ARROWHEAD 135: A 135 MILE POINT TO POINT RUN, BIKE OR SKI RACE ACROSS NORTHERN MINNESOTA AT HOPEFULLY THE COLDEST TIME OF YEAR.

1.  Sign-in/mandatory gear check Sat Jan 26th Noon to 6PM and Sunday Jan 27th 9AM to 2PM, in I-Falls at Backus Community Center 900 5th St. International Falls. (same place as pre-race meeting previous years) Must be to gear check by 2PM Sunday or we check you in after start on Monday morning. 

2.  Mandatory Pre-race meeting International Falls, Sunday Jan 27th 4:00PM  at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church/School 810 5th Street Internatl Falls, MN. Just east of Backus Community Center, enter on 9th Ave. Free Italian Dinner (for racers/volunteers) at 5:15PM, nominal charge for friends/family.

3.  Race start Monday, 7AM Jan 28th. Kerry Arena center of City of International Falls near Arrowhead/Blue Ox trailhead   Post-Race, we provide somewhat irregular shuttle/enclosed trailer back to I-Falls for a FEE of $20, if you drop out at some other point than Fortune Bay Finish, prepare for random/long wait, or arrange own.  Rides first-come-first-served.

4.  No outside help except other racers or race officials. This means no support crews of any kind, no pacing, and no rides/tows accepted from snowmobilers, trains, planes, automobiles, llamas or other vehicles except of course in emergencies. If you take a ride, you are disqualified but hopefully still alive. Participants encouraged to help each other. Buddy system good way to race dark and cold. We encourage spectators but no assistance allowed any time, no teams greeting you at every possible spot. Arrowhead is about you, the wilderness, your inner dogged spirit and self-sufficiency. Camera crews not allowed to follow the race on Snowmobile except within 1 mile of checkpoints.  Racers can be penalized due to actions of their camera crews.

5.  No littering/no caching of supplies. Leave no trace. You must finish with gear you started with. Use sanitation facilities provided along trail, outhouses next to trail shelters along trail. Bring t.p. Porta-Potty Checkpoint SkiPulk. 

6. If bivying between checkpoints please do so off trail -BUT- still in sight of trail so other racers/race officials can see you. Attach flashing light to bike, ski pole, sled, etc to alert passerby to your presence. If leaving race course for any reason, must re-enter course where left or notify race officials dropping out soon as feasible. Short-cutting course basis for disqualification/time docking discretion of Race Director. Stay on marked course to/from checkpoints.

7.  Gateway General Store on Hwy 53 is 1st required checkpoint. Minnesota Sedation Dentistry and Gateway are providing Chili here for racers.  Water available.  Note: racers encouraged to purchase food, goods and services here.   

Must check in 2nd Checkpoint MelGeorges cabin before going elsewhere or taking room at resort. We provide water, food (soup/ munchies/oatmeal/sandwiches/etc) here. There is room in our large check cabin for racers. Racers encouraged to rent own room/cabin at Melgeorges if overnight likely and you want peace and quiet indoors. Nice restaurant/bar/resort great spot for watching. Spectators DO NOT crowd our cabin.

3rd and final checkpoint: SkiPulk Tent along trail at about mile 111 ~2 miles before last big WakemUp Mtn. Water and emergency personnel here. Spectators allowed, but do not crowd our tent please. Racers do not plan spending significant time here unless camped outside.

We provide water at all checkpoints, food at MelGeorge, chili at Gateway. There is not dependable water available on the course other than the checkpoints or melting the snow, or bring a large ice auger to tap the swamp/lake ice.

8.  Snow machines and dog sleds have absolute right of way. You must pull to right side of the trail and let them pass. Stop at intersections, obey traffic rules. Cars and Sleds are bigger and faster than you and make a messy spot in the snow if they hit you. Listen for them. Keep music stuff out of your ears, listen to Nature, and your own hallucinations.

9.  Racers required to carry/tow all required gear all times on the course and must finish with at least 1 day or 3000 calories of food and 8oz. of fuel. Racers may share gear and assist each other; however, each participant must have their own mandatory gear at all times. Gear checks may be performed any time on course or at checkpoints/finish at the discretion of Race Directors. Time compensation for lost time during check will be made, any check failures subject to disqualification or time penalties again discretion of mean/nice/fair Race Directors. Be prepared to really eat the expired peanut butter you just carried like 100 miles.

10.  Racers pick race category morning of race. Racers may use snowshoes any category, however not required and if used you must carry them and all starting gear to finish. Skiers may have second pair skis.

