverses the Sawtooth Mountain Range on the Superior Hiking Trail in the far reaches northern Minnesota .  The course parallels Lake Superior, the greatest freshwater lake in the world, climbs to near 2000′ peaks with breath-taking vistas of the lake and inland forests and crosses whitewater rivers and serene streams while meandering through mystic Boreal forests.  The races start and finish at Caribou Highlands Resort in Lutsen Minnesota.

Superior 50KM
25KM Out & Back Course = 50KM (31MI)
Elevation Gain 4,200 FT
Elevation Loss 4,200 FT
NET Elevation Change 8,400 FT
4 Aid Stations
9 Hour Time Limit
Starts at 7:00AM Saturday
Compete 50KM Info HERE

Superior 25KM
12.5KM Out & Back Course = 25KM (15.1MI)
Elevation Gain 2,300 FT
Elevation Loss 2,300 FT
NET Elevation Change 4,600 FT
1 Aid Station
8 Hour Time Limit
Starts Saturday at 8:00AM
Complete 25KM Info HERE

Superior 12.5KM
12.5KM Point to Point Course. 12.5KM = 7.75MI
Elevation Gain  900 FT
Elevation Loss 1,050 FT
NET Elevation Change 1,950 FT
NO Aid Stations
7 Hour Time Limit
Starts Saturday at 9:00AM
Complete 12.5KM Info HERE

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.