Spectator and Crew guidelines

Hey there Fire Tower folks! We wanted to take a moment to share some info on spectators and crew for this race, to ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to expectations.

Crew

First and foremost, no crew is allowed for the 50K, 35K, or 11K races. The 100K race is the only distance where crew is allowed. There is limited space at the various aid stations and we need to limit our impact on the park. For the 100K race your crew is only allowed at the Overlook aid station as well as Start/Finish. This means you can see your runner at approximately miles 15, 20, 30, 46, and 51.

Any crew giving aid to their runners outside of these designated crew stations will results in a DQ of their runner. 

Spectators

The majority of St. Croix State Park is only accessible by small gravel roads, therefore we need to limit the number of vehicles that are on the roads around the park. Please observe the following rules for spectators:

• Make friends out there! Limit the number of cars on the gravel roads by carpooling.
• No spectators are allowed near the Gate 31 aid station by car. You’re welcome to walk/run/bike there and enjoy the scenery!
• Please see the enclosed park map with various parking lots circled along the course route. These are great places to pull over and cheer for runners!
• Do not block park roads. If there is no room to park, please proceed to a different area.
• The Overlook Aid Station has had issues with overcrowding. If you arrive there and there is no room please move to a different area.
• Spectators should not use aid station trash bins if possible. Please haul your trash back to Start/Finish. 
• No crewing is allowed except for 100K runners as described above. 

To reiterate: If there is no room to park, please proceed to a different area. Blocking trails, roads, or other cars isn’t cool and leaves other park users with a bad impression of trail running. We understand the excitement over seeing your runner – we’re excited to see them, too! – but sharing this space and being good stewards of this wonderful park need to be at top of mind.

During your downtime, you’re welcome at Start/Finish, but we recommend taking advantage of your time here by visiting spots like Big Eddy or the Head of the Rapids. There’s also a lovely swimming lake, Lake Clayton, which you’ll see a sign for as you drive toward the aid stations. (It’s on the paved road, before it turns to gravel.) 

Thank you for your help in maintaining a good relationship with our park host! By limiting our impact on the park and its roads, we will be able to continue to hold this event long into the future.