Twin Peaks
Date: (Sun.) Dec. 4, 2011
Location: San Francisco, CA
Event Director: 
- 415.359.4237
Course Setter: Mark Prior
Type: C; New this year: Fast and furious (or not) point-to-point courses at this urban event with lots of variety and amazing views of San Francisco. (Not a Score-O event as previous described.)
Course Setter's Notes
By
Urban orienteering events are traditionally Score-O's (in which you make your own course) due to the difficulty of offering meaningful and challenging navigation legs in an urban environment. This year we contest that on the northeast portion of the San Francisco Twin Peaks map by offering the city's first ever point-to-point "traditional" orienteering course in which competitors, separated in time, take on the same route head to head.
In order to offer the most rewarding and navigationally complex experience, we have routed courses through the detailed urban landscape, taking full advantage of obscure stairways and city green spaces. Those who have attended previous Twin Peaks events will enjoy much shorter distances and rapid decision making. Unlike previous years, orienteers will not be asked to visit the high points of the map. In fact, the whole course sits within the Eureka Valley that extends vertically upward from Castro Street.
We will be offering two courses, which share many of the same controls and routes:
Course Length Climb Controls
Short 5.5 km 130 m 14 Long 7.8 km 200 m 19
I expect the winner of the Long course to finish in around 50 minutes, but most casual participants could take two hours or more. The Start and Finish will be at the same location on Kite Hill. 80% of the course is on pavement of some kind, but some tread will be helpful on the trails. Long pants are not needed, but are much more stylish. A compass is not a requirement, but will be helpful. The control card will be a series of easy multiple-point questions.
Starts are available from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, with the courses closing at 2:00 PM. You must report to the Finish by the closing time, even if you haven't completed the course.
Beginners clinics will be available intermittently throughout the morning as needed. Please leave some time to find the small park (hint: use a smartphone or GPS to look for "47 Grand View Terrace") and hunt for parking in the surrounding streets.
This event will be the most dangerous event BAOC offers this year due to the giant marauding steel animals trying to run down competitors at every corner. Always be defensive and make eye contact with drivers. Each course will cross Upper Market Street (an urban highway) at least once — please wait for the light and cross safely.
I will close with a summary of the course from prerunner Wayne Caplinger:
- "This is the most interesting street-O course I've seen in a long time. It's in a nice neighborhood, mostly residential, and very intricate. The course roughly follows a ridge line arc around a bowl, connecting interesting wild spaces, and providing million dollar views in all directions. Well worth doing, for both runners and hikers."
See you Sunday!