Stanford

Palo Alto
Sunday, Apr. 6, 2003

Contact: Chuck Spalding, 650-321-6216

This event is sponsored by the Stanford Orienteering Club and directed by BAOC.

Join us for a springtime day at scenic Stanford University, where the hills are low and there is (nearly) no poison oak. In addition to orienteering, the activities of Stanford's annual Community Day will be available (see below), so this will be an ideal event for a family outing.

A few very generous people have volunteered to help without even being asked. Please consider adding your name to that esteemed list. You can help with clinics, starts, finishes, results, and/or control pick up. No previous experience is necessary -- the tasks are easy, and training will be provided. Orienteering experience isn't even needed (except for conducting clinics). You can volunteer at the event, but the event director will sleep better if you send email or call in advance.

Special Features

The BAOC annual meeting, including election of officers, will be held at this event at 1:00 pm. Please plan to finish your run by then, and attend the meeting.

Please note that we are guests of the Stanford Orienteering Club, and must be courteous to others on campus at all times.

Stanford will be holding their annual Community Day event that day. The Stanford Orienteering Club has been selected as one of the 20 student groups that will participate in that event. In exchange for being permitted to put on our normal event, we will be providing introduction to orienteering talks (i.e., beginners clinics), and a free, informal, short White course. Thus, we will have lots of opportunities for volunteers to present the clinics.

Schedule -- Note the non-standard times!

Registration will be open from 10:00 am to 1:00 in front of Tresidder Student Union. Beginners clinics will be offered on request from 10:30 to 11:30. Starts will be available from 11:00 until 1:30. All participants must check in at the finish by 3:00 pm, whether or not they have finished their course. (NOTE: Even if you decide not to finish your course, we want to know that you have gone home safely.)

Courses

Four courses will be offered -- with REAL controls! Here are the course statistics (less than 1% climb!): 
    Course         Length     Climb   Controls   Difficulty
    ------         -------    -----   --------   ----------
    White          1.85 km    15 m        8      Beginner
    Yellow         2.38 km    15 m       12      Advanced beginner
    Orange         4.00 km    30 m        9      Intermediate
    Long Orange    6.40 km    30 m       12      Intermediate
The White and Yellow courses might be slightly trickier than usual, given the high level of detail on the map and the occasional need to be aware of multi-level mapping (building overhangs, porches, bridges, etc.). The Orange courses will probably be easier than a typical Orange course, but will take advantage of some natural features. Advanced orienteers will be able to practice route choice and fine navigation.

Safety Notes

Please be aware that there will be automobile traffic on the roads. Please keep a careful eye out for traffic. Your safety is more important than your orienteering time. Also, observe all out-of-bounds areas (red lines) and construction areas (red crosshatching), and make sure you stay out of them. Be aware that the open fields are populated by ground squirrels, and thus there are lots of holes in the ground. Runners on the Orange courses should be wary of barbed-wire fences on the west side of the lake.

Map Notes

The map has been revised to use new IOF colors. Thus, make sure you look at the legend. In particular, it is helpful on all courses to be aware that a light gray area on the map indicates a building overhang, passage, or elevated walkway that can be passed under, through or over.

Directions

From Highway 101, exit at Oregon Expressway/Embarcadero Road, and take Oregon Expressway southwest beyond El Camino Real (where the name changes to Page Mill Road) to Foothill Expressway/Junipero Serra Boulevard. Turn right onto Junipero Serra, and follow the "common" directions below.

From Highway I-280, exit at Page Mill Road, and drive northeast to Foothill Expressway/Junipero Serra Blvd. Turn left onto Junipero Serra, and follow the "common" directions below.

Common to both routes: Drive on Junipero Serra Blvd. to Campus Drive East. Turn right and drive to Mayfield Avenue (the first street on the left). Turn left and follow Mayfield around a forced left turn. Park in the first parking lot on your right. Registration will be in front of Tresidder Student Union, the large building just north of the parking lot.

You might want to check out this detailed map of the relevant portion of the Stanford campus, with the Tresidder Student Union centered at the top. (You can zoom out to see the approach streets.)