There is plenty of wildlife living along the Trail Rail Run course. Most of it you will never see, but runners always enjoy a few sightings, like the elk photographed here by one of our bicycle monitors.

Let’s talk about moose because they are worth discussing. If you live in the north you know about moose. If you don’t, Moose can be aggressive and aren’t easily spooked. If you see a moose, wait until it moves out of the way.

This photo of the moose was taken last June.   It was a cell phone camera so not the greatest, but you get the idea. This was right at the quonset hut at the Taft exit, right near the start of the 50K. They like to find mineral licks, and this highway department quonset hut located at Taft appears to be a popular spot.

The Trail Rail Run course will be marked with a combination of red marking flags and spray chalk. The flags are 21″ high and will be placed on the right hand side of the course. Mostly they’ll be stuck into the dirt but there may be some places where dirt is unavailable and creative methods will be utilized.

There is also a combination of orange and red spray chalk on the road. Last year a delightful spring rainstorm took place during the course marking process, so the spray chalk wasn’t as effective.

This could happen again this year… it’s raining as I write this. Which will make it absolutely beautiful running conditions on Saturday, where we’re looking at sunny skies and delightful summer temps.

Hammer Nutrition is our course nutrition sponsor. Besides water, you will find HEED and Endurolytes. Espresso Hammer Gels (with caffeine) are at Aid Stations #2 Brimstone, #4 Saltese, #7 Henderson and #9 Two Mile. Non-caffeinated Hammer Gels including peanut butter, huckleberry and vanilla are at all aid stations. At the finish line we have Recoverite.

You will also find an assortment of PB&J and PB&Honey sandwiches. #2 Brimstone, #5 Savenac, #7 Henderson and #9 Ward Creek have gluten free bread. Also Jelly Bellies, Granola Bars, Trail Mix, Rice Crackers with Nuts, Goldfish, Graham Crackers, and Dried Apricots at various aid stations.

The Aid Stations are ramping up for an informal cookie competition to provide the best home made cookies. Be sure to perform your taste tests and post your favorites on the Trail Rail Run Facebook page!

At each Aid Station along the course of the Trail Rail Run you will find signs telling you:

1. Where you are
2. How many miles to reach St. Regis and the Finish Line

With this system, no matter which event you are running, you will know how many miles remain. Here is how many miles FROM ST. REGIS each point lies along the course:

Mullan Idaho (Start of the 50 Mile): 50.5 Miles
Lookout Pass (Aid Station #1): 42.5 Miles
Brimstone (Aid Station #2): 36 Miles
Taft (Start of the 50K): 33 Miles
Dominion Trestle (Aid Station #3): 30.5 Miles
Saltese (Aid Station #4): 25.5 Miles
Haugan/Savenac (Start of the 30K and Aid Station #5): 19.5 Miles
DeBorgia (Aid Station #6): 16.5 Miles
Henderson (Aid Station #7): 13 Miles
Ward Creek (Aid Station #8): 7.5 Miles
Two Mile (Aid Station #9): 4 Miles

Trail Rail Runners have an opportunity to help two of our Trail Rail Run supporters, the St. Regis Visitor Center and the Forest Service Savenac Nursery.

Both of these organizations rely upon funding which comes, in part, by the numbers of people utilizing their services. They both have sign in books for visitors. You are a visitor! If you can please:

1. Sign the St. Regis Visitor Center Book when you come for packet pick up on Friday, May 20th

2. If you are a 30K Runner, please sign in the Savenac Visitor Book which they will have available for you at the staging area

3. If you are a 50 Mile or 50K runner, and you have enough energy to hold the pen, sign the Savenac Visitor book when you pass through the aid station

Thank you for helping the St. Regis Visitor Center and the USFS Savenac Nursery, both great supporters of the Trail Rail Run!

There are two times on the Trail Rail Run course that you leave the railroad grade and run into small railroad towns for the aid station: Haugan/Savenac and DeBorgia.

If you run the 50 Mile or 50K event, you need to make sure you go into Haugan/Savenac, as well as DeBorgia. These two aid stations are back to back.

If you run the 30K event, you start at Haugan/Savenac, your first aid station is DeBorgia and you need to leave the railroad grade to run into that town.

If you run the 12K event, you do not leave the railroad grade for aid stations.

Lookout Pass, Brimstone, Dominion Trestle, Saltese, Henderson, Ward Creek and Two Mile Aid Stations are all on the railroad grade.

Remember, you are checked in at each aid station, so it is important that you make it to each one.  Besides — why would you want to miss these old time railroad towns when people there are ready and waiting for you to help you have a great run!  At Haugan/Savenac the US Forest Service volunteers man the 30K start and aid station, and at DeBorgia it’s the veritable community center of Mineral  County…  the “OAces” tavern.

