Boggs Mountain Family Weekend & A-Meet
Boggs Mountain State Forest
Date: Oct. 1 - 3, 2010
Location: Cobb, CA
Event Director: 
- 510.525.1574
Course Setters: Sarah Minarik, Ben Legg, George Minarik
Type: A; 3-day A-meet that includes Sprint, Middle, Long, & Night-O courses
Related Event Information
| Table of Contents |
Please note that fees and time limits apply at this event. Events are typically not canceled due to bad weather.
Discounted pre-registration remains open through September 22.
See Registration Information below. Or go here (http://www.o-signup.com/baoc10/) to register.
Check out your competitors (http://www.o-signup.com/baoc10/reglist/index.php)
View the Meet Flyer (PDF/144KB)
Request for test runners:
- The course designs are nearly completed. We now need test runners to give us a final evaluation of the courses. If you are an advanced orienteer who is unable to attend the A-meet, this is your chance to run on the A-meet courses and also assist us in refining the final version of the map and courses. Contact if you are interested. (Aug. 5, 2010)
Get ready for a weekend that will include camping, Junior Games, reduced A-meet fees for juniors, the Search for Big Foot Night-O, and a 3-day A-meet with Sprint, Middle & Long Courses. (See What are Sprint, Middle and Long Courses?) We guarantee fabulous forested terrain and great courses. This will be the premier Northern California orienteering event for 2010. Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest (http://www.boggsmountain.org/SF_Explore.htm) is in Lake County, a scenic 2.5-hour drive North of San Francisco.
This event will not be possible without many volunteers — this means you! We will be contacting everyone to ask for help. You will be doing us a big favor if you volunteer for your preferred position before we have to take the time and effort to contact you. Please email (Meet Director) if you would like to be a part of the Boggs team.
Because this is an A-meet, Boggs Mountain Forest is embargoed from January 1, 2010 up to the weekend of the event. Anyone who visits the forest during this period can still compete in the A-Meet, but is not eligible to receive USOF ranking or A-Meet awards.
Keep checking this page — more information will be posted periodically.
Weekend Schedule
- Friday Afternoon – A-meet Sprint Courses (Starts from 3 PM to 5:30 PM)
- Friday Evening – Campfire (7 PM)
- Saturday Morning – A-meet Middle Courses (Starts from 10 AM to 12 noon)
- Saturday Afternoon –Junior Activities (Times to be announced)
- Saturday Evening – Search for Big Foot Night-O (Gather at 7 PM, Mass Start at 7:15 PM)
- Saturday Evening – Campfire (8 PM)
- Sunday Morning – A-meet Long Courses (Starts from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM)
- Sunday Afternoon – Awards Ceremony (1 PM)
A-Meet Packet Pickup and Recreational Registration will open one hour before the starting time for each event. There will be an additional Packet Pickup opportunity on Friday Night from 7-9PM at the Eagle & Rose Inn (http://eagleandroseinn.com/cobb_mountain_lodging/), Room 19 in Cobb.
In conjunction with the A-Meet events, there will also be White, Yellow, and Orange recreational courses with day-of-meet registration (see below). These courses are perfect for beginners, hikers or casual orienteers. Don't be afraid to attend this event because it's an "A-meet". That simply means this will be a high-quality event — that, plus the excellent venue, means this is your chance to experience orienteering at its best.
Boggs Mountain Terrain
This forest is considered by many as the best orienteering terrain in California. It was used for the first time in October 2007, for the Western States Championships. In May 2009, the U.S. Team Trials were held there. The forest consists mostly of mature pine with excellent runnability. With few exceptions, the climbs are moderate. There is some light poison oak on the lower slopes. The elevation range of the courses will be between 2800 and 3600 feet above sea level. October weather should be very nice, with only a very slight chance of rain. October has an average high temperature of 74°F and an average low of 45°F.
