The trail is 135 miles on Arrowhead State Trail from Kerry Park arena in International Falls, MN to Tower, MNFortune Bay Casino. Modes of transportation includes foot, ski or bicycle, and the race is held in late January or early February. Temperatures along the course reach as low as degrees. Arrowhead 135 is a self-supported race with limited checkpoints, requiring extensive supplies to be carried with the racer. The roster is limited in order to maintain solitude on the trail during the race. Profits from the race go to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation Charity, Together For Good and the Falls Hunger Coalition. An "unsupported" option allows participants to choose to complete the race unsupported, meaning they are not allowed to accept help or stop at any of the checkpoints along the way. Although not sanctioned by the event, some choose to complete the event in both directions making it a "Double Arrowhead"
History and records
Arrowhead 135 is known as one of the toughest 50 races in the world. As many as 80% fail to finish the race, with a low of 20% finishing in 2007, on a typical year less than 50 percent of the participants finish. It was started in 2005 with 10 people, and the format of the race has been largely unchanged. The race gathered extra attention in 2014 and 2019 due to the polar vortex which caused extreme cold in the midwest those years. In 2014 an adventure film documentary was made about the race.
Notable finishes
Jordan Wakeley set the all time record of 11 hours and 43 minutes in 2019 with an average speed of /h throughout the race.
John Storkamp finished his 14th Arrowhead 135 in 2019.
Erwin “Erv” Berglund is the oldest person to finish Arrowhead 135.
Chris Scotch finished the first Double Arrowhead in 2013 taking 6 days, 8 hours, 16 minutes to go the 270 miles with all required gear.
Roberto Marron is the second to finish the Double Arrowhead in 2014
Kate Coward and Kari Gibbons are the first women to accomplish a double Arrowhead.
Sveta Vold completed the race in 2016 while stopping to breastfeed along the way, completing as third place woman.
Mike Brumbaugh placed 1st with all time ski record in 2016 despite breaking a pole 20 miles into the race.
a'Trois award
All who finish Arrowhead 135 three times, once in each discipline including bike/run/ski, are eligible for Arrowhead a'Trois award. As of January 2020, 18 have been awarded. The first athletes completing the award in 2011 were Jeremy Kershaw, Tim Roe, and Matt Maxwell.
Order of the ''Hrimthurs''
All those who complete the Tuscobia Winter Ultra, Arrowhead 135 and Actif Epica in one season are allowed into the Order of the Hrimthurs. Names are maintained by Actif Epica. Arrowhead 135 race director Ken Krueger earned placement in the order of the Hrimthurs in 2018. Known as the most difficult individual award of the winter.
