SQUATCHYWASKA MOUNTAINFEST

This race sold out in less than 3 days! You can add your name to the waitlist, and if we have any participants drop out of the race, we will invite the next person on the waitlist. We have a total of 10 charity bibs for the 25K available for the Squatchywaska! These Charity Bibs are available even if the race sells out and enables you to bypass the waitlist. Selecting the charity bib option means that you are committing to raising or donating $500 to our charity partner, RunWild, and the deadline for the donation is April 23rd. You can choose to make the donation yourself OR we can set up a fundraising page for you so you can raise the $500. You'll need to meet that April 23rd fundraising deadline in order to participate in the Squatchywaska. We will follow-up with you through email after you register for the charity bib. Please note: the $500 fundraising/donation is in addition to the registration fee.

APRIL 25, 2026

The GUNKS are unlike any other place on earth! For this 25K and 10 miler you'll climb and descend gorgeous mountain singletracks through pitch pines, huckleberry bushes, and mountain laurels while traversing the ivory conglomerate cliffs and glacially-polished ledges of the Shawangunk Ridge. Your hard work will be rewarded with breathtaking sweeping views of the Catskills and the iconic 187 ft Verkeerder Kill Falls! This Trail Party is inspired by the Ellenville Mountain Festival that was led by Todd Jennings and Ken Posner from 2015-2017 and Sassquad Trail Party Director Kim Levinsky's Fastest Known Time of the 358M New York Long Path. This Trail Party benefits the RunWild, Inc.

QUICK STATS

RACE FORMAT: 25K (closer to 17 miles) & 10 Miler on a lollipop course

CUTOFFS: 6 hour cutoff for both events. 25Kers need to maintain a 21 min per mile pace to finish in 6 hours and 10 Milers need to maintain a 36 min per mile pace to finish in 6 hours. There are 2 on-course cutoffs for the 25Kers

ELEVATION/TERRAIN: Challenging course with incredible views, cliffs, steep climbs and descents. Both courses are technical with many rocks and roots. Both courses include 3+ miles of mellow crushed gravel trails; the rest is techy! The 25K has 2,500 ft elevation gain and the 10M has 1,800 ft elevation gain

CAPACITY: Sold out last year in just a few weeks. Capped at 150 participants across both events.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: No public transit options to arrive in time for the race start. Email us and we can help coordinate a carpool!

This trail party starts and finishes at Berme Road Park in Ellenville, NY. We have two squatchtastic courses: the 10 miler and the 25K. Both events are true mountain routes that are packed with climbing, cliffs, and even a bit of scrambling on the 25K route. You'll be surrounded by stunning trail beauty from start to finish as you explore some of the most spectacular trails in the country. It's difficult to describe the diverse beauty of these trails as they are unlike anywhere else! When Trail Party Director Kim Levinsky completed the Fastest Known Time for the 358M New York Long Path, she noted that this section through Minnewaska State Preserve was the most beautiful. Since then, Kim has been dreaming about hosting a race on the Long Path so others could experience its awe-inspiring beauty. Professional race photos will be provided by photographer Steve Aaron!

We are proud to support our friends at Run Wild, Inc.! Run Wild, Inc. is a New York State not-for-profit 501(c)(3) whose mission is to raise funds for land conservation and stewardship in the Hudson Valley and beyond. Last year, we supported their fundraising campaign to protect Verkeerder Kill Falls. Let's continue to support Run Wild, Inc.!

WHAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR REGISTRATION?

Bib & safety pins
Swag item
Handcrafted Finishers' Medal
Aid Stations with water, Skratch and snacks
Awards for top 3 male, female and non-binary
Professional race photos by Steve Aaron

This event is not recommended for kids under the age of 16.

The Squatchywaska Mountainfest covers some of the most incredible trails in the Gunks. Both events have a 6 hour cutoff (the 25K runs closer to 17 miles and our on-course cut-offs reflect that true distance). Both events are true mountain routes that are packed with climbing, cliffs, and a great mix of technical singletracks and dreamy crushed gravel carriage roads. This is not a flat course, and is right up there with the challenge-level of our two Big Bear SquaTCh Trail Parties at Harriman State Park. We recommend a sturdy/grippy trail shoe with good grip/lugs. Trekking poles could be helpful for some folks to better navigate the technical terrain. 25K has over 2,500 ft of elevation gain and the 10M has over 1,800 ft of climbing. You'll be surrounded by stunning trail beauty from start to finish as you explore some of the most spectacular trails in the country. It's difficult to describe the diverse beauty of these trails as they are unlike anywhere else! When Trail Party Director Kim Levinsky completed the Fastest Known Time for the 358M New York Long Path, she noted that this section through Minnewaska State Preserve was the most beautiful. Since then, Kim has been dreaming about hosting a race on the Long Path so others could experience its awe-inspiring beauty.

