Photo gallery image (click to enlarge)

Tilden Regional Park

Date: (Sun.) Oct. 13, 2013
Location: Berkeley, CA
Event Directors: - 925.934.6567, - 510.524.1239, - 925.872.3935
Course Setters: Gavin Wyatt-Mair, Alan Houser, Jay Hann
Type: B; Regular 7-course BAOC event in conjunction with the Scout-O Championships

Related Event Information

Concurrent Scout Champs Last Year's Event Event Results

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


This is the 21st Bay Area Scout Orienteering Championships!! All scouts and non-scouts are welcome to attend, run a course, and have a generally good time! The forecast is for perfect weather​—​sunny and about 72 degrees. Tilden is a great area for picnics, so bring your friends and your family, and enjoy the beautiful park. For those who are planning to attend the U.S. Ultra Long Championships at Pacheco next month, this event is also a great opportunity for a tune-up.

The annual Scout-O will be held concurrently with the regular event, so expect a sizable crowd. Although preregistration is required for the Scout-O, it is not required for the BAOC B-meet.

BAOC members: Please note that your showing is very good publicity for the club, and sets an example for hundreds of scouts and adults to see!! Please do come, with your best o-gear, a smile, and a word of encouragement for the youngsters.

Please be polite to other park users (this is a requirement for future permits).

Schedule

Registration for the regular (non-scout) event will be open from about 9:00 AM to noon.

Beginners Clinics will be available from about 9:15 to 10:15 AM. These short, repeating sessions provide an introduction to orienteering, and enough instruction to be able complete a beginner (White) course.

The earliest start is at 10:00 AM; the latest start is at 12:30 PM. You can start any time during that period.

The courses close at 2:00 PM. Everyone must punch at the Finish by the closing time, and then report to Electronic Punching to download, even if you haven't completed your course.

Courses

Here are the (corrected) details of the courses: 

                                            Navigational    Physical
   Course      Distance   Climb   Controls   Difficulty    Difficulty

   White(1)     1.5 km     65 m       9       Easy          Easy
   Yellow(2)    2.3 km    130 m      10       Easy          Easy
   Orange(4)    2.7 km    205 m      12       Moderate      Moderate
   Brown        3.4 km    160 m      13       Hard          Moderate
   Green        5.2 km    230 m      22       Hard          Hardish
   Red          6.2 km    270 m      22       Hard          Hard
   Blue         6.9 km    290 m      26       Hard          Hard

Keep in mind that the distances shown above are the cumulative straight-line distances between controls. The actual distance traveled on a course will be somewhat more, depending on route choices and any errors made.

All the courses use E-punch.

The Start is 0.5 km from the registration area, with 40 m of climb to get there​—​please allow 20 minutes to walk to the Start. The Finish is at the registration area.

Beginners' Courses

There is an extensive network of trails in Tilden, and in some cases new trails have been blazed near the old ones. It's a good idea to use other features to locate yourself, not just the trails. The White course (Scout Course 1) does not have drinking water at any of the controls.

Advanced Courses

The advanced courses are designed to expose the scouts to orienteers, so these courses cross the scout courses often, and there are also spectator controls. The climb on the courses is quite low by Bay Area standards, so the courses should be relatively fast. There are a number of water fountains near the advanced courses, and they are marked with blue circles on the map. Water has also been placed at selected controls.

Map

The Tilden Park map is relatively new, so it is reasonably accurate. Some areas of vegetation have grown up, but not enough to warrant any changes. There are a number of unmapped fences, but these should not affect the courses.

The map scale will be 1:10,000 unless otherwise noted on the map. The contour interval is 5 meters.

Hazards

Tilden has some dense undergrowth, including brambles, so it makes sense to wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and gaiters. The courses have been designed to avoid stickers and poison oak as much as possible. The poison oak is dormant, with just stalks and almost no leaves. Nevertheless, take the usual precautions if you are allergic to the stuff.

Wildlife we have seen include deer, eagles, coyote, skunks, buzzards, orienteers, ticks, turkeys, goats, and frogs.

All the courses feature many route choices, and some of those choices may cross roads. Please be careful of traffic!

Some trails are quite rough, especially around the Lake, so do be careful with your footing​—​it's better to take a little extra time than to fall. Strong shoes with rubber cleats or studs are recommended.

Request for Volunteers

Please, if you have some extra time, we really could use a few more volunteers. You will still be able to run your course. We especially need help with setup (about 8:30 AM), Parking (9:00 to 10:15), Clinics (9:15 to 10:15).

Please contact if you can help.

Driving Directions

Special parking request: Parking at Lake Anza has been limited by the Tilden Rangers. Therefore, BAOC folks are requested to park at the Start area, which is at the Mineral Springs Picnic Area. There will be self-registration at the Start. For those who cannot use self-registration (e.g., if you are renting a compass or an E-stick, or you need change, or if you are new to orienteering), you can register at Lake Anza and then drive over to Mineral Springs, or you can park at Mineral Springs and walk to Lake Anza and back. (This parking request does not apply to those BAOC folks who volunteer to help.) Please carpool if possible.

There are many ways to get to Tilden Park. Here is one: From Highway 24, take the Fish Ranch Road exit (this exit is just east of the Caldecott Tunnel). Go northwest up Fish Ranch Road for 1 km (0.6 mi), to the top of the hill. Turn right onto Grizzly Peak Blvd. Wind around on Grizzly Peak for about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) until you reach the South Park Drive entrance to Tilden Park (don’t take the steam trains entrance; continue on Grizzly Peak until South Park Drive).

Directions to Lake Anza: Once you are inside Tilden Park, follow the Park signs to Lake Anza. Lake Anza is just 400 meters south-southeast of the Merry-Go-Round, but please do not park your car in the Merry-Go-Round parking.

Directions to Mineral Springs: Once inside Tilden Park, follow the Park signs towards Inspiration Point, which is on Wildcat Canyon Road. The Mineral Springs Picnic Area is on Wildcat Canyon Road, between the Botanic Garden and Inspiration Point. We will place “Orienteering” signs on the road so you can find it.

There's a map here that shows the locations of Lake Anza and the Mineral Springs Picnic Area.

Public Transit

AC Transit bus #67 is a very convenient way to get to and from Lake Anza. Catch the bus a half-block from the Downtown Berkeley BART station; buses leave at 8:45 AM, 9:30 AM, and 10:15 AM. The trip takes just under 20 minutes. Coming to Tilden Park, tell the driver you want the next-to-last stop. From the stop, find Selby Trail just downhill from you and take the trail downhill for about 300 m to the grassy area by the lake. Registration is there.

For the return trip, catch the bus at the same stop going in the same direction; it loops and returns to Downtown Berkeley BART.