Tough Mudder makes for muddy good time

Photos courtesy Northstar  ·

Boasting some of the steepest, fiercest climbs and most rugged, rocky cross-country trails in America, Mother Nature and Tough Mudder’s course design team collaborate to tumultuously test one’s threshold for pain.

Tough Mudder’s contestants will test his or her mettle on Aug. 15 and 16 for this year’s Tough Mudder on Northstar’s mountains while overcoming physically and mentally demanding obstacles that were designed by British Special Forces to test strength, stamina, mental grit and camaraderie. (In fact, each obstacle has a rating for the strength, ability, grit and camaraderie needed to overcome each leg of the race.)

The obstacles are spread across an 11-mile course climbing 2,680 feet featuring a dozen challenges for Mudders to complete. This year also features the Legionnaire’s Course at mid-mountain, which is open to repeat Mudders only. In this ultimate Mudder challenge, contestants will need to overcome Fire In Your Hole. This stunner stands high above the course and has a drop that’s nearly vertical, through fire.

There’s still a few spots left for those wishing to put his or her body to the ultimate Tough Mudder test, but The Weekly thinks it would just as much fun to watch others take on the Mudder.

Mini Mudder

Kids ages 5 and older can tackle the Mini Tough Mudder at the Mudder Village at mid-mountain. Cash only tickets on site are $10 for one child or $15 for two or more kids for unlimited access.

Parking

Limited, onsite parking is available on both days. Onsite parking tickets are $25 for Saturday and are available by online purchase in advance only. Offsite parking is available at Boreal Ski Area for $10 online in advance or $15 on site for the 30-minute ride. All parking will be on site on Sunday for $10 online in advance and $15 on site.

Hold Your Wood
Make like a lumberjack and carry a heavy wood log

Kiss of Mud
Eat dirt while crawling commando-style under barbed wire

Everest
Sprint up a quarter-pipe coated in mud and grease

Walk the Plank
12-foot high jump into a deep, muddy water pit, then swim 40 feet

Electroshock Therapy
Run through a field of live wires strewn with hay bales & deep sinkholes

For more information or to purchase parking tickets, visit toughmudder.com

Viewing route
All routes begin at Northstar’s mid-mountain & are marked

1^st Leg
Follow Red Route (.6 miles) from the Start Line

• Devil’s Beard
• Pitfall

2^nd Leg
Head back to Mudder Village at mid-mountain
Contestants on mountain for 30-45 minutes out of sight
Kids can tackle the Mini Mudder Course

3^rd Leg
Follow the Blue Route (.5 miles)

• Arctic Enema
• Pyramid Scheme
• Walk the Plank
• Cliffhanger
• Balls to the Walls
• Ladder to Hell
• Funky Monkey

4^th Leg
Return to Mudder Village & follow Green Route (.3 miles)

• Everest
• Legionnaires’ Loop (veteran Mudders only)
• Electroshock Therapy
• Finish line