⏵ Course guide · West Virginia winter hill race
Frozen Sasquatch runs two loops through the wooded hills of Kanawha State Forest near Charleston, West Virginia, on a January date that lives up to its name with real snow and ice conditions most years. I will walk you through the course and what to expect from West Virginia winter weather first, then give you a pacing and fueling plan built for a cold hill day, plus free tools to dial in your own numbers.
These facts come from the official WVMTR race calendar. Vert, aid, and cutoffs are not published here, confirm the current details directly with West Virginia Mountain Trail Runners before you register or run.
Both distances run through the wooded hills of Kanawha State Forest near Charleston, on a two-loop structure.
Frozen Sasquatch is not just a fun name, it is an honest forecast: January races at Kanawha State Forest regularly bring snow or ice underfoot on top of the natural wooded hill terrain. Come prepared for the conditions the name promises, not the conditions you hope for.
Because the course runs two loops, you pass through the start/finish area between them, a natural point to reassess conditions, gear, and pace. If a winter storm shifts the footing partway through the race, this checkpoint gives you a real decision point.
West Virginia Mountain Trail Runners runs a full slate of West Virginia races across the year, including this winter event, and their long track record in the state means the course and logistics reflect real experience managing winter trail conditions.
Winter footing changes the pacing calculus more than the raw terrain profile, so build in real margin for conditions rather than pacing off a dry-weather number.
A grade-adjusted pace target for wooded hill terrain gives you a starting point, but be ready to slow that target significantly if snow or ice is present. Winter footing can turn a moderate hill course into a genuinely technical one.
Use the mid-race return to the start/finish as a real checkpoint: how did the footing actually feel compared to your expectations, and does your pace need to change for loop two? Confirming this early protects you from a rough second loop.
⏵ Free tools to pace this course
Cold weather suppresses appetite and thirst even as your body keeps burning through fuel at a normal or higher rate on hilly terrain.
Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour, and eat on a schedule rather than waiting to feel hungry, since cold weather can dull your appetite signal well before your body actually needs fuel.
Keep sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range, and layer for a real West Virginia January morning, cold at the start with the possibility of staying cold throughout if snow or ice persists on the wooded hills.
⏵ Build your fueling plan
Get a carb, sodium, fluid, and caffeine plan per hour built for your weight, your goal time, and a cold West Virginia January day with the free ultra fueling calculator. Browse the rest of the free running tools at the tools hub.
⏵ Train for it with Summit Line
Get a race-day plan built around YOUR fitness, wooded hill terrain, and your projected splits. Summit Line reads your real training, builds a plan for a cold winter hill day, and rehearses your fueling so race day is something you execute, not guess at.
Frozen Sasquatch stacks two challenges: a two-loop wooded hill course through Kanawha State Forest, and a January date that regularly brings genuine winter conditions, snow and ice on the trail. The name itself is a nod to that reality. Even without published elevation figures, treat a winter hill course in West Virginia as a real technical and physical test, not a casual outing.
The race runs two loops through the wooded hills of Kanawha State Forest, with the 50K covering both loops and the 25K presumably covering one (confirm the exact split with WVMTR). Because you pass through the start/finish area between loops, you get a natural checkpoint to assess conditions, footing, and your own pace before committing to the second lap.
Given the January date and the race's own name, come prepared for snow, ice, or mud on the wooded hill trails of Kanawha State Forest. Trail shoes with real traction, and potentially microspikes depending on conditions, are worth packing. Layer for a cold start that may or may not warm up, and check the forecast close to race day since West Virginia winter weather varies significantly year to year.
Cold-weather races change your fueling needs even though your calorie burn stays high. Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour and sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range, and stick to your fueling schedule even if cold weather suppresses your appetite or thirst. Build your numbers with the free ultra fueling calculator before race day, and confirm the current aid station plan directly with WVMTR since it is not published here.
If you want to test your cold-weather trail running and are comfortable on wooded, potentially icy or snowy hill terrain, Frozen Sasquatch is a reasonable community-scale winter goal race. The two-loop structure gives you a mid-race checkpoint to reassess conditions, useful if a winter storm changes footing significantly between your two laps.
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<a href="https://runsummitline.com/guides/frozen-sasquatch-50k">The Frozen Sasquatch 50K course guide</a><iframe src="https://runsummitline.com/embed/race/frozen-sasquatch-50k" style="width:100%;max-width:420px;height:180px;border:0;" loading="lazy" title="Frozen Sasquatch 50K course guide by Summit Line"></iframe>This guide is independent and for planning only. The course details, dates, cutoffs, and aid stations come from public sources and can change year to year, so confirm the current specifics with the official race before you register or run. The fueling and pacing advice is general and not medical advice.