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Morgan Territory Regional Preserve

Date: (Sun.) Dec. 7, 2008
Location: Livermore, CA
Event Directors: - 415.948.5593, - 510.604.2688
Course Setter: Evan Custer
Type: B; Standard "B" event, including the 2008 BAOC Club Championships

Related Event Information

Course Setter's Notes Concurrent BAOC COOL Event Last Year's Event

Please note that fees and time limits apply, unless otherwise mentioned below. Events are typically not canceled due to bad weather.


On Sunday, December 7th, we return to one of our favorite orienteering locations, Morgan Territory Regional Preserve. Newcomers are welcome. We offer beginners' courses suitable for both individuals and families.

Come out and compete for bragging rights (and awards) at the 2008 BAOC Club Championships! (You're also welcome if you're not interested in being competitive.)

School-aged orienteers can run their course as part of the BAOC COOL Junior Series.

The standard event schedule and fees will apply.

Beginner's clinics are short explanations of orienteering, adequate to prepare anyone for the beginner's (White) course.

All seven standard course levels will be offered, as described below.

Independent of the Club Championships (see below), everyone is welcome to try any course that matches their skill level.

Terrain/Map

The area for the BAOC Club Champs will be on some of the nicest terrain in the Bay Area. The terrain is approximately 50% open oak forest, 40% grassland, and 10% fight. It is not very steep by Bay Area standards, but there will still be some amount of climb. The white forest has good visibility and running, except on the steep slopes. There is a moderate trail network. There are numerous rock features and some fine contour detail, which will provide interesting and challenging orienteering. The map was produced by Zoran Krivokapic for the O' in the Oaks World Ranking Event in 2001.

Green circles indicate distinct or lone trees, and a green X indicates a standing dead tree. A brown X indicates a dead tree that has fallen down, but which usually does not have significant amount of dirt on the roots.

There are many animal trails that are variably mapped. Some of them appear to be quite distinct, yet may not be on the map. Others may be mapped as indistinct trails, or even small trails.

Climate

The climate in early December can be quite variable, ranging from sunny clear days with a high temperature of about 70 degrees, to cooler temperatures in the mid 40's. There is a moderate to good chance of rain.

Hazards

There is a moderate amount of poison oak in the park. Poison oak will have mainly lost its leaves in December, and can be seen as a groundcover with short stems, about 1 foot high, vines, and occasional bushes. The stems and stalks still have the antigen that causes the rash, so the best policy is to identify the plant, avoid it if possible, wear long pants and long-sleeve shirts, strip and wash off with Tecnu (available at most drug stores) right after the race and again when you get back to your hotel or home, place your competition clothes, including shoes, in a plastic bag and do not touch them again until they have been washed. Use a high-strength topical steroid cream (e.g., Fluocinonide, 0.05%) as soon as you feel any itching or notice any small red bumps or lines on your skin, usually about 24 to 48 hours after exposure. If you use the topical steroid cream early, you can virtually eliminate any severe rash, but if you wait until the rash has appeared, it takes much longer to get it under control.

Mountain lions, coyotes, and rattlesnakes live in the park, but spotting them this time of year would be rare. If you encounter any of these predators walk slowly away (Do not run!).

All participants must carry a whistle for emergency use. If you do not have a whistle, ask for a free one at Registration.

Courses and Classes

The standard seven courses will be offered: 

  Course    Distance    Climb   Controls   Technical Difficulty

  White      2.1 km      75 m      13      Beginner
  Yellow     2.6 km      90 m      11      Advanced Beginner
  Orange     4.3 km     230 m      12      Intermediate
  Brown      3.3 km     185 m      11      Advanced
  Green      5.0 km     265 m      15      Advanced
  Red        6.6 km     400 m      12      Advanced
  Blue       8.6 km     550 m      19      Advanced

See the Course Setter's Notes for more information about the courses.

There will be age-group classes to determine the club championships, as follows: 

  F-10, M-10, F-12, M-12, White-Rec         ⇒  White Course
  F-14, M-14, Yellow-Rec                    ⇒  Yellow Course
  F-16, M-16, F-Orange, M-Orange            ⇒  Orange Course
  F-18, F55+, M65+, F-Brown, M-Brown        ⇒  Brown Course
  M-18, F-20, F35+, M50+, F-Green, M-Green  ⇒  Green Course
  M-20, F-21+, M35+, M-Red                  ⇒  Red Course
  M-21+, F-Amazon                           ⇒  Blue Course

The "color" categories (e.g., F-Orange) are open to all ages.

Start Areas

There will be two Start areas. The Start for the White and Yellow courses will be at the gate very close to the assembly area.

The other courses—Orange, Brown, Green, Red, and Blue—will have a remote Start about 1.7 km from the assembly area. Allow 15 to 20 minutes to get to the remote Start. The walk to the remote Start will be through the competition area for the White and Yellow courses, so step off the trail if you see one of them coming towards you. When your start time arrives, you will run approximately 80 meters to a remote Start triangle. The maps will be located there. Timing begins at the Start line, but navigation begins at the Start triangle.

Please be sure and clear and check your finger stick before your start time. When the horn blows, place your finger stick in the Start unit and follow the streamers to the start triangle about 90 meters away. Be sure to take the proper map, and then begin to navigate to your first control.

Awards

The awards ceremony will begin between 1:00 and 2:00 PM.

Only the age-group classes (not the open classes) will be eligible for awards.

Electronic Punching

SportIdent (SI) electronic punching will be used for all the courses. If you do not own your own SI Card, you may rent one for $3.00/day. See our User's Guide to Electronic Punching for information about use of electronic punching.

Event Officials

Event Directors: Joe Maffei and Marina Keating
Course Setter: Evan Custer
Course Consultant/Vetter: Martin Kunz
Mapping Director: Bob Cooley

Driving Directions

Take I-580 east to the North Livermore Avenue exit in Livermore. Everyone is strongly encouraged to carpool from a point near the freeway exit, since parking at the park is very limited—see below for details.

To get to the park, head north on North Livermore Ave until forced to turn left onto Manning Road. Take the next right onto Morgan Territory Road, and continue 5.4 miles to the parking sign on the right. The road is very narrow with many sharp curves, so allow extra time and drive carefully.

Parking will be at Indian Springs Ranch, on the right just before the Morgan Territory Regional Preserve parking lot. Please abide by all parking instructions and signs. We are able to use this parking area thanks to the gracious permission of the ranch owners.

Parking and park admission are free.

Note: Parking on the road outside the park is not permitted.

Carpool Site

Carpooling is strongly recommended from Wal-Mart Store #1972, which is just off I-580 at the North Livermore Avenue exit. The address is: 2700 Las Positas Road, Livermore, CA 94550. Exiting I-580, turn right onto North Livermore Ave, and turn left at the second light (Las Positas Rd). Make a left at the next light (Arroyo Plaza/Hilliker Pl) and meet in the Wal-Mart parking lot near Les Schwab Tires. (Note: Please do not park near the Wal-Mart entrance.)