THE FROSTY FAT SASS
The Frosty Fat Sass is a Trail Party for runners and hikers of all ages and paces. Join us on January 25, 2025 for the 8th annual Frosty Fat Sass! Runners and hikers can sign-up for a 5k, 3 hours or 6 hours. The 5K loop starts and finishes at the Turtleback Rock Picnic Area off of Walker Road in West Orange, NJ at the South Mountain Reservation. Funds raised at this trail party will be donated to the South Mountain Conservancy, an awesome local non-profit that preserves the South Mountain Reservation and provides great educational and recreational opportunities for the community! We have raised over $17,000 for the Conservancy since we started up in 2018! (Because this event is a fundraiser, we will NOT OFFER REFUNDS OR DEFFERALS. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT BEFORE YOU REGISTER, THANK YOU!) Please visit our website for the complete details on this race, course maps, gpx files etc!
TRAIL PARTY DETAILS
This is a runner, walker, hiker friendly event. For the 3 hour and 6 hour events, if the timer ends before you complete the loop, the loop does not count.
This is a self-supported fat-ass event! No finishers' swag, no aid stations and no whining (unless you don't see Sasquatch, then you can whine a little). To be included in the final results on Ultra Sign Up, runners/hikers need to record their loops on the loop board and 5k-ers need to write their finish time on the clipboard.
6H and 5K start at 9am. Check-in between 8:15am-8:45am
3H starts at 12pm. Check-in between 11:15-11:45am.
As with all of our events, Squatchers over the age of 60 and AWD (athletes with disabilities) can have a pacer/guide at any time. Please use this form to pre-register your pacers. Pacers are not allowed for other runners and hikers without prior approval from the Trail Party Director.
Looking to carpool with other Sassquaders? Check out the Sassquad Carpool Assist Program!
SQUATCH KIDS CLUB
We are excited to offer a FREE one mile kids race this year! This family-friendly event will kick off at 9am. All kids will receive a squatchy medal and a sticker. Ages 3-12; parents/guardians are welcome to join! We want the WHOLE family to come out to our events! Kids under the age of 19 can score 15% off their registration with the code SQUATCHKIDSCLUB. We also have some free entries available for youth athletes; email us to learn more! We have a special discount code for families registering 3 or more Squatches in the same household. Please email trailpartydirector@sassquadtrailrunning.com before you register so we can give you the code! We recognize and celebrate our young adventurers by giving out wooden star medallions to kids who are registered AND to kids who come to spectate with their families. It's our way of saying thank you for being a part of our community and for embracing the spirit of adventure! We want families to come to our Trail Parties! We have a range of fun games that your family can enjoy: corn hole, connect four, a giant rainbow parachute and the Squatch Hunt. Don't be shy, head on over to the Finish Line and join in on the fun! Learn more about our Squatch Kids Club!
COURSE DESCRIPTION
We use the same 5K loop from our Squatchy Leftovers race in November. There are portapottys at the start/finish area. There's 289 ft of gain. The course is a great mix of mellow carriage roads (dirt or gravel wide trails) and a bit of technical singletrack with rocks and roots. The first mile is a wide dirt trail. The 1/2 mi 200+ ft descent at mile one is very rocky from erosion. There is a 100 ft climb at mile 2.5. The last mile is a singletrack with rocks and roots. This is a GREAT intro to the trails if this is your first event or you're just starting out. If you're going to be out there for 3 or 6 hours, we recommend a grippy shoe that can give ya some comfort over rocks and roots. We will always provide a detailed trail conditions report leading up to the race and will include recommendations for any winter traction devices! You can check out the whole course here.
SENIORS, MILITARY, VETERANS and CLUB MEMBERS
Sassquad Trail Running is proud to offer 20% off all events to all active duty military and Veterans. Must provide proof of service. Please email trailpartydirector@sassquadtrailrunning.com before you register for an event so we can provide you with a discount code. We extend a 10% discount to our Wise Elder Squatch Squad (folks who are over the age of 60); email us for the the code! New York-New Jersey Trail Conference Members and South Mountain Conservancy members can receive 10% off of registration; please email us for the discount code!
