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China Camp State Park

Date: (Sun.) Jul. 26, 2009
Location: San Rafael, CA
Event Director: - 415.482.9055
Course Setter: Greg Ehrensing
Type: B; Standard seven-course event for beginners through advanced

Related Event Information

Course Setter's Notes 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, July 26, 2009, Bay Area Orienteering will return to China Camp State Park. This venue offers mixed oak forest (sometimes steep), rolling hills, open fields, salt marshes, ridges, creeks, shorelines, and tons of breathtaking views.

We will be offering the standard seven courses: (beginner) White and Yellow, (intermediate) Orange, and (advanced) Brown, Green, Red, and Blue. Greg Ehrensing will be setting the courses this year. He plans to use sections of the park that BAOC has not visited for quite some time. See the Course Setter's Notes for more information about the courses.

Registration opens at 9:00 and closes at 12:00. Short, repeating beginners clinics will be available from approximately 9:30 until 11:00, depending on demand. Starts will be available between 10:00 and 12:30. All courses close at 2:00 PM, and the controls will be picked up at that time. Please be sure to come to the Finish area and check-in with your E-punch stick, even if you have not completed your course by 2:00.

Miwok Meadows Picnic Area is shaded, with many picnic tables—perfect for lunch after your course. After your run, you can drive up the road to the China Camp Museum area, where the museum buildings display artifacts from the late 19th-century Chinese shrimp-fishing settlement.

For information about the park, check out this link (http://www.sfgate.com/getoutside/1997/may/), and this one (http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=466).

The weather could be hot, so we encourage you come early and bring plenty of liquids. Water will be available at selected sites, but many participants should carry their own. Of course, there is the usual Bay Area hazard: poison oak. We will be glad to point it out to you just in case, or keep in mind "leaves of three, beware of these." Technu (http://www.1800itching.com/products.cfm?id=1F5604C8-9D05-4675-56129F6D83DF2417&section=1) (which is available at some local drug stores) is used to wash off the poison oak oils sticking to exposed skin. Many people bring a complete change of clothing to avoid contact with oils that may be on their competition outfits/shoes, and place the contaminated stuff in a plastic bag.

E-punch will be used on all the courses. E-sticks will be available for rent at registration. First-time users can see our User's Guide to Electronic Punching.

As usual, we can always use a few more volunteers to help out (hint, hint).

Driving Directions

China Camp State Park is located 15–20 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge, and a few miles northeast of San Rafael. Exit Highway 101 at the North San Pedro Road exit near the Marin County Civic Center. Travel east along North San Pedro Road for 3.5 miles to the Miwok Meadows Picnic Area.

Cars will be allowed to park at Miwok Meadows proper on a first-come first-served basis. If you plan to volunteer, please let the event director know, so you can have a reserved spot. Course participants please park where the parking staff indicates. The park management has asked that those parking along the San Pedro Rd not block any gates, and to park well off the road. If you park along the road, you will need to walk a little over half a mile along a dirt road to the picnic area itself, where the Registration and Start/Finish areas will be located.