Search Our Site

Information:
About us
Email us
Read our Blog
Forum
Register/Application
Credit card pay
Race Rules
Race Results
Maps/Hotels
Trail Conditions
Weather
Handbook/tips
2005 Photos
Slideshow 1
Slideshow 2
2006 Photos
Slideshow 2006
2007 Photos
2008 Photos
2009 Photos


Cool Links:


Icebike Winter Tips

All Weather Sports Tips


Iditarod Trail Invitational
AlaskaUltraSport.com



Equinox Ski Challenge.com



Skipulk.com




Epic Designs Blog

Check the Blog for the roster and race updates and the Race Results page for more details. 102 people checked in at the gear check with 12 no shows.

The 2010 Arrowhead 135 mile event was the first Monday of February 1st through Wednesday the 3rd, with pre-race gear check and meetings the Saturday and Sunday prior.

Categories included bike, foot or ski were chosen by the participants the day of the race.

The 2010 event took place in a mass start at 7:03 am Monday on the Blue Ox trail/Arrowhead trailhead in downtown International Falls, MN USA aka “Frostbite Falls”.

Highlights-

Temps at the start in 2010 were about -21F degrees, around -10F to +10F during the day and at night, dropped to -20F degrees on the trail. The wind was calm and the moon almost full. Many wolf spectators were watching on the trail. Snowmobilers spotted a huge wolf standing on the trail, so big they thought it was a deer. It refused to move out of their way, instead staring them down until the last second.

Of 102 starters, 61 finished the Arrowhead in under 60 hours .

• 38 of 52 bikers finished
• 19 of 45 on foot finished
• 4 of 5 skiers finished.
• 2 of 5 women finished

• First biker, first overall- Jeff Oatley of Alaska started 7:03 am Mon. and finished at 23:20 Mon. night for a total time of 16 hours 17 minutes.
• Bikers, Pete Basinger and David Pramann were within seconds of the first finisher for second and third place.
• First woman biker, Janice Tower of Alaska established a new course record of 26h 46 min.
• First foot, Zach Gingerich, finished at 21:02 Tuesday in 37h 59min for a new course record.
• First skier, Jim Reed arrived at 11:50am Wed. in 52h 47min.
• Youngest Finisher- Christian Arel age 17, finished on bike on Wed. on his first attempt.
• Last Lone Wolf award went to Bill Bradley for arriving last at Melgeorges checkpoint.
• Last finisher, John Taylor on foot completed the Arrowhead at 18:14 on Wed. in 59h 11min.

Check the Blog for photos, race reports, and more detailed results.

The Arrowhead Winter Ultra is a non-profit human powered ultramarathon on bike, foot or skis, covering 135 miles across the Arrowhead Region of Northern Minnesota from International Falls near the Canadian border to Tower, MN.  The course follows a scenic, hilly, State multi-purpose trail under extreme winter conditions the first Monday of February.

Completing the course is no small feat as winter temperatures in this area of Minnesota have been known to reach a record -60F degrees.  No wonder the locals have dubbed their town the "Icebox of the Nation" and "Frostbite Falls".

There will be 3 checkpoints, the main one serving hot soup and water at a cabin about the midway point by Elephant Lake near the town of Orr.  Otherwise, racers are fully self-supported with a cutoff time of 60 hours. Each racer is required to carry mandatory food, water and gear as outlined on the rules page to cover the 3 days and 2 nights outdoors. Participants and volunteers must review the Handbook information on winter camping, frostbite and hypothermia before entering the event.

The race will have a few costs for permits, insurance, awards and other incidentals which we will pass on to the racers.  There is no purse; however, every finisher receives a unique Arrowhead trophy.  Every participant receives an Arrowhead t-shirt.  Extra t-shirts can be ordered at the pre-race meeting.  There will be three entry categories- bike, run or ski- that the racer may choose at the start of the race depending upon the trail and weather conditions. In addition, we will track times for fun and posterity in Overall, Men's and Women's categories, as well as the coveted Myrtle the Turtle AKA, the Last Lone Wolf award.

Above all, everyone is expected to enjoy a fun, challenging event!

The Arrowhead 135 Mile Ultramarathon is a founding member of the Badwater World Cup aka the "BAD 135" 135-Miles Worldwide initiative organized by AdventureCORPS, the producers of the Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135-mile foot race from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney, CA. These events will join in a series with several new, unique, human-powered races that traverse 135 miles in extreme environments and conditions, including the Brazil 135.

EMAIL   HOME   BLOG  Copyright 2009, 2010 Arrowhead Ultra Sports Foundation, Inc. Last updated: Feb. 3, 2010