Big Bear Squatch North
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BIG BEAR SQUATCH NORTH
Sassquad and the New York New Jersey Trail Conference present the fifth Harriman Big Bear SquaTCh North at Harriman State Park in Bear Mountain, New York on April 4, 2026. The event offers mountain trail distances on a lollipop course that uses technical singletrack, steep climbs and descents, cliffs, and several scrambling sections. The courses pass notable features such as Cat's Elbow and West Mountain and include long views of the NYC skyline, the Hudson River, and the Hudson Valley.
Distances
- 13.1 miles (half marathon, lollipop course with two loops)
- 10K (rugged technical 10 kilometer course)
- 10K Ruck (rucking division with weighted pack)
The half marathon climbs about 2,600 feet; the 10K climbs about 1,400 feet. There is a six hour cutoff for all events; half marathon participants must maintain roughly a 27 minute 30 second per mile pace to meet cutoffs and 10K participants must maintain roughly a 58 minute per mile pace. Field capacity is capped at 400 participants across all events and the race has sold out in prior years.
Aid stations include Queensboro Aid Station near mile 4 and a water only station at West Mountain Shelter; on-course aid stations are not crew accessible. Required gear includes a charged cell phone, a water bottle or hydration pack (at least 1.5 L recommended), at least 200 extra calories, a whistle, and a GPX course map on a device. The rucking division has two dry weight classes, 15 pounds and 30 pounds, and ruck participants receive a GoRuck patch.
Safety checkpoints are marked with yellow signs and letters for location reference, and New York State Park Rangers will be on site. Bear encounter guidance is provided: make the animal aware of your presence, do not approach, back away slowly, and do not run. There are no refunds; the event offers a deferral policy with conditions including a 15 percent fee for some deferrals and volunteer options for injury deferrals. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
