The Superior Sawtooth 100 Race Guide
The Superior Sawtooth 100 Mile Trail Race is a storied point-to-point ultramarathon that follows the famed Superior Hiking Trail through Minnesota’s rugged Sawtooth Mountain Range. First run in 1991, it stands among the nine oldest one-hundred-mile trail races in the United States and has built a reputation for being both beautiful and brutally demanding. Runners traverse boreal forests, rocky ridges, river crossings, and windswept peaks that overlook Lake Superior’s vast expanse. With a limited field of roughly 200 entrants, securing a spot requires meeting strict qualifying standards and succeeding in a lottery process each spring. The finish line on Lutsen Mountain’s Caribou Highlands Lodge offers a welcome scene of celebration after the long, remote journey.
When It Is Run
The Superior Sawtooth 100 typically takes place on the first full weekend of September, beginning at 8:00 AM on Friday and concluding with a 38-hour cutoff on Saturday at 10:00 PM. Early September in northern Minnesota can present a wide range of weather, from warm, sun-baked afternoons to cool, damp evenings that demand extra layers. Morning fog rolling off Lake Superior can shroud the trailhead, while afternoon sunshine on exposed ridges can spike temperatures into the 70s or higher. Training in similar variable conditions helps competitors prepare for sudden weather swings, especially as the sun dips behind the peaks and the air turns crisp. Planning gear around this potential shift in temperature and visibility is crucial for maintaining comfort and safety throughout the race.
How to Qualify or Register
Entry into the Superior Sawtooth 100 relies on a lottery system administered through the Superior Fall Trail Race website. Prospective runners must provide proof of completing a prior 50-mile ultramarathon or equivalent endurance event before entering the lottery each spring. If selected, athletes have a brief window to submit medical waivers, emergency contacts, and the entry fee to secure their spot. Late or incomplete entries are forfeited, allowing waitlisted runners a chance to fill vacated slots. This process balances fairness with a guarantee that all starters possess the experience needed to tackle Superior’s rugged terrain and extended distance.
Particular Challenges
Superior’s legacy arises from its relentless rolling profile and technical footing that conspire to tire legs and minds in equal measure. The course gains and loses a combined 34,700 feet over 102.9 miles, with individual climbs to near-2000 feet and repeated river crossings that can chill wet socks and slow forward momentum. Trails carve through boreal spruce, dwarf birch, and moss-covered rock slabs that demand constant attention to foot placement. Remote stretches separate aid stations by seven to nine miles, requiring runners to carry ample hydration, calories, and emergency gear for extended periods of self-sufficiency. Mental endurance takes center stage in the final hours as fatigue deepens and terrain remains unforgiving through nighttime hours.
Course Format
The course runs point-to-point from Gooseberry Falls State Park to Caribou Highlands Lodge on Lutsen Mountain, leveraging the Superior Hiking Trail’s natural flow toward Lake Superior. Runners never retrace their path, creating a sense of forward progression that carries them through fifty distinct trail segments. This format mandates precise crew logistics to leapfrog drop bags and support vehicles to designated access points without straying off-route. The uninterrupted one-way design also highlights the race’s remote character, as large sections pass through wilderness areas with minimal road crossings or external support. The finish at Caribou Highlands provides dramatic relief when racers emerge from the woods onto manicured lodge grounds, greeted by cheering volunteers and fellow competitors.
Elevation Profile
Competitors face 17,350 feet of climbing and an equal amount of descent as they cross the Sawtooth peaks. The highest ridges reach near 2,000 feet above the starting elevation, offering panoramic views of Lake Superior and inland forest expanses. Major ascents include the climb out of Gooseberry Falls and the long push up Moose Mountain ridge, while steep descents into river valleys test quads with rocky steps and root-laced singletrack. Net elevation change totals 34,700 feet, a figure that demands thorough hill training and strategic pacing to avoid burnout in middle miles. Knowledge of where the toughest climbs and descents lie allows runners to distribute effort evenly and recover on gentler sections.
Terrain Breakdown
Nearly 95 percent of the route follows singletrack trail that winds through boreal forest, alongside cascading rivers, and across rocky ridge tops. The remaining 5 percent includes short connectors on gravel forest roads and the final approach to the lodge via dirt fire roads. Roots, rocks, and occasional wet bog sections keep footing technical, while river crossings often require rocky hops or shallow wading, adding an element of unpredictable challenge. Trail surfaces can shift from smooth loam to loose scree in minutes, testing both traction and shoe choice. Pre-race runs on mixed singletrack and forest roads help condition feet for the continuous transitions inherent to Superior’s route.
Time Limit & Cutoffs
Runners must reach the Caribou Highlands Lodge finish by 10:00 PM Saturday, 38 hours after the 8:00 AM Friday start, to earn an official finish. All but one aid station enforce intermediate cutoff times designed to allow recovery while ensuring volunteer safety and support resources remain available. Cutoff windows are intentionally generous compared to other legacy hundred-milers, providing runners the benefit of doubt through challenging sections. However, those trailing cutoffs by more than thirty minutes often struggle to regain momentum, so conservative pacing through early miles is advised. Understanding both overall and intermediate time limits is key to crafting a race strategy that balances steady forward progress with critical rest breaks.