Boggs is a plateau that rises above the small town of Cobb. On top of this plateau are a dozen or so small hilltops of varying height. Most of the hilltops are flattish. The slopes of these small hills are mostly gradual, although at least two of the slopes are quite steep. On top of this plateau is a mostly mature conifer forest consisting of Ponderosa Pine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponderosa_Pine), Sugar Pine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_Pine), and Douglas Fir (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas-fir). There is also a smattering of hardwood trees. The major ground vegetation consists of manzanita (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manzanita) and coffeeberry bushes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhamnus_californica). Much of the ground slash has been removed, but there are still some areas of extensive slash.
Bordering the plateau is terrain that can drop off sharply. On these steeper border slopes the forest becomes thicker and more deciduous with oak and bay trees. The manzanita and coffeeberry ground cover thickens up, small patches of poison oak can appear, and the ground slash is more widespread. Reentrant systems appear here in the form of streams and gullies.
Rock features appear unevenly throughout the park. The northern half of the park has extensive amounts of boulder groups and rock faces. Many single boulders dot the landscape. The southern half has much less rock.
There is an extensive road and trail network throughout the park, consisting of old and new logging roads, mountain bike trails, and hiking paths.
Boggs Mountain Map
The map was field checked and drawn in OCAD (http://www.ocad.com/en/index.htm) in 2006 and 2007 by Vladimir Zherdev under the direction of Bob Cooley, BAOC Mapping Director. Bob will be printing the maps at 1:5000 for the Sprint and 1:10000 for the other two A-meet days. The contour interval is 5 meters. The map is of high quality.
Vegetation recognition is important. The open forest is mapped as white and is very fast. Light green is usually younger trees close together. It is also quite fast. Medium green can be forest mixed with bushes and slash. It is a slow run. Dark green is mostly mature manzanita bushes. It is sometimes impassable, but not always. The non-forest areas of bushes are mapped as two types of green vertical lines. The widely-spaced vertical lines indicate bushy areas that can easily be run through. In the areas with closely-spaced vertical lines, it takes more time and effort to get around the bushes, but these areas are also passable. The mapper has used black dots to indicate many distinct vegetation edges. The distinctness of these edges is not always evident. Some vegetation edges that are not indicated by black dots can appear quite distinct.
Boggs Forest is crisscrossed by an extensive network of roads and trails. But many of these tracks can be a bit hard to see, mainly due to the pine needles that cover them in various thicknesses. This is, after all, a pine forest. Every effort has been made to visit all the tracks that competitors are likely to traverse or cross on their routes. We've represented each of these on the map as either a road, a vehicle track, a large or small footpath, an indistinct footpath, or a narrow ride. In this assortment, most of the abandoned logging roads are mapped as narrow rides. A narrow ride will appear in the forest as a less than distinct, abandoned track that has the width of a vehicle track. Narrow rides could be covered with pine needles, slash, broken ground, or bushes. An indistinct footpath is similar, but much narrower.
The map contains a myriad of different rock features. Generally boulders over 1 meter are mapped. Some boulders under one meter are mapped. This is especially true of ones that stick out by themselves in the terrain. Some of these smaller boulders will be used as control points. There are many dot knolls on the map, including a few anthills.
The forest has had some logging activity this summer (2010). Although none of the control sites are affected, some vehicle tracks have been widened into dirt roads to accommodate logging equipment. We have not remapped these roads, so you may encounter some wider roads and vehicle tracks than expected. Also there are possible route choices that may come near the newly logged forest areas that have not been remapped.
Hazards
Firearms are allowed in most areas of the forest at any time, although there are no hunting seasons planned at this time of the year. There is an informal shooting range in the southeast area of the park. This range is occasionally used. It is mapped as out of bounds with purple grid lines. Courses will not be set close to this range, although you may hear the gunshots.
Most courses should not encounter any poison oak (PO), but there is a small amount present in the form of plants up to a foot high. In the fall, most leaves of PO have either become red or have fallen, leaving bare stick bushes. These sticks still contain the oils. If you see any PO, go around it, not through it. The potency of the oils is not strong at this time of year, but you will want to wash with Technu or some other cleanser if you suspect you touched a plant. If you do get a rash in 24–48 hours, it is best to treat it as soon as possible with a topical steroid cream. Do not wait and let it get into a nasty blistered rash. If you treat it early, when you first begin to notice itching and you only have some small red bumps, it is easily controlled.
