Superior Fall Trail Race Course Guide

Superior is the 9th oldest 100 mile trail race in the United States, founded in 1991 after Western States (1974), Old Dominion (1979), Wasatch (1980), Leadville (1983), Angeles Crest (1986), Vermont (1989), Mohican (1990), and Arkansas Traveller (1991). The 100 mile course covers 102.9 miles, 95% technical singletrack along the Superior Hiking Trail, with 17,350 feet of elevation gain and 17,350 feet of loss, a combined 34,700 feet of total elevation change. Rugged, relentless, and remote is the race's own description of itself, and it is considered one of the tougher 100 milers in the country. The 50 mile covers 51.7 miles with 7,950 feet of gain, the same rugged singletrack in a shorter dose.

The race's own "Quick Stats" list two separate numbers, and it is worth knowing both. Elevation GAIN for the 100 mile is 17,350 feet, the total climbing over 102.9 miles. Elevation LOSS is also 17,350 feet, and adding gain and loss together gives the total elevation CHANGE figure the race lists separately: 34,700 feet. Those are different measurements of the same course, not a typo. The 50 mile has its own set: 7,950 feet of gain, 7,950 feet of loss, 15,900 feet of total change. The Superior Hiking Trail climbs to near 2,000-foot peaks with views of Lake Superior, and the lowest point on the trail is 602 feet, the highest 1,829 feet.

Early September on Minnesota's North Shore averages a 65 degree high and 47 degree low, with records of 81 and 37, so plan for a wide temperature swing across a long day or night. Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour, and sodium in the 300 to 700-plus milligram per liter range. Aid stations carry salty and sweet pre-packaged snacks, Coke, and Ginger Ale, and from Tettegouche (mile 33.3) onward the 100 mile race adds chicken noodle and vegan soup plus hot food from aid captains. Superior does not provide gels or sports drink at aid stations, so carry your own and use your drop bags. Build your numbers with the free ultra fueling calculator before race day.

The 100 mile finish cutoff is 38 hours from the 8:00 a.m. Friday start, closing Saturday at 10:00 p.m. The 50 mile finish cutoff is 16 hours 45 minutes from the 5:15 a.m. Saturday start, also closing Saturday at 10:00 p.m. Both distances carry a full ladder of intermediate cutoffs at nearly every aid station: for the 100 mile, checkpoints run from Split Rock at mile 8.5 (11:00 a.m. Friday) through Oberg at mile 95.4 (7:10 p.m. Saturday); for the 50 mile, from Crosby-Manitou at mile 11.2 (9:10 a.m. Saturday) through Oberg at mile 44.2 (7:10 p.m. Saturday). The race notes that runners pushing any cutoff within half an hour typically struggle to finish, so build real margin.

Both distances run point-to-point along the Superior Hiking Trail, 95% technical singletrack through the Sawtooth Mountain Range paralleling Lake Superior. Expect rugged, rocky, root-filled trail, climbs to near 2,000-foot peaks with sweeping lake views, and crossings of whitewater rivers and quieter streams through boreal forest. There is a shin-to-knee-deep crossing of the Split Rock River around mile 6.5 for the 100 mile field. Sections of trail run 10 miles without aid, and cell coverage is intermittent across most of the course, so this is genuinely remote running, not a course with a safety net nearby at all times.

Entry runs through a 15-day lottery that typically opens January 1. There is no waiting list once a distance sells out; instead the race accepts extra runners up front, anticipating some percentage will not make the start line. Superior is organized by Rocksteady Running and directed by John Storkamp, who also directs the Zumbro Endurance Run and the Afton Trail Run. The 100 mile is a Western States 100 qualifying race and earns 6 UTMB Mont-Blanc qualifying points; the 50 mile earns 3.