SOLD OUT!
Hi everyone, this Trail Party is completely sold-out and we are no longer adding people from the Waitlist. There is NO race-day registration, even if we have no-shows (please don't come to the race looking for a spot). Thank you!
UPDATED MAP
We received requests from the park to alter the 50K course slightly. The course is now 30 miles long. Please see the updated gpx file and map . These changes were made on 3/23/23.
HARRIMAN BIG BEAR SQUATCH NORTH
Sassquad Trail Running and the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference are proud to present the 2nd Annual Harriman Big Bear SquaTCh North at Harriman State Park in Bear Mountain, New York! Join us at 8am on Saturday April 8, 2023 for this historic trail 13.1M+ + and 50K -. What does "13.1M+ and "50K -" mean? It's means the half marathon is actually a little over 14 miles with 3,000' of climbing and the 50K is actually 30 miles with 7,000' of climbing! All runners and hikers will experience non-stop trail beauty, epic climbs and vistas through Harriman State Park! Your race registration is directly helping the Trail Conference maintain the trails at Harriman State Park and Bear Mountain State Park. (The capitalized "TC" in SquaTCh stands for "Trail Conference"!!) Thanks to our friends Vinny and Nichole at Happily Running for captaining the Happily Aid Station this year! Please visit our website for the complete details on this race, course maps, gpx files etc!
RACE DETAILS
The race will start and finish at the Anthony Wayne Recreation Area in Bear Mountain, NY. The half marathon and marathon both kick-off at 8am. The course closes at 7pm, giving each runner/hiker 11 hours to finish their race (please see below for cutt-off times that will be enforced throughout the day) Check-in will be open from 7:15am-7:45am where you will receive your handcrafted wood medal (made with squatchy love in the Squatch Shop), race swag and bib. Runners and hikers will take home a swag item of their choice, we will have buffs, hats, travel mugs, bags, beach towels and more available (swag varies every race). Please note: pacers are not allowed. Members of the Trail Conference will be at the race to chat with you about the amazing work they are doing in New York and New Jersey.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Our course highlights the technical trails, beautiful views and steep climbs of Harriman State Park (this is NOT a flat course!). The course will be well-marked with neon trail ribbon and large directional arrows.
There is an 11 hour cutoff for both events. Please see our website for cutoff times and aid station information.
The 13.1M+ has about 3,000+ ft of cumulative elevation gain. The 50K-- has about 7,000' culmulative elevation gain. Please note: pacers are NOT allowed.
MANDATORY GEAR
Make no mistake about it - this is most definitely a mountain race! It is NOT flat and the trails are very technical, steep and rugged. Both events will be challenge for even the veteran mountain runners/hikers. ALL participants are REQUIRED to have the following with them at all times:
- Charged cell phone
- Headlamp
- Mylar Emergency Blanket
- Water bottle or hydration pack
- At least 300 extra calories
- Whistle (most running packs have a whistle built into them)
- Course Map (you will receive this at check-in)
The following items are recommended, but not required:
-GPX of course map on phone or device
- Poles
- External battery pack for phone
- Extra batteries for headlamp
- Buff/hat/gloves
- Wipes
- Ziploc baggie to pack out trash
NYNJTC
We are proud to be co-hosting this trail party with our friends at the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference! Please consider donating by using the add-on feature during registration. The NYNJTC maintains and protects over 2,000 miles of trails in New York and New Jersey.
SKRATCH
We are excited to share that our friends over at Skratch Labs are official Sassquad sponsors! We will be proudly serving Skratch Hydration at each of the Big Bear North aid stations. Sassquaders can save 20% by using the code SASSQUAD23 at skratchlabs.com
FAMILIES, MILITARY, VETERANS and CLUB MEMBERS
We want the WHOLE family to come out to our events! 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! 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. 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!
FAQ's
Q: Is there any required gear?
A: YES. Please read the MANDATORY GEAR section up above.
Q: Can I have a pacer?
A: Pacers are not allowed.
Q: Can I bring my dog?
A: Sorry, but Buddy has to stay at home for this race. Our liability insurance does not cover dogs running our races; thank you for understanding!
Q: What's the weather like in Bear Mountain, NY in April?
A: The month of April in the Hudson Highlands can see a lot of different weather! Average temps are a high of 67 and a low of 46. Be ready for anything!
Q: This will be my first trail race. Can you share some race-strategies with me?
A: We are SO EXCITED for you! You will feel welcomed at our race and you can expect a well-marked course. Take your time out there and enjoy the experience! You do not have to run the entire time! Do some hiking and have fun.
Q: What food will you have at the aid station?
A: We will have water with a wide range of snacks, fruit and plenty of vegan/gluten free options.
Q: I could get lost in a brown paper bag. Will the course be marked?
A: We will have bright colored ribbons along the course and plenty at all of the turns. We will also have large directional arrows at each turn.
Q: Will I encounter any wildlife on the course?
A: Bears. Beets. Battlestar Gallatica. Harriman State Park is home to many critters, including black bears, deer, beavers and coyotes. It is possible that you could see some wildlife, but the park is usually busy in April, so you likely will not see any bigger wildlife.
Q: I don't want to run, are there any volunteer opportunities?
A: Of course! We always need Sassy Volunteers! Email us if you would like to volunteer: trailpartydirector@sassquadtrailrunning.com
Q: I can’t make it to the race anymore, can I get a refund?
A: We do not offer refunds for our non-refundable registration fee. Thank you for understanding!
Q: If I sign up for the marathon and decide to drop, do I get a DNF?
A: If you'd like us to, we will drop you down to the half marathon for the results. But you will not be eligible for post-race awards for the half.
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.
BE A HERO
Join the Sassy Volunteer Dream Team! We need help with check-in, aid stations, sweeping the course and cleaning up. Are you registered for a race that requires volunteer hours? We can sign-off on the hours that you log at the Harriman Big Bear SquaTCh North. We love our volunteer team and we are always looking to add more sassy members to the Volunteer Squad! Email us at trailpartydirector@sassquadtrailrunning.com if you would like to volunteer!
SASSQUAD TRAIL RUNNERS
We are a community of SASQUATCH-lovin' trail runners. Our goal is to provide FUN and challenging events that welcomes runners and hikers of all ages and paces. Join the Squad and sign up for one of our trail parties! Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook to get all of our Squatchy updates!
Event's current local time: 2:46 AM ET
