REGISTRATION CLOSED
This Trail Party is SOLD-OUT! We DO NOT do race-day registration for this event, so please do not show up to the race expecting to get a spot (even if we have no-shows).
COURSE CHANGES FOR 2024
Due to the extensive storm damage from July 2023 we have to reroute the course for the event in April of 2024. The 1777, SBM, Cornell Mine, and Pleasant Valley Rd were some of the most heavily damaged of the trails in Bear Mountain as a result of the storms. Our revamped course for 2024 is a 10K that packs in 1,600 ft of elevation gain and a half marathon that climbs over 2600ft! Continue reading for more details... For a detailed course description, gpx file and map, please visit our website.
HARRIMAN BIG BEAR SQUATCH NORTH
Sassquad Trail Running and the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference are proud to present the 3rd rendition of the Harriman Big Bear SquaTCh North at Harriman State Park in Bear Mountain, New York! Join us on Saturday April 6, 2023 for this 10K and half marathon. All runners and hikers will experience non-stop trail beauty, epic climbs and vistas plus some scrambling! 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"!!)
TRAIL PARTY DETAILS
The race will start and finish at the Anthony Wayne Recreation Area in Bear Mountain, NY. 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). 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.
HALF MARATHON: 6 HOUR CUTOFF
Check-in: 7:15am-7:45am
Start time: 8am
Mile 7.5 (start of your second loop) cutoff: 11:30am
Finish line mile 13.1 cutoff: 2:00pm
10K: 5 HOUR CUTOFF
Check-in: 8:15am-8:45am
Start time: 9am
Finish line 10K cutoff: 2pm
Please note: 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.
SELL-OUT
THIS TRAIL PARTY WILL SELL-OUT BEFORE RACE DAY! If you want to join us and avoid being added to a waitlist, please register at least a few weeks before the event.
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
- Water bottle or hydration pack - we recommend packing at least 1.5L of water.
- 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, SENIORS, 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. 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!
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: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.
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!
TRAIL MIX FUND
Do you want to race but can’t afford the entry fee? Are you a part of the BIPOC or LGBTQ+ community?
"Apply to the Trail Mix Fund to have your registration fee waived!" Sassquad Trail Running is proud to partner with the non-profit the Trail Mix Fund for the Squatchapple, Big Bear North & South, Sterling Squatch and Wild Goose. Founded in 2020 by our friends in Oregon at Go Beyond Racing, the Trail Mix Fund uses donations to help people who are under-served, under-resourced, and under-represented. This includes people of color and LGBTQ+, but is not restricted to those communities.
SASSQUAD TRAIL RUNNERS
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!
REFUNDS/DEFERRALS
Like many other race organizations, we do not offer refunds for our events. Please take the time to double check your calendar before registering for a Trail Party. Please understand that we do not offer refunds under any circumstances. If you notify us via email (not through social media, text or phone call) more than 45 days from the date of the Trail Party, we will extend a deferral to any of our events that fall within one calendar year of the Trail Party that you were registered for. If you sustain an injury less than 45 days from the race date, we will extend a deferral if you come to that race to volunteer for at least 4 hourss. If the race that you want to drop from is sold-out with an active wait-list and if you notify us via email (not through social media, text or phone call) at least 3 days before the race, we will extend a deferral to any of our events that fall within one calendar year of the Trail Party that you were registered for. The race credit is the amount that you paid for the race (not including UltraSignUp fees) so you will need to cover any difference in fees; refunds will not be issued if the deferred event costs less than your race credit. You can only defer one time so please doublecheck that you can make the race you're deferring to.
Event's current local time: 5:57 PM ET
