Event information for 2024
Enjoy the best of the Ewalu trails in the beautiful fall season! Run or walk alongside the beautiful Maquoketa River, through quiet forests on well-kept and well-marked trails.
The 2nd Annual Grotto Gallop Trail Run will consist of two events—a 5K trail run/walk and an orienteering race (approximately 2.5 miles in length). Both events will start and finish at the Creation Center on the Ewalu main site, 3 miles west of Strawberry Point.
5K trail run details: The course is 95% on trails, including both single- and double-track, grassy trails, rocky trails, and gravel trails. You’ll see a little bit of everything in only a few miles! A great course for families and walkers, while still challenging for trail runners!
Orienteering race details: Use only your compass and a map provided at the Race Start to find checkpoints, punching them in order. This race is both on-trail and off-trail, so dress appropriately for moving through the forest! The race format is line or point-to-point orienteering. Navigation will be moderately challenging. Note: The Orienteering race course will be set for this event only and is not the same as the year-round O-course at Ewalu.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024
Time: Registration 8-9 a.m.
Orienteering race start at 9:00 a.m.
5K trail run/walk at 9:30 a.m
Location: Camp Ewalu Main Site, 37776 Alpha Ave, Strawberry Point, IA 52076 (click here for Google Map)
All proceeds from the run/walk benefit Ewalu camperships for kids who need financial assistance attending camp.
5K Fall Frolic registration: $25 by Sept. 27, $30 after Sept. 27 (same-day registration will be available on Oct. 19)
Orienteering Course registration: $25 by Sept. 27, $30 after Sept. 27 (same-day registration will be available on Oct. 19)
Register by Sept. 27 to get a race T-shirt! Tri-blend unisex T-shirts are available in Adult sizes S-2XL and Youth sizes XS-XL. Those who register AFTER Sept. 27 will not be guaranteed a race shirt. Color/design to come!
Ages 0-4 do not need to register — please note, they will NOT get a t-shirt.
Click the button and sign in to your Ewalu Camp Brain account or create an account. Then select “2024 Ewalu Events” and then “2nd Annual Grotto Gallop”
NOTE ABOUT YOUNG CHILDREN: The trails often are NOT suitable for strollers and young children. Parents/guardians should use their own discretion when deciding to take young children on the 5K route. There will be trail stairs and possibly muddy conditions. Be ready to carry your little ones if you want to take them on the 5K route 🙂
What are Ewalu’s trails like in October? Pretty amazing! Watch a 10-minute film about Executive Director Frank Johnson’s mile-per-hour marathon on the trails at Ewalu in October 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaKOJbLgAEc
Here are the results for each race in 2023:
5-Mile Results – Ewalu Grotto Gallop 2023
BIB # Time Place Name Gender 92 0:34:18 1 ADAM, Chance M 80 0:35:30 2 DIDIER, James M 82 0:38:07 3 FRANCOIS, Barry M 79 0:39:03 4 COOPER, Isaac M 75 0:42:30 5 ALMANDINGER, Jared M 90 0:44:18 6 JONES, Keith M 88 0:47:26 7 VERSTEEGH, Will M 85 0:55:26 8 MEYER, Lindsey F 78 0:55:40 9 BUXTON, Tyler M 91 0:56:45 10 GRIFFIN, Peggy F 93 0:58:53 11 WHITNEY, Jen F 76 1:42:30 12 BUCK, John M 84 1:42:30 13 HANSEN, Heather F 77 1:42:30 14 BUCK, Katy F 86 1:42:30 15 MICHEL, Maureen F 87 N/A NORBERG, Susie F
5K Results – Ewalu Fall Frolic 2023
BIB # Time Place Name Gender 59 0:24:51 1 WEST, Griffin M 65 0:27:18 2 BERRY, Kate F 62 0:29:47 3 STREICHER, Brett M 71 0:30:16 4 WHITNEY, Caden M 70 0:31:00 5 WHITNEY, Robert M 5 0:31:18 6 BURKE, Joe M 46 0:33:56 7 REICHERS, Ross M 58 0:33:56 8 WEST, Gabe M 40 0:34:04 9 MUMFORD, Simon M 37 0:37:14 10 LOSEY, Isaak M 36 0:37:23 11 LOSEY, Cyndi F 41 0:39:49 12 NELSON, Amita F 42 0:39:50 13 NELSON, Kenza F 25 0:40:19 14 HOEY, Miranda F 27 0:40:20 15 HORSFIELD, Margaret F 7 0:40:45 16 BUTVILLE, Scott M 26 0:44:46 17 HOEY, Pr. Tyler M 47 0:45:55 18 REISNER, Clare F 19 0:47:27 19 FRANKE, Kara F 11 0:49:07 20 DAVIDSON, Callie F 10 0:49:08 21 DAVIDSON, Caleb M 6 0:49:29 22 BUSCH, Jane F 57 0:49:53 23 VANCE, Cescily F 21 0:49:54 24 HANNAN, Jesse M 61 0:50:27 25 POTTS, Andrew M 35 0:51:14 26 LIVINGSTON, Shawn M 43 0:55:02 27 NELSON, Laina F 2 0:55:02 28 BEMIS, Kaela F 89 0:55:40 29 WIEMERSLAGE, Abby F 15 0:57:50 30 FLORES, Blake M 16 0:57:50 31 FLORES, Fina F 49 0:58:28 32 REISNER, Kate F 50 0:58:28 33 REISNER, Stefanie F 48 0:58:32 34 REISNER, Joseph M 3 0:59:13 35 BILDEN, Ava F 54 0:59:13 36 STREIF, Claire F 67 1:00:55 37 HELLE, Marsha F 68 1:00:55 38 TOBIN, Joyce F 69 1:00:55 39 DUNKEL, Nancy F 44 1:01:00 40 NORBERG, Morgan F 45 1:01:00 41 NORBERG, Sonni F 52 1:01:00 42 RHINES, Joyce F 53 1:01:00 43 ROBINSON, Nancy F 64 1:02:27 44 JOHNSON, Hannah F 22 1:02:28 45 HANSEN, Haley F 63 1:02:37 46 ERKENBRACK, Emma F 1 1:02:41 47 ANDERSON, Samantha F 51 1:02:50 48 REISNER, Will M 66 1:04:49 49 BERRY, Rebecca F 4 1:05:46 50 BOECKENSTEDT, Laura F 28 1:05:46 51 JESSEN, Anne F 38 1:05:50 52 SANDERSON, Brody M 39 1:05:50 53 SANDERSON, Sydney F 9 1:10:39 54 DAVIDSON, Benjamin M 8 1:10:39 55 BUXTON, Clara F 81 1:10:50 56 DIDIER, Madeline F 14 1:10:50 57 DAVIDSON, Mark M 34 1:10:51 58 LICHTENBERGER, Sarah F 12 1:10:51 59 DAVIDSON, Jill F 13 N/A 60 DAVIDSON, Eric M 18 N/A 61 FOELSKE, Melodie F 83 N/A 62 HANNA, Brent M