Course Description

Course is run in a COUNTER CLOCKWISE direction.

The race starts in the lower Spirit Mountain parking lot. Runners will leave the starting line and run along the far Eastern edge of the gravel parking lot. Runners will then turn Right onto the gravel access road leading up the hill adjacent to the Grand Avenue Chalet. Runners will veer to the Right continuing on the gravel access road. At 0.2 miles runners continue Right on the access road, passing under large White Pines and over Knowlton Creek on a bridge. At 0.6 miles pass through open gate and continue straight on the gravel Knowlton Creek Boulevard.  At 0.8 miles veer Left where Knowlton Creek Boulevard narrows and turns into a dirt snowmobile/ATV trail. Continue on this trail under leafy snowmobile/ATV trail. Continue on this trail under leafy Aspen trees where you will turn SHARPLY to the Left at 1.2 miles onto the Superior Hiking Trail.  Continue uphill on the narrow, rocky and rooty Superior Hiking Trail adjacent to the beautiful rapids and waterfalls of Kingsbury Creek. At 1.5 miles you cross Old Thompson Hill Road and continue uphill on the singletrack Superior Hiking Trail. At 1.7 miles cross an open, grassy pipeline access corridor and continue on the Superior Hiking Trail.  Continue across the hillside on the singletrack Superior Hiking Trail. At about 2.5 mile you pass under the  “Tunnel of Maples” on the Superior Hiking Trail. At about 2.2 miles miles you will take the new winding trail downhill  (this replaces the “136 steps” section) to a wide wide service road. Take a sharp Right on a gravel service road at 2.6 miles and run uphill.  Take a Left to cross the bridge over Knowlton Creek at about 2.7 miles. Continue straight on the service corridor/snowmobile trail route known as Knowlton Creek Boulevard. At 2.87 miles turn to the Right in a big arcing loop, continuing on the snowmobile trail route and route known as Bardon Peak Boulevard. At about 3.0 miles take a sharp Left onto the Superior Hiking Trail spur trail up to the upper gravel Spirit Mountain parking lot. Continue winding through the woods following the flagging carefully in this relatively vegetation free understory. At mile understory. At mile about 3.2 miles you pop out onto the upper gravel parking lot. Cross directly across this far corner of the parking lot about 150--200 feet looking for pin flags to the access route down the ski hill. 
Turn Left off of the parking lot onto the access route down the ski hill.  Go downhill to the access road that traverses across the Spirit Mountain ski runs known as Bardon Peak Boulevard. Turn Right at 3.3 miles onto the access road/Bardon Peak Boulevard.  Continue across the ski hill enjoying awesome views of the St. Louis River, Bay and City below you. below you.   At about 3.6 miles, take a sharp Left and hit the “Plunge” and plunge directly down the ski hill toward the finish line below. Follow pin flags down the hill to stay on the correct route as there are a few different paths down the hill and crossing on the ski hill. At just under 3.9 miles, take a right onto a gravel service road and then a Left about 100 feet or so or so later later off of the gravel service road to continue down the hill to the finish line. At At 4.07 miles you will veer to the Left in front of the chalet and then then veer Right to rejoin the route down to the parking lot and Start/Finish line. Continue around the far edge of the gravel parking lot, retracing your steps from the start to cross under the finish line arch and the end of Race 1!  Now, get some aid, rinse and REPEAT! !