Little Su 50k Racer Guide
RULES, REGULATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND EVERYTHING TO KNOW BEFOR YOU STAND AT THE START LINE. Race weekend
Schedule & Check-In
RACE DAYSunday, February 14 2027
Happy Trails Kennel | 19391 W Lakes Blvd, Big Lake, AK 99623
7:30 - 8:45 AM: Racer sign-in
9:00 AM Race Start
CELEBRATIONMonday, February 16 2027
Anchorage Moose Lodge | 4211 Arctic Blvd, Anchorage, AK 99503
6:00–9:30 PM Post-Race Celebration
IMPORTANT: Racers declare their division (bike, foot, or ski) at sign-in. Racers who don't sign in can not participate in the race.
Race rules
& Regulations
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All racers must be 18 years old by the day of the race unless approved by the Board of Directors.
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Any racer with a dog on the course will be disqualified. Please do not bring your pets to the race! The race start/finish is at Happy Trails Kennels – this is a working Iditarod dog team kennel. We are guests of this business and must be considerate!
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We know you have friends and family who want to track your progress during the race. Please ask them to do so via the website, which will be updated with results throughout the race if weather and conditions allow. During the race, our phones are used to contact checkpoints and facilitate racer safety. If a true emergency arises, and someone must contact a racer or race personnel, then this number may be used 907-232-2553. In the history of the race, only four or five such situations have arisen. Events such as death in the family or imminent birth of a child come to mind. Arranging post-race transportation is NOT an emergency.
Please do not call any of the checkpoints including Happy Trails Kennel. -
Racers will be disqualified for littering.
Racers are not allowed to leave wet or discarded clothing or gear at any checkpoint.
If you start with it, you finish with it (no drop bags).
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Racers may accept help only from race officials or other racers. Race officials may not provide assistance that moves a racer forward along the course.
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50K racers need to have their bib numbers visible for checkers at the half-way water stop.
Any racer who misses a checkpoint will be disqualified.
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Racers must follow the marked race route (no short cuts).
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Total time allowed for the 50K race is 12 hours.
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If you are taken from the course by a race official via snowmachine, plane or other transport, you will be charged an evacuation fee of $100.00. Be prepared to pay this fee upon arrival at the Headquarters.
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Entry fees are valid for the current race only. They are non-refundableand and non-transferable.
Alaska Winter Wilderness Races Board of Directors reserves the right to cancel race(s) for safety reasons. Refunds options should this occur will be determined by the Board and registered racers notified
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You'll provide an emergency contact's name and phone for race weekend. That person authorizes a search by Civil Authorities if you fail to check out at the finish. Racers are responsible for the cost of any such search.
Register before January 1 to guarantee your shirt size. All racers get a shirt; all finishers get an award.
The Board reserves the right to refuse entry.
Required Gear
Only the following three items are required for 50K racers. However, personal safety and comfort suggest you probably will choose to take additional gear. Water will be available at the half-way water stop. Racers are responsible for their own food.
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We require that you have at least a two-quart (64 ounce) capacity. Make sure to test your hydration system thoroughly before race day! Insulate the bottles or bladder tube well.
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Virtually any device you bring to the race will be in compliance. Before selecting your light, consider the following rather contradictory factors:
The wilderness through which the Little Su 50K is run is criss-crossed with a number of winter trails. The race course intersects many of these trails, some of which have proven quite alluring. The course is well-marked with reflective tape lathe, a long, wide beam of light will catch these markers day or night.
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For traveling at dark, a small flashing light will alert snowmachines and other people on the trail as to your presence.
bike, Run, SKi
gear guide
Recommendations and requirements for your chosen means of travel.
Pro tips
& optional gear
Nothing here is required, but a 50K in an Alaska February is still long enough and cold enough to hurt you if you undershoot.
Pro Tip: Cell service is spotty at best. Do not rely on your cell phone while racing.
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Two quarts is the rule, and if you dress right and don't overheat, it's usually enough between the start and the water stop. But runners and snowshoers especially cycle between hydration and dehydration fast. Consider carrying an extra one-quart bottle (start it empty) in case you need more than you planned.
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If you run a hydration bladder, wrap the drinking tube with pipe insulation, route it under your clothing, and clear it after each drink by blowing air back through. Don't fill a bladder with near boiling water! one racer took second-degree burns carrying water that hot under layers. Warm, not scalding.
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The most common mistake is overdressing. You generate real heat moving, and if it can't escape you'll soak your clothes in sweat, lose insulation, and end up colder. Windproof front, breathable back, layered light.
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Almost any headlamp works, but a wider beam picks up trail markers better. Bring spare batteries. Snow reflects a lot of available light, so you may need less than you'd think, but don't get caught without a backup.
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No calories are provided on course. Pack what will keep you moving for up to 12 hours.
The course
& The Water Stop
The Little Su 50K has one checkpoint: a halfway water stop near Gunmetal Lake. Have your bib visible for the checkers there. Water and snacks are provided.
Directions and Parking
The race starts and finishes at Happy Trails Kennels, Mile 4.5 West Lakes Blvd, Big Lake, Alaska. Allow about two hours driving from Anchorage.
From Anchorage:
North on Hwy 1 (Glenn Highway)
Hwy 1 becomes Hwy 3 (Parks Highway)
Continue through Wasilla
Left on Big Lake Road at Mile 52
About 3¼ miles on Big Lake Road
Right onto Beaver Lake Road
Continue 1 mile
Left onto West Lakes Boulevard ("W. Lks. Blvd.")
About 4½ miles
Right at the sign for Happy Trails Kennels
Emergency & Safety Information
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Drink early and often, at least a pint an hour. Don't overdress. If you start feeling dizzy or losing motor control, get fluids and carbohydrates in you and change into dry clothes.
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Wind is the main culprit. A face mask or duct tape across the nose helps in a headwind. If your fingers or toes go, get warm layers on them fast. If you get frostbite or think you have it, head to the nearest checkpoint, ahead or behind. Don't tough it out.
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The trail is marked with roughly 1,000 lath stakes hand-labeled "SU 100," reflective on both sides. If you go more than 15 minutes without seeing a marker, you should consider backtracking til you see a SU100 lath.
Other groups mark their own trails out here — follow only the SU 100 markers.
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For true emergencies only: 907-232-2553. That means things like a death in the family or the imminent birth of a child. Arranging post-race transportation is not an emergency. Do not call checkpoints, including Happy Trails Kennels.
Withdrawing from the race
Self evacuation (no fee):After notifying a race official of your intent to scratch and you make it back to the start/HQ on your own, there will not be an evacuation fee.
Official evacuation ($100 fee):If a race official transports you off the course by snowmachine, airplane, or other means, a $100 evacuation fee applies, due on arrival at Race Headquarters. Weather, daylight, and equipment availability determine the method.
Either way: if you're in trouble, get to a checkpoint or flag down a trail patrol.