Sheltowee Extreme

Q.    Do I have to have a support crew?

A.    No.  In fact, support crews are not allowed.  You may not receive assistance from anyone other than another racer or the race staff except while in a designated transition area.

Q.    Can I use a GPS or other tracking device?

A.    You may not use a GPS or any other electronic tracking device that receives information.  You may use a SPOT or similar device that transmits but does not receive information about your location. 

Q.    What about cell phones or walkie-talkies?

A.    You are required to carry a cell phone with you, but it must remain turned off throughout the race, except in the case of an emergency.  Walkie-talkies and similar 2-way communication devices are prohibited.

Q.    Do team members stay together throughout the race?

A.    Yes.  All team members must stay within 100' of each other throughout the race and must visit every checkpoint together.

Q.    How experienced do I need to be to do this race?

A.    The Sheltowee Extreme 48-hour and Sheltowee Extreme South 24-hour are not for novice racers.  Solid navigation skills, including night navigation, are a must.  There will be Class I+ whitewater paddling in the Sheltowee Extreme South (depending on water levels).  The Sheltowee Extreme South 6-hour is a beginner-friendly event that will expose racers to all of the  traditional elements of an adventure race, but will not require map plotting or rappelling.  Good decision-making and strategy will be important, but navigation will be more suited to novice racers.

Q.     How far is each discipline?

A.     We'll disclose more information about the courses as details are finalized.

Q.    Where and when will we stage gear?

A.    This will be disclosed in a racer communication sent no later than one week prior to the race. 

Q.    How long do you expect the winners to take to finish the race?

A.    The courses have not yet been finalized.  However, our goal is for the 6-hour racers to finish in 4 - 8 hours; the 24-hour racers to finish in 20 - 26 hours; and the 48-hour racers to finish in 42 - 48 hours.

Q.    Will I need climbing shoes?

A.    No.  There will be no technical climbing in this race for which advanced climbing skills or shoes would be needed.  You may be required to do some rock scrambling and similar non-technical climbing.

Q.   Will there be rappelling in the 6-hour race?

A.    No.  In order to keep this event beginner-friendly and reduce the amount of gear required to compete in the 6-hour race, there will not be a rappel.

Q.    Will I need to plot checkpoints?

A.    Only in the 24 and 48-hour races.  You will be required to plot UTM coordinates on a 1:25,000 scale topographic map.  Wondering how?  Here's one tutorial: http://www.maptools.com/UsingUTM/quickUTM.html

Q.    Will I need to use my compass?

A.    Yes.  Definitely.

Q.    What is the magnetic declination for this area?

A.    Roughly 5 degrees Westerly (-5), though this varies over time, so you should check again for the precise location during the week prior to the race.

Q.    Where does the Sheltowee Extreme South start and finish?

A.    Sandhill 4-H Camp, Hwy 700 E, Whitley City, Kentucky

Q.    What about lodging in the Whitley City area?

A.    There are several fine options for lodging in the area.  Parkland Motel and Big South Fork Motor Lodge, both in nearby Stearns, are about 9 miles from race headquarters.  Executive South Fork Inn in Whitley City is about 5 miles from race headquarters.  Eagle Falls Resort is also about 5 miles away, on Hwy 90, Parker's Lake.  Though they book well in advance, it's certainly worthwhile seeing whether there's a room available at Farm House Inn, a B & B in Parkers Lake that was featured on the KET program Kentucky Life.

Q.     Can I set up a camp at the Sandhill 4-H Camp?

A.     No.  No overnight camping will be permitted at the 4-H Camp. 

Q.    Should I bring family and friends to the SXT South?

A.    Absolutely!  Not only will this race be pretty spectator-friendly, but there are a ton of fun things for little and big kids alike in this area.  Check out the Saturday packages that include a train ride on the Big South Fork Scenic Railway, a 16-mile round trip between historic Stearns and the Blue Heron Mining Camp.  You also don't want to miss the spectacular Cumberland Falls, a 125'-wide curtain that plunges 7 stories into a boulder-strewn gorge below, just 5 miles down the road from race headquarters.  Then there's the nearby Natural Arch Scenic Area, just off US 27 near Whitley City.  An easy 1-mile loop hike takes you out to this impressive 50' x 90' sandstone arch. 

Well, the list goes on and on.  Check out our Area Information page for more links.

Q.    Where does the Sheltowee Extreme II 48-hour race start and finish?

A.    Stoney Cove Recreation Area, Cave Run Lake, Hwy 826, Morehead, KY

This recreation area is located immediately south of the dam, at the northern end of the lake.  You'll turn from Hwy 801 onto Hwy 826 toward the Corps of Engineers office and Cave Run Lake Dam.  Just after you cross the dam, you'll turn left into Stoney Cove Recreation Area.  Here's a snapshot from Google Earth and here's a map with written directions and the same information that follows about lodging in the area.

Q.  What about lodging in the Cave Run area?

A.  The nearest chain hotel, Comfort Inn & Suites, is just a few miles from the start/finish, on Hwy 801 at the interstate (606-780-7378 or 800-228-5150).  Nearby, locally-owned options include Brownwood B & B (606--784-8799) and Cave Run Lodging (606-783-1234 or 888-276-8759).  There is also camping at Twin Knobs Recreation Area, which sits on Cave Run Lake, just a few miles from the start/finish.