The forest has been extensively thinned in some areas, and this thinning has left small, hard, bush stumps that are ankle high and can trip you up if you are not careful.
Controlled-burning programs have left numerous potholes that can be as deep as 3 feet. These potholes can be difficult to see until you are right at them. There are a number of potholes in the area covered by the Night-O.
There are a few metal stakes that have been left over from logging operations. These stick up about a foot above the ground. We have flagged some of these with tape, but there are probably others we didn't see.
There are a few remnants of old barbed wire fences in the forest. Most are too small to be mapped. Some are flagged, some are not.
There has been increased horse riding activity in the forest. For the safety of the riders yield to horses if they are in your path. Do not run out of the forest towards them at right angles.
A-Meet Classes
We will offer the standard 51 USOF classes (http://www.us.orienteering.org/binder/rules.html#_Toc255979300) for the three A-meet races. These races will count toward your USOF ranking (http://www.usof-rankings.org).
Recreational Courses
In addition to the A-meet courses, there will be Beginner (White and Yellow) and Intermediate (Orange) recreational courses on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Register on the day of the event for these courses. Normal BAOC event fees apply. Start windows and course closing times are the same as the A-meet schedule. These courses will be of the same high quality as the A-meet courses, but will not be counted in the A-meet results or earn USOF ranking credit.
If you are bringing a group of 5 or more, please contact the at least 10 days prior to the event, so we can print enough maps.
Junior Activities & Child Care
We will erect our Junior Pavilion, which will serve as a meeting place for Juniors. On Saturday afternoon, there will be activities arranged specifically for juniors. Meet at the pavilion.
We will also have parental co-op child care under this pavilion. Parents are asked to share in the overseeing of this child care.
The Search for Big Foot Night-O
Since humans first arrived here, there have been hundreds of Sasquatch (aka Big Foot) sightings in the Northern California woods. Although we think there is no doubt as to the existence of Sasquatch, there still are skeptics, who don’t seem to want to believe in many proven facts, such as UFOs or even that Elvis is still alive. It is BAOC’s intention to put an end to all this Big Foot skepticism, and prove once and for all that the large fellows are happily romping around under the night skies of Lake County.
“The best way to find them is to catch them by surprise in their hiding places.” Says Gyro Gearloose, a local Sasquatch expert who lives just outside of Cobb. So BAOC intends to send out a large group of top forest navigators to comb the evening woods. (Since orienteers are the best forest navigators on the planet, this could be the world’s best chance yet of getting 100% proof.) To be successful, we need to get as many human orienteers as possible to visit as many of their hiding places within a 45-minute period. After 45 minutes, the chances of an encounter start diminishing, and they get bored and leave the area to go back to their big-screen TVs. Gyro has identified about a dozen or so possible hiding places in Boggs Forest. He has determined from his Ouija board that there are certain dates of the year that they are more likely to appear. One of these is October 2nd. The Sasquatch are partial to this date because it is Gandhi’s birthday (they are such peaceful and gentle creatures). Gyro has also calculated that the most optimum time to encounter a Sasquatch on that night is between 7:15 PM and 8:00 PM!
So are you up for this epic quest? To give you incentive to find all the hiding places, we will present awards to those who find the most spots. Each hiding place will be designated by an orange and white flag with a punch hanging from it. Just punch your card at the flag and proceed to the next place. Since Sasquatch may be frightened by the flashing and beeping of e-punch units, we will use the quiet, peaceful punch cards. Meet at the registration area no later than 7:00 PM for last-minute instructions. At 8:00 PM we will all retire to our campfire circle to hopefully share experiences with our new-found friend(s). Hint: Big Foot’s favorite foods include Cheetos, dark chocolate, and Coke (no Pepsi!), so bring these snacks with you to share with him/her.