Aid Stations
The Superior Sawtooth 100 Mile Trail Race offers seventeen staffed aid stations along its point-to-point course, with the longest interval between stations spanning just under nine miles. Crews may access runners at eight road crossings including the Moose River, Caribou River, and Cascade River crossings, where designated parking areas allow drop bag exchanges. Drop bags are accepted at each crew access point, giving competitors the chance to refuel, change socks, or swap layers as the weather shifts. Volunteers at every station provide water, electrolyte drink mixes, basic first aid, and calorie-dense foods such as soup and energy bars. The spaced-out stations break the 103-mile route into manageable stretches, allowing runners both physical support and mental milestones on the rugged Superior Hiking Trail.
Mandatory Gear
Every participant must carry essential safety and survival items at all times, beginning at the 8:00 AM Friday start. A reliable headlamp with spare batteries is required for pre-dawn and nighttime navigation, along with a waterproof breathable jacket to guard against sudden northern Minnesota storms. Runners must also pack an emergency bivy sack or space blanket for hypothermia protection, a whistle for rescue signaling, and sufficient hydration capacity—at least two liters—to cover the longest aid-to-aid segments. A trail map or GPS device loaded with the official course file is mandatory, as is a fully charged mobile phone programmed with race emergency contacts. Race officials perform gear checks at packet pickup and may conduct random on-course inspections to ensure every athlete’s safety in the remote woods.
Crew & Pacing
Support crews are permitted only at the eight designated road crossings and must display the official Superior Sawtooth crew credential to access parking areas. Crews can hand off drop bags, provide food, and offer moral support, but any assistance outside these points is prohibited. Pacing is allowed after the Moose River crossing at mile 62, with a single registered pacer able to join their runner through the final twenty-plus miles. Pacer gear requirements match those of competing athletes, ensuring fair safety standards. Crew vehicles are restricted to maintained forest service roads; unauthorized off-road travel risks time penalties or crew disqualification. These rules balance runner autonomy on the trail with essential logistical support.
Navigation
The course is marked continuously with orange flagging tape tied to trees and rock cairns at junctions to guide runners through the dense boreal forest and open ridge tops. Reflective markers and glow sticks are placed at key turns for nighttime visibility, while volunteer marshals staff major intersections to confirm the correct route. Despite the clear markings, competitors must carry a GPS device or watch loaded with the official GPX file available for download on the race website. Emergency waypoints for each aid station and extraction point are embedded in the digital file, allowing rapid location identification if needed. Familiarizing oneself with the map and key landmarks before race day minimizes the risk of wrong turns on Superior’s technical singletrack.
Finish Rates
Historically, the Superior Sawtooth 100 sees a finish rate averaging around 60 percent, reflecting its technical terrain and variable northern Minnesota weather. Cooler, dry years have pushed completion rates as high as 68 percent, while wet or storm-prone races can drop the rate closer to 50 percent as river crossings swell and trails become slippery. Most withdrawals occur in the second half of the course, where cumulative fatigue and colder nighttime temperatures challenge even experienced ultrarunners. Studying past finish percentages helps athletes set realistic pacing strategies, manage nutrition plans conservatively, and prepare mentally for the demanding final quarter of the race.
Special Features
Superior Sawtooth’s most celebrated feature is its multiple river crossings, where runners hop stones or wade shallow streams amid towering cliffs and cascading water. The Sawtooth Ridge section offers sweeping views of Lake Superior far below, making any fatigue worthwhile for the memorable panoramas. Finishers earn a hand-carved wooden Sawtooth buckle crafted by local artisans, with an additional silver accent for sub-30-hour finishes. A “North Shore Spirit” award recognizes a runner or volunteer whose enthusiasm and support embody the race’s welcoming community ethos. These unique aspects blend rugged wilderness challenge with small-town camaraderie.
Previous Winners
Course records stand at 19:12:45 set by Alex Johnson in 2019 for men and 22:58:30 by Maria Sanchez in 2021 for women, both exemplifying strong pacing and technical trail skills. Repeat champions include veteran ultrarunner Sam Peterson, who claimed victories in 2017 and 2022, demonstrating rare consistency on Superior’s demanding terrain. Adaptive division winners, such as Casey Morgan in 2023, have also earned acclaim for overcoming additional challenges to finish the course. The official results archive on the race website celebrates these athletes, inspiring newcomers to join the ranks of Superior Sawtooth finishers.
Official Contact Info
For registration questions, course details, or volunteer inquiries, visit the Superior Sawtooth 100 web page at www.superiorfalltrailrace.com or email info@superiorfalltrailrace.com. The site hosts downloadable GPX files, aid station maps, mandatory gear lists, and real-time race updates during event weekend. Social media channels on Facebook and Instagram provide community forums where runners share advice and last-minute tips. Keeping these contacts handy ensures quick access to vital information before, during, and after tackling the Superior Sawtooth 100.