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Spring Lake Regional Park

Date: (Sun.) Sep. 19, 2010
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Event Director: Judy Koehler - 707.778.1604
Course Setters: Scott Aster, Brett Carver, Erik Carver
Type: C; White, Yellow, Sprint, and Motola courses -- this is one of our National Orienteering Day (NOD) "Come and Try It" events. This is a great North Bay setting to introduce a friend to orienteering -- so bring someone with you to join in the fun!


Course Setters' Notes

By Scott Aster, Brett Carver, Erik Carver

Welcome to Spring Lake County Park, and welcome to National Orienteering Day! The complex and intricate terrain of this park makes it a wonderful challenge for both the participant and the course setter. This is one of our club's few parks in which climb is not a significant factor, but with over 40,000 mapped objects, the challenge emphasizes the technical over the physical. Rocky pits, boulder fields, bare rock surfaces, and a myriad of trails force even experienced orienteers to read their maps with more care than usual. We have designed courses for both the first-time orienteer, as well as the more advanced orienteer.

While you are welcome to try more than one course, please note that all the courses close at 2 PM. If you are still out on a course as that time approaches, stop looking for controls, and check in at the Finish line. We begin control pickup at 2 PM!

Courses

The courses available are as follows:

   Course     Length   Climb   Controls   Technical
   White      2.1 km    25 m       8      Beginner
   Yellow     2.9 km    55 m      12      Advanced Beginner
   Sprint     3.3 km    55 m      14      Advanced Beginner
   Motala 2   1.8 km    45 m       8      Advanced Beginner
   Motala 3   1.6 km    45 m       7      Advanced Beginner

The White course is ideal for people trying Orienteering for the first time. It has minimal climb, and stays on roads and trails for the entire route.

The Yellow course is a bit longer, and a bit more technical than the White course. On the Yellow course, you may have to go slightly off trail to reach some of the controls, and you may find that cutting cross country will be the best route to take. Many people do the Yellow course after completing the White course.

The Sprint course is a course of Yellow difficulty, but requiring almost constant changing of direction and close map reading. It is designed for people who want to see how fast they can do a course, and is set with runnability in mind, staying out of the worst of the pits and boulder fields.

We also have a Motala course at this event. The Motala consists of three loops (Sprint, Motala 2, and Motala 3). For the Motala, you decide how many of the loops you choose to do, and in what order you want do them. You can complete one, two, or all three of the loops, depending on what you fancy. Results will be grouped by number of loops completed.

A note on the difference between the Yellow and the Sprint courses: These courses are similar in length and technical difficulty. The main difference is that the best routes for the Sprint course almost always stay on trails, or, through very runnable terrain. The optimal route for the Yellow course, by comparison, may take you through some rough terrain that will slow you down quite a bit. People are welcome to try the Sprint course, and walk it if they like! Breathless running is not a requirement!

Hazards

There is very little poison oak in the park. That which exists is currently bright red, and should be easy to avoid. We have not seen any rattlesnakes, pumas, or snapping turtles, but they may be out there, especially early in the morning.

The primary hazard at Spring Lake is people. Watch out for joggers and bicyclists on the paved paths, and keep an eye out for cars on the roadways. Some of the courses pass near the campground. Please be polite and don't pass through anyone's camping area.

Also, please remember that horses have the right of way. Slow down when passing them, and watch your step!