- This will be a Score-O, the object of which is to punch as many of the 25 controls as possible within the 45-minute time period. Each control is worth one point. You choose the order and the amount of controls you want to punch. The mass start is at 7:15 PM. You must return to start area by 8:00 PM to avoid penalty points. If you return after 8:00 PM, you will be penalized one point per late minute (or fraction of a minute). Most of the controls are set at Orange to Yellow level of technical difficulty.
E-Punching
SportIdent electronic punching (E-Punch) will be used for both A-Meet and recreational courses. Rental E-Punch cards/sticks will be available at the event. Information about the use of E-Punch is available in our User's Guide. Old-style pin punching will be used for the Search for Big Foot Night-O.
Awards Point System
Each of the three A-meet races (Sprint, Middle, & Long) will be treated individually for the purposes of A-meet results and USOF rankings (http://www.usof-rankings.org). However, to avoid presenting over 300 medals at an extra-long awards ceremony, a point system that consolidates the three races will be used. This means only one set of awards (1st, 2nd, & 3rd) will be presented for each USOF class at the Sunday awards ceremony.
The point system for this event is similar to the one used at our Sierra Ski-Orienteering Championships. It's purpose is to reward excellent performances in the three disciplines over the three days.
Each day, the winner of each class receives 1000 points. Everyone else in that class receives a fraction of 1000 points that is proportional to their time compared to the winner's time. There are no points earned for DNS, DNF, or MSP. The combined total for the three races in each class will determine the awards.
Registration Information
Early registration is now open. You can register here (http://www.o-signup.com/baoc10/).
- Note: After you have registered, if you have questions concerning your registration information, or if you need to make changes, please e-mail our — do not register again!
Upon completion of your online entry, please print and sign the waiver form, and mail it to the Registrars:
- Gary and Olga Kraght
- 60 West Blithedale Ave
- Mill Valley, CA 94941
Include a check payable to Bay Area Orienteering Club (or BAOC). Non-USA entries may pay at check-in.
Please note that your registration is not final until the Registrars have received your completed waiver form and payment for the full amount of your registration.
Event Prices
The following table shows the prices for the A-meet and Night-O events. Please note the Junior prices are deeply reduced from previous A-meets.
| Event | | Postmarked by Sep. 22 | Day of Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Sprint (adults) | | $26 | $30 |
| Friday Sprint (juniors, under 21) | | $10 | $12 |
| Saturday Middle Course (adults) | | $32 | $38 |
| Saturday Middle Course (juniors, under 21) | | $12 | $14 |
| Big Foot Night-O (adults) | | $9 | $10 |
| Big Foot Night-O (juniors, under 21) | | $4 | $5 |
| Sunday Long Course (adults) | | $32 | $38 |
| Sunday Long Course (juniors, under 21) | | $12 | $14 |
Adult members of USOF (or some other national orienteering federation) may subtract $4 from their total fee for each day entered; juniors who are members of USOF (or some other national orienteering federation) may subtract $2.00 for each day entered. There is no USOF deduction for the Night-O.
After September 22, A-meet entrants must register at the event and pay day-of-event prices.
E-punch rental is $3 per day. You can purchase a 1:10000-scale map of Boggs Mountain for $6.00.
Normal BAOC event fees will apply to recreational courses. Registration for those courses will be at the event.
Lodging Suggestions
Here are a few possibilities for lodging close to Boggs Mtn. Reservations will fill quickly, so book early. There are many other options in the town of Calistoga (http://www.napavalley.com/regions/calistoga/lodging.html) and in the Lake County area (http://www.lakecounty-ca.worldweb.com/WheretoStay/).
Eagle & Rose Inn (http://eagleandroseinn.com/cobb_mountain_lodging/), Cobb (707-928-5242). $85 and up. A roadside motel 1 mile from the forest entrance. Located next to the post office on the west side of Route 175. (Reported to be sold out for the weekend.)