FAQs
Q: Can I have a pacer?
A: As with all of our events, Squatchers over the age of 60 and AWD (athletes with disabilities) can have a pacer/guide at any time. Pacers are not allowed for other runners and hikers without prior approval from the Trail Party Director.
Q: Can I bring my dog?
A: No, our insurance policy does not cover dogs at any of our events. Thank you for understanding!
Q: Can I sign my kids up for the Frosty Fat Sass?
A: Yes! This is a family friendly event. Please email us if you want to register your kids and we will send you a code to get them signed up for $10 each.
Q: What's the weather like in West Orange, NJ in January?
A: Cold. Snow. Maybe Hail. Little bitty stingin' rain, big ol' fat rain, rain that flies in sideways, and sometimes rain that comes straight up from underneath. Dress warm. Bring layers. Be smart. Last year we had awesome weather in the 50's!
Q: What food should I bring?
A: 15 Dr. Pepper's, a box of chocolate, peas and carrots, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo, pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich.
Q: Well that's an interesting combination...
A: Bring whatever you enjoy eating during a race.
Q: I could get lost in a brown paper bag. Will the course be marked?
A: Mama always had a way of explaining things so I could understand them. So YES, we will mark the course just like Mama would so you can understand which way to go. We will have bright colored ribbons along the course and plenty at all of the turns.
Q: What is the 5K loop like?
A: 83.870% doublewide trails and 16.130% singletrack trails. Plenty of hills, rocks and roots. Check out the map and elevation profile up top in the picture gallery. The end of the loop takes you behind Turtleback Zoo; you'll hear the Zoo train whistle all morning and although you can't see the animals from the trail, you might hear them!
Q: Are there restrooms at the start/finish area?
A: There are portapottys in the parking lot next to the start/finish area.
Q: Me and my friend aren't registered for the race, but we're still planning on coming to run. We won't eat from the aid station or take a medal or swag. This is okay, right?
A: NO THIS IS NOT OKAY. This is called being a "race bandit" and it is stealing. Not paying for a race and running the race is stealing from the race organization (even if you're not taking food or swag). Don't do this at a Sassquad trail party or ANY other race. It's not okay. And if you hear about someone else doing this, call them out. If you bandit a race, you will be banned from registering for any of our Sassquad events.
SOUTH MOUNTAIN CONSERVANCY
Founded in March 2000, the South Mountain Conservancy is a volunteer, non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to preserve, protect, and enhance the South Mountain Reservation through active stewardship, advocacy, and education. Through volunteer activities, public programs and partnership with the Essex County Parks Department, the SMC serves as a steward and advocate for the South Mountain Reservation. The SMC strives to preserve, protect, and enhance the ecology, infrastructure and natural beauty of this regional park and to foster public appreciation and support for it.
SNEAKER FACTORY
Thank you to our friends at Sneaker Factory, NJ! Sneaker Factory supports Sassquad Trail Running on and off the trails to help make the events as squatchtastic as possible! The Sneaker Factory is NJ's source for all things running: New Jersey's oldest and most well-known running store, originally opened in Millburn in 1978. Stop by one of our three convenient neighborhood locations and let us help you find the "perfect ride for every stride." Millburn, Florham Park and Basking Ridge.
SASSQUAD TRAIL RUNNING
We are a community of SASQUATCH-lovin' trail runners and hikers. Our goal is to provide FUN and challenging events for runners of all ages and paces. We like to think that we have a good sense of humor, a full arsenal of sarcastic wit, useless trivia facts and a deep appreciation for cinematic masterpieces (as evidenced multiple times already). Follow us on Instagram , and like us on Facebook to get all of our Squatchy updates. You can also join our Facebook group, "Sassquad Trail Runners" to connect with other runners and hikers!
Support Our Charities
Donate to the South Mountain Conservancy to maintain the trails at the Reservation.
Event's current local time: 8:14 PM ET
