SHT Ultramarathoner, Volunteer, and now Board Member
March 27, 2025
Ron Hendrickson started hiking the Superior Hiking Trail when he moved to the Duluth area 24 years ago, seeking to cover the Trail in its entirety. When he started trail running four years later, he accelerated toward that goal and completed the Trail in 2015.
Ron eventually got involved with local trail running groups like the Northern Minnesota Track Club (NMTC), a local non-profit, grassroots running club that hosts trail runs and races across Duluth all year long, including the Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon and the 50-mile Minnesota Voyageur Trail Ultramarathon.
NMTC members also believe strongly in caring for the trails they love running on, and the organization has been the source of some of the SHTA’s most dedicated and longest-serving volunteers, like Ron.
A friend from NMTC and long-time SHTA volunteer, Lisa Byrne, invited Ron to join a Wednesday night trail work crew in Duluth 15 years ago, and he’s been an SHTA member and volunteered with us ever since.
“I ended up getting connected with folks like [SHTA contractor] Larry Sampson, and others doing trail work by way of Lisa,” Ron said. “I started with mowing, clearing, and things like that, and evolved from there to become a section adopter, get my sawyer certification, and became active on other trails around the area.”
When Ron retired just over a year ago, he found himself with some extra time on his hands at the same time we were inviting new community members to join our Board of Directors in June 2024.
“After a lot of years putting in trail work, which I still enjoy and do, it was a new angle on how I could help out the Trail,” Ron said. “I’ve always loved having the Trail as a resource – I’ve covered it end-to-end in section hikes and races – and I’m always going back to it. I live a couple miles from it, and I think it’s amazing that I can hang a left on the Trail and head clear to Canada.”
Ron lives in Esko, Minn. near the southern end of the SHT. His professional background was originally in microbiology but he eventually transitioned to software engineering. He was employed for the majority of his career at Saturn Systems Software Engineering in Duluth. Ron has also volunteered for other trail organizations, like the Duluth Area Horse Trail Alliance (to support his wife’s favorite way of enjoying Duluth’s trails), the Border Route Trail Association, and the North Country Trail Association.
Ron has completed the Duluth NMTC marathon and 50-mile races several times, and ultramarathons on the Superior Hiking Trail as well like the 100-mile Superior Fall Trail Race, and multiple finishes at the Wild Duluth 100K and 50K races. Ron’s ultra running experience is extensive and impressive, including races like the 100K Beaverhead Trail Race in Idaho, the 80-mile Tuscobia Winter Ultra in Wisconsin, and the Ozark Trail 100 Mile Endurance Run in Missouri. Ron also completed the Arrowhead 135, a winter ultramarathon in northern Minnesota famed for how difficult and grueling it is.
Ron’s combined experience with trail maintenance, trail running, and his professional background means he brings a lot of valuable skill sets, perspectives, and lived trail experience to his board service. As part of his board service, Ron serves on two committees: our Trail Committee, and our Trail Protection Committee.
“I think some of the new discussions we’ve had about Trail preservation and protection, the pros and cons of land acquisition to facilitate locking down easements, then selling once it’s secure, has been a really interesting area to cover,” Ron said.
Ron’s history with the Trail is one of sustaining stewardship, and stepping up into the additional responsibility of being an SHTA Board Member is something we’re so grateful he chose to do.
“I would hope that folks that use the resource would find time to support it as well,” Ron said. “You don’t have to be particularly skilled in a given area to be useful as a volunteer. If you can run a mower or carry loppers, you can take care of the Trail. I also encourage everyone to become members of the Superior Hiking Trail Association.”
Welcome to the SHTA Board of Directors, Ron! We’re so grateful you chose to contribute your valuable time, experience, and knowledge to guiding the Association’s work of protecting and maintaining the Trail for all.
By Annie Nelson, SHTA Development and Communications Director