Edie's Resort (http://www.ediesresort.com/front/home), Loch Lomond (707-928-5661). $55 and up. Rustic roadside cabins 3 miles from the forest entrance.
Eagle & Rose Inn (http://eagleandroseinn.com/middletown_lodging/), Middletown (707-987-7330). $75 and up. Roadside motel 15 minutes from the forest entrance.
Harbin Hot Springs (http://www.harbin.org/), Harbin (707-987-2477). $35 for a dorm room. Private rooms $130 and up. Famous alternative spa resort 35 minutes from the meet site. Also camping from $25.
Twin Pine Casino Hotel (http://www.twinpine.com/), Middletown, (707-987-0297). At last check they still had rooms for $99 (less w/ AAA Discount). New hotel connected to casino. 20 minutes from forest entrance.
For cabin rentals in the Cobb area, call Bill & Kim McCulloch at 707-928-9845 or 707-718-4008. Here are some possibilities: North Heights Home (http://www.postlets.com/rtm/p1519159), Perla del Lago (http://www.postlets.com/rtm/p350735), Lake View Retreat (hot tub) (http://www.postlets.com/rtm/p2034542), Enchanted Cottage on Cobb Mtn (http://www.postlets.com/rtpb/p3386669), Trail's End Home (hot tub) (http://www.postlets.com/rtpb/p3535326), CEAGO Vinegarden (http://www.postlets.com/rtm/p1565041), Bottle Rock Cottage (http://www.postlets.com/rtm/p1386344), Cobb Mountain Tree House (http://www.postlets.com/rtpb/p3553791), Moon Lake Cottage at Konocti (http://www.postlets.com/rtpb/p2458670).
Boggs Mountain Camping
Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest, at the event site
- This will be the center of the action at the event site. It's in beautiful forest, and you are right there in the orienteering area. The camping is free. When you register, please indicate if you will be camping here. We will need to give the rangers an approximate count.
- Because the competition area will be surrounding the campground, do not camp or walk outside of the campground area.
- Camping here may be close quarters, and you will probably be sharing your site with other campers. There are a few tables and fire pits. The Forest Managers prohibit us from constructing new fire pits or circles. You must bring your own water and take out your garbage. There are no showers, faucets, or trash cans. There is an "outhouse". We will be renting extra portable toilets for the event. There are not enough tables for all the campers, so some campers may want to bring their own tables and chairs.
- Please clean your site before leaving, so the tired meet organizers don't have to do it.
- We'll have a campfire both Friday and Saturday nights.
- Note: If you camp at Boggs Mountain, you will not be able to wander far from the campground area the days prior to or during the meet. You can, of course, drive in and out on the park road. Also, we will be using the campgrounds for the event parking, so you probably will be asked to share your campsite with some cars.
Other Camping Options
Here are some alternatives for those who want to camp and have flush toilets and showers.
Jellystone RV Park and Camp Resort, about 10 minutes away
- This is a KOA-type park. They have tent sites, water, RV sites with hookups, laundry, playground, camping cabins without kitchens, etc. If you're not staying at this park, you can go there and take a shower for $8. See this Web site (http://www.jellystonecobbmtn.com) for more info on the park.
Clear Lake State Park, 30 minutes away
- Individual campsites (for up to 8 people each) are first come, first serve. There are two group campsites that can be reserved, but you need to have at least 9 people. Both types of sites have tiled, flush-toilet bathrooms, and nice, large, coin-operated (bring quarters), tiled showers.
- There is a nice swimming area on the lake. If you are not camping there, you can pay the day-use fee to swim and take a shower.
- For more info on the park, see this Web site (http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=473). A map of the park is available here (PDF/364KB) (http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/473/files/ClearlakeCampgroundMap.pdf).
Orienteering Equipment
Scarborough Orienteering (http://orienteer.com) will be open for business during the weekend to help you with your equipment needs. If you need a specific item, please prior to the event so they can bring it along.