The course will be well-marked with neon pink/reflective ribbon. We have large red directional arrows at each of the turns. To learn more about how we mark the course and what the ribbons and signs look like, squatch on over to the Sassquad Trail School to watch the information video about our course markings!

The start/finish is Berme Road Park in Ellenville, NY. Interested in carpooling? Email us!

Check-in: 8:15am-8:45am
Start time: 9am
- 25K cutoffs (the course is closer to 17M so these times reflect that longer distance!):
  - Mile 11 Maratanza Aid Station - 1:00pm
  - Mile 13.75 Smiley Aid Station - 1:50pm
- 10M cutoffs:
  - Mile 6.85 Smiley Aid Station - 1:15pm
Finish Line Cutoff for both events: 3pm

We have a 6-hour cut-off which comes out to about 21 min per mile for the 25K and a pace of about 36 mins per mile for the 10M. Our Sweepers will leave the start/finish area behind the last runners/hikers to start making their way around the course to take down the course markers.

REFUND/DEFERRAL POLICY

Like many other race organizations, we do not offer refunds for our events. Please take the time to double-check your calendar before registering for a Trail Party. Please understand that we do not offer refunds under any circumstances.

If you notify us via email (not through social media, text, or phone call) more than 21 days from the date of the Trail Party, we will extend a deferral to any of our events that fall within one calendar year of the Trail Party that you were registered for, minus 15% of the registration fee that you originally paid.
If you sustain an injury less than 21 days from the race date, we will extend a 100% deferral if you come to that race to volunteer. For distances less than 50K, you'll need to volunteer for at least 4 hours and for 50M+ distances, you'll need to volunteer for at least 8 hours to get a 100% deferral.
If the race that you want to drop from is sold-out with an active wait-list and are able to fill your spot: if you notify us via email (not through social media, text or phone call) at least 3 days before the race, we will extend a deferral to any of our events that fall within one calendar year of the Trail Party that you were registered for, minus 15% of the registration fee that you originally paid.

The race credit is the amount that you paid for the race, minus 15% (total credit does not including UltraSignUp fees) so you will need to cover any difference in fees; refunds will not be issued if the deferred event costs less than your race credit. You can only defer one time so please double-check that you can make the race you're deferring to.

PREGNANCY, ADOPTION, & POSTPARTUM POLICY

Whether planned or unplanned, the beginning or end of a pregnancy requires healing and recovery time. We are committed to supporting you in this regard. If you are experiencing a pregnancy or postpartum healing and recovery, or have adopted a child, we are pleased to offer a deferral of up to three years from the current event. Simply send us an email and we will arrange the deferral for you. This deferral policy includes partners and spouses and is also extended to folks who are going through the IVF process.

Make no mistake about it - this is not a flat course. The trails are technical and have some steep and rugged sections.

ALL participants are REQUIRED to have the following with them at all times:

Charged cell phone
Water bottle or hydration pack
At least 200 extra calories
Whistle (we will give you one at check-in)
GPX of course map on phone or device

The following items are recommended, but not required:

Poles
External battery pack for phone
Buff/hat/gloves
Wipes
Ziploc baggie to pack out trash

AID STATIONS:

There are two on-course aid stations. The Smiley Aid Station (mile 3.2/13.75 for the 25K and mile 3.2/6.85 for the 10M) and the Maratanza Aid Station (mile 11 for the 25K). Both Aid Stations have water, Skratch, and snacks like bananas, granola bars, chips, oreos, fruit snacks etc. We always have a fully stocked first aid kit and AED at Squatch HQ. Our first aid kit includes menstrual products and wipes. We have several private changing tents at Squatch HQ that are available before, during, and after the event. Please note: dogs are not allowed at Berme Road Park as per our permit; please ask you family and friends who will be hanging out with us to not bring their four-legged friends. Please note: both on-course aid stations are NOT crew-accessible; breaking this rule will jeopardize our permit.

PACERS:

As with all of our events, Squatchers over the age of 60 and AWD (athletes with disabilities) can have a pacer/guide at any time. Please pre-register your pacer with us before the start of the Trail Party. Pacers are not allowed for folks under the age of 60 and who are not an AWD.