Families and friends of Trail Rail Runners have lots of easy access opportunities to connect with your runner as he/she makes his/her way along the course. Suggested connection points include:

Lookout Pass
1st Aid Station for 50 Mile Runners

Taft
Starting point for 50K and passing through point for 50 Mile Runners

Saltese
50K and 50 Mile Runners. You have to hike up to the top of the Saltese Trestle

Haugan/Savenac
Starting point for 30K Runners, aid station for 50K and 50 Mile Runners

DeBorgia
Aid Station for 50 Mile, 50K and 30K Runners. Go to the OAces Bar and Grill

Ward Creek
Starting point for 12K Runners, aid station for 50 Mile, 50K and 30K Runners. VERY LITTLE PARKING and ONLY ACCESSIBLE traveling EAST on I90

Two Mile
Aid Station for 50 Mile, 50K, 30K and 12K Runners. VERY LITTLE PARKING!!

We’ve made some changes in shuttle bus departure times from last year, so please read carefully.

All bus shuttles to the respective starting lines will depart once again from the St. Regis Travel Center. The St. Regis Travel Center is located at the four way stop when you come off the interstate at Exit 33. You can’t possibly miss it. It will be open early to accommodate runners.

When you get to St. Regis, park in the USFS Helipad field approximately one mile from the St. Regis Travel Center. Someone will be directing you. We’ll have a shuttle going back and forth between the two, but don’t be late and press your luck.

Departure times are as follows:

50 Mile — 5:15 am

50K — 6:30 am

30K — 8:00 am

12K — 9:15 am

Bus drivers are not counting heads — they simply leave at the appointed time. So don’t be late!

The Saltese Trestle is an old railroad trestle smack along the course of the Trail Rail Run on the Route of the Olympian Trail.  The Route of the Olympian Trail has been a long and arduous effort to piece together what was originally continuous abandoned railroad grade.  After being abandoned by the Milwaukee railroad, the route was divided up into a myriad of private and public ownership, and has been recently pieced back together with a combined effort by the USFS and local organizations.

The Saltese Trestle is a critical component of the Route of the Olympian Trail as it connects the Route of the Olympian over private land.  Until recently the Saltese Trestle itself was owned by a private landowner, and it has not had any maintenance or structural work completed for many years.  The Saltese Trestle is in need of refurbishment to insure the trestle will be here for recreational use by generations to come.

The very real concern is this:  if the Saltese Trestle disappears, the Route of the Olympian will no longer be continous.  As noted previously, the trestle spans private land and without the trestle there is no way to connect.  The new owners of the Saltese Trestle, the Montana Nightriders Snowmobile Club, have been working with the Superior Ranger District to get the trestle repaired and ultimately handed over to the USFS.  To that end, individuals within the Montana Nightriders organization and other interested parties created Friends of the Olympian Trail.

You can help!  There is a new opportunity when you register for the Trail Rail Run to donate to the Friends of the Olympian Trail.  This non-profit group was recently formed to help maintain the Route of the Olympian Trail, with its first and foremost concern to Save the Saltese Trestle.   The mission statement for Friends of the Olympian Trail is this:

“To non-exclusively fund, maintain, and serve all aspects of the Route of the Olympian Trail system for all users.   In recognition that the Saltese Trestle is critical to the connectivity and a vital link to the trail system, an initial goal is to repair and renovate the trestle. “

50 Mile and 50K runners will have the pleasure of crossing the Saltese Trestle.  It is a beautiful and majestic component of the Route of the Olympian.  Enjoy!

Nothing is more fun than getting your running friends together and heading out for an adventure. At the Trail Rail Run we’re all about it. To honor that group effort there is a group discount operation in place. Here are the major points:

1. There are two levels of group discounts: 5-9 people and 10+ people.
2. Because the discount amount is based on group size, it will be RETROACTIVE and come as a REFUND. In other words, the amount will be determined and the refund will come to you after the event. That gives you up until the last minute to add people to your group.
3. Discounts range from $5 to $20 depending on what race, how many in your group and when you register.
4. Group members do not need to be running the same race.
5. What constitutes a group? Any group such as the Marathon Maniacs, 50 Staters, your running club, your business, your best running friends, etc.
6. If you have already registered and now have identified that there is a group with whom you are associated, no need to panic. Once your group has been established your registration can be adjusted to show your group participation.
7. It is a bit of an honor system and it worked well in our inaugural year. We hope you’ll take this is in the spirit in which it is intended so it can be continued.
8. You need to email me if you have a group. jennifer@missoulabroadcasting.com

So get your friends together and register for the Trail Rail Run!