Event Officials and Crew Chiefs
- Event Director – George Minarik
- Friday Sprint Courses Designer – Sarah Minarik
- Saturday Middle Courses Designer – Ben Legg
- Sunday Long Courses Designer – George Minarik
- Registrars – Gary & Olga Kraght
- Map Coordinator – Bob Cooley
- USOF Course Consultant – Jeff Saeger (NEOC)
- Big Foot Night-O Honcho – Rex Winterbottom
- Awards & Results – Tony Pinkham
- Junior Activity Coordinator – Jay Hann
- Camping Coordinator – Nancy Lindemann
- Control Pickup (Sat & Sun) – Harold & Penny DeMoss
- On Site Registration – Ev & Jean Beuerman
- Equipment & Signage – Mark Blair
- Safety Officer – Joan Roos
- E-Punch Coordinator – Toby Ferguson
- More to be added...
Google Map
Map Legend
Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest
Oakland Airport (OAK)
San Francisco Airport (SFO)
Sacramento Airport (SMF)
Driving Directions
Traffic Warning: Friday afternoon and evening traffic on CA 29 through Napa Valley and US 101 to Santa Rosa is quite heavy. Give yourself at least another hour to get through this. Better yet, drive up early in the day and run the sprint course!
From San Francisco via Santa Rosa
This is usually the fastest SF route:
- Drive north on US-101 through Santa Rosa.
- Exit at River Road/Mark West Road.
- Turn right on Mark West Springs Road. This road becomes Porter Creek Road after about 5 miles, and eventually ends at a flashing red light after another 4 miles.
- Turn left onto Petrified Forest, following signs for Calistoga, for approx. 5 miles.
- Turn left onto Foothill Blvd/CA-128, and drive less than a mile.
- Turn right onto Tubbs Lane, and drive for 1.3 miles.
- Turn left onto CA-29, driving 15 miles into Middletown. (This is a curvy, mountainous road.)
- After you arrive in Middletown, turn left onto Hwy 175.
- Drive 7 miles to Cobb.
- About 1 mile past the center of Cobb turn right onto Forestry Rd. (This is a small road at the end of a sharp bend. There is a blue sign that says CDF Fire Station.)
- Follow O' signs for about 1.5 miles. The road soon becomes dirt, as you pass the ranger station. Park at the campgrounds.
From the East Bay via Napa Valley
- Take I-80 east past the town of Vallejo.
- Exit at Marine World Parkway/CA-37 toward Napa, and drive 2.5 miles.
- Exit Right on CA-29, driving for 39 miles to Calistoga.
- (Once in the Napa Valley, you have the option of taking the scenic Silverado Trail instead of the traffic-heavy CA-29. Turn right to leave CA-29 at Trancas, then turn left onto Silverado heading north. You will turn right onto CA-29 just north of Calistoga.)
- Turn Right on CA-29 through the town of Calistoga, driving 18 miles to Middletown. (This is a curvy, mountainous road.)
- After you arrive in Middletown, turn left onto Hwy 175.
- Drive 7 miles to Cobb.
- About 1 mile past the center of Cobb turn right onto Forestry Rd. (This is a small road at the end of a sharp bend. There is a blue sign that says CDF Fire Station.)
- Follow O' signs for about 1.5 miles. The road soon becomes dirt, as you pass the ranger station. Park at the campgrounds.
From Sacramento
- Drive north on I-5 for 58 miles to the town of Williams.
- Exit west on CA-20 for 37 miles.
- Turn left onto CA-53, though Clearlake.
- Drive 8 miles south and make a right onto Hwy 29.
- Drive 1.5 miles and make a left onto Seigler Canyon Rd.
- Drive 4 miles and bear right onto Loch Lomond Rd (the main road changes name).
- Drive 4 miles and make a left onto Hwy 175.
- Drive 2 miles and make a left onto Forestry Rd. (This is a small road. There is a blue sign that says CDF Fire Station.)
- Follow O' signs for about 1.5 miles. The road soon becomes dirt, as you pass the ranger station. Park at the campgrounds.