11.  Race Cutoff times as follow:  Racers must leave checkpoints, say again, leave by following times:  Gateway (35 mi)-9PM Monday.  MelGeorge (70 mi)-2PM Tues. Checkpoint 3 (~110 mi)-11AM Wed.  Fortune Bay OFFICIAL FINISH 7PM Wed.  Race officials may pull racers for safety reasons any point.  IF YOU DON'T STOP AFTER FAILING TO MEET CHECKPOINT CUTOFF YOU WILL BE FIRMLY SPANKED AND BANNED FROM FUTURE ARROWHEADS.

MANDATORY GEAR from race start to race finish.  

• Minus-20F degrees sleeping bag or colder rating. Colder than -20F almost all previous races. If you skimp here you are foolish. And we will not allow you to skimp. So do not skimp. Fool. 2011 it was -42F on trail.
• Insulated sleeping pad.
• Bivy sack or tent (space blankets/tarps do not count).
• Firestarter (matches or lighter).
• Stove.
• 8 fl. oz. fuel at ALL times (either gas, alcohol or 2 canisters of propane/butane 100 g. each or 12 Esbit tablets).
• Pot (min. volume is 1 pint)
• 2-qt (64 fl. oz.) or just under 2 litres, insulated water container. (Yes, Camelbacks count)
• Headlamp or flashlight. Suggest minimum ~100 lumen good for 12 hours/bike or 20 hours on ski/foot.
• Flashing red LED lights, both on front and back of sled or bike (or on backpack if skier). Everyone have at least 10 square inches of reflective material on front and back of the person for this race. Two lights total are required, one on the front of the bike, sled or racer (runner or skier with backpack), one on the back of the bike, sled or racer (runner or skier with backpack). Each light must have minimum three flashing red LEDS. Keep ON ALL THE TIME.  HIGHLY IMPORTANT....THIS MAY WELL PREVENT YOU FROM BEING HOOD ORNAMENT ON LARGE FAST-MOVING SNOWMACHINEs.
• Whistle on string around neck to call for help, because your mouth is too numb to yell.
• 1-day food ALL times (3000 calories) (tip: pound of butter or jar of peanut bar 3200 calories).

YOU CAN STILL BE STUPID WITH ALL THE GEAR, KNOW HOW TO USE IT.

Recommended Gear

• Extreme conditions mittens, head gear and outerwear..
• Down sweater, spare undershirt/socks etc.
• Over-boots, Gaitors.
• Duct tape, vasoline, sunglasses, lipbalm, moleskin, ibuprofin, etc.
• Map/compass/gps. Real outdoorspeople don't need GPS though.  Reflective vest good idea.
• 5,000-7,000 calories of food, preferably items which remain chewable at way below zero and colder.
• Sleds or backpack for runners and snowshoers. Assorted tools/waxes as needed.  Sense of Humor.
• VERY IMPORTANT: Improved cell phone coverage especially on course highpoints makes carrying phone smart. Preferably off and in a warm spot to so it works, use for emergencies.

DROP BAGS

• Each racer allowed 15 lb. drop bag at the MelGeorge's checkpoint,including food/drink only (no clothes/fuel or gear) and separate Fortune Bay bag for small change of clothes at finish line.
• Drop bags due International Falls by Sunday, 2:00pm at the gear check. Otherwise, make own arrangements to deliver them MelGeorge's Checkpoint cabin and finish line, at Fortune Bay Casino, Tower MN.
• Bags should be heavy gauge garbage bags (big and strong) or tough stuff sacks and will not be returned by race.
• Bags must be clearly labeled with racers name and race number, either MelGeorge or Fortune Bay and secured shut. You can share drop bags with another racer to limit waste.  They might freeze but will try not to.

Cutoff for racers 60 hours, or Wed. 7pm, at the Fortune Bay Casino after Arrowhead spur trail crosses Hwy 77, near Lake Vermilion.  Nice bar and restaurant at Fortune Bay.  Have hospitality room/suites overlooking finish line, pool and showers for spectators, racers and volunteers.  There is secure area to place gear/sleds/bikes and can smoke and gamble and stuff here finally.  If expect to get peace and quiet as well, we encourage you to rent a room.  Pretty good deals and don't drive home stupid sleepy.

Trail users are legally responsible for obeying the rules and regulations provided in Minnesota Rules, State Recreational Trails, 6100.3000 through 6100.4300.