Squatchywaska Mountainfest

Squatchywaska Mountainfest is a trail running event in Ellenville, New York, on April 24, 2027, put on by Sassquad Trail Running. Two distances share a 9:00 AM start: the 10M, roughly 16.1 km of trail, and the 25K, about 15.5 miles. No elevation figures are published for either course, but both are run off road rather than on pavement.

Distances like these sit in a useful spot for a road runner curious about trail. The 10-miler is long enough to demand patience without turning into an all-day effort, while the 25K asks for real time on your feet and a plan for eating and drinking. Train on the roughest ground you can find, practice hiking the steeper pitches instead of grinding up them, and treat pace as secondary to effort. Six to ten weeks with one long trail run per week is a reasonable build, and trail shoes with genuine grip will matter more than any other piece of gear.