CREW:

All runners/hikers can have a Crew join them at Squatch HQ (the start/finish) for the duration of the event. Crew access is only available at Squatch HQ. Crew cannot aid their runner/hiker at any other spot on the course. Crews are encouraged to bring ice if they anticipate their runner/hiker needing ice during the event. Remember, both of the on-course aid stations are NOT crew-accessible.

All participants are required to watch the replay of the special webinar led by Becca Howe-Parisio, Environmental Educator at Minnewaska State Preserve. Mountain trails mean that there are mountain flora and fauna! Did you know that Minnewaska State Preserve consists of more than 24,000 acres of wild and scenic land? This special place is home to rare and endangered plants and animals. The area that we will be traversing has a globally rare forest of ridgetop pitch pines that exists among an incredibly fragile cliff ecosystem. A five-foot-tall pitch pine tree can be over 300 years old! The lichen up on the ridgeline can take 25 years to grow to the size of a quarter! Everyone must stay on trail. Stepping off-trail could easily result in damaging this delicate biosphere. Black bears, coyotes, bobcats, timber rattlesnakes all call these mountains 'home'. Of these creatures, you are most likely to see timber rattlesnakes warming themselves on the exposed cliffs or a black bear. Remember, these snakes are typically a rather shy, reclusive species that prefer to stay camouflaged and away from people. If you do encounter a timber rattlesnake on the trails, take a few steps back, watch it from afar, and wait until it clears the trail - do not attempt to cross over it. If you encounter a black bear, do not run from it; slowly back away. Make the bear aware of your presence by speaking in an assertive voice, clapping your hands, and waving your arms in the air; make yourself as big as possible. Most ofte,n a bear will see/hear you before you see it. They do not want to be around people on the trail and will scamper off when they are aware of your presence.

FAQ'S

Q: What's the weather like in Ellenville, NY in April?

A: Yeah. What a wow it's been out in that side. This year 's got temps in this simple dip it. Why? Global warm it. Be sure to keep it safety. And, hey if you've got to go car on that icy road slowing it right down, Mmay? Hat......

April in the Gunks can be chilly with temps in the upper 40's or quite warm in the 70's. Be ready for anything! Oh, and we recommend leaving those generously cut mom jeans at home.

Q: Can I have a pacer?

A: As with all of our events, Squatchers over the age of 60 and AWD (athletes with disabilities) can have a pacer/guide at any time. Please fill out the pacer registration form ahead of time and be sure to pick-up a pacer bib during check-in! Pacers are not allowed for other runners and hikers without prior approval from the Trail Party Director.

Q: Are there restrooms at the start/finish area?

A: There are portajohns at the start/finish area. There are no other restrooms available on the course. We recommend packing wipes and a ziploc.

Q: What’s the best address for me to use to the Trail Party?

A: Plug in 20 Berme Road, Ellenville NY

Q: What food will you be serving at the aid stations?

A: Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger! No fries, chips, no Coke, Pepsi. Definitely NOT cheeseburgers. Ever since they found Mad Cow disease in the US, we're not taking any chances. It can live in your body for years before it ravages your brain. Just Kidding..... Snacks include items like bananas, granola bars, chips, oreos fruit snacks etc. We will also have SKRATCH!

Q: I could get lost in a brown paper bag. Will the course be marked?

A: Whenever I get lost, I put my fingers under my arms, and then smell them like this… Don't be worried about getting lost. Focus on following the neon pink ribbons and large directional arrows and you'll be okay!

Q: Me and my friend aren't registered for the race, but we're still planning on coming to run. We won't eat from the aid station or take a medal or swag. This is okay, right?

A: NO THIS IS NOT OKAY. This is called being a "race bandit" and it is stealing. Not paying for a race and running the race is stealing from the race organization (even if you're not taking food or swag). Don't do this at a Sassquad trail party or ANY other race. It's not okay. And if you hear about someone else doing this, call them out. If you bandit a race, you will be banned from registering for any of our Sassquad events.

Q: Can I bring my dog?

A: Negative. Max the Pug has to stay home for this event.Our liability insurance does not cover dogs at our events; thank you for understanding!

Q: Can I sign my kids up for the Trail Party?

A: We do not recommend this event to kids under the age of 16. We have a special discount code for families registering 3 or more Squatches in the same household. Please email us (trailpartydirector@sassquadtrailrunning.com) before you register so we can give you the code! Once you have the code, be sure to register your child separately and agree to the waiver for minors. And make sure to keep track of little Westley and Buttercup before during and after the race. We only have 1 search-party and they're already out there looking for Sasquatch.