Tilden Regional Park
Date: (Sun.) Oct. 30, 2022
Location: Berkeley, CA
Event Director: 
Course Setter: George Minarik
Type: B; Five-course event for beginner, intermediate, and advanced orienteers; this event will be particularly good for beginners
Related Event Information
Event Results Course Setter’s Notes Latest Previous Event (2018) Attackpoint Event Page (https://www.attackpoint.org/eventdetail.jsp/event_54619)
GPS Route Recording Requested
- If you’ll be joining us at Tilden Park, and you have a GPS watch or an app on your phone that allows you to easily export your GPS path to RouteGadget, please track your course.
- We’re in the process of compiling some data for park staff to demonstrate how our orienteers move through the park while on a course, and I’m hoping to use Tilden as a case study. The more data points we have from tomorrow, the better.
- Thanks in advance!
- – Jeff Goodwin, Event Director
After nearly five years away from Tilden Park, we’ll be returning to one of the East Bay’s most beloved parks. We’ll have several courses available, and this will be a particularly great event for beginners and those still getting the hang of orienteering. The full run-down on the courses is below.
We will be setting up at the Orchard Picnic Area near Lake Anza. Parking will be at the Lake Anza overflow lot (not the main parking lot). Driving directions are below.
Groups are always welcome, but please give us a heads up if you’ll be bringing more than 8 people! Please contact Jeff Goodwin, Event Director ().
The park permit has been approved, so this event will definitely happen.
Schedule
The standard BAOC event schedule will be followed:
- 9:00 AM – 11:59 AM: Registration open
- 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM: Beginner clinic instruction (free)
- 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM: Starts are open for all courses
- 2:00 PM: Courses close, checkpoint control pick-up begins
- Note: There is a 20-minute walk to the Start for the Orange, Brown, and Green Courses.
At registration, all juniors must be accompanied by parents or legal guardians, or bring with them a waiver signed by their parent or legal guardian (the registration form is available here (PDF/12KB)).
You can register and start on the courses anytime during the open times above.
Beginner clinics are 15–20 minute, repeating sessions that introduce the sport of orienteering, and provide enough instruction to be able to complete the Beginner (White) course.
Everyone must return to the Finish by 2:00 PM, and then go to the download tent, even if you have not finished your course. Please do not leave without checking in! If there are unaccounted people after 2:00, we must initiate a search for them.
Registration and Costs
The following fees apply at this event:
- $3 for each junior on beginners (White) and advanced beginners (Yellow) courses
- $8 for each adult on beginners and advanced beginners courses
- $5 for each junior on intermediate (Orange) and advanced (Brown or Green) courses
- $15 for each adult member on intermediate and advanced courses
- $20 for each adult non-member on intermediate and advanced courses
- $1 for a compass rental (optional)
- $5 for an electronic fingerstick rental (optional, but each team will need one to complete the course)
- $15 for the lowest-cost individual one-year BAOC membership (optional)
- Notes:
- At the event, we are able to accept payment only by cash or check—no credit cards or electronic payments.
- Juniors are age 8 through 20 (under age 8 is free).
- There is no charge for a second course (but you must end up paying for the more expensive course—i.e., Short or Long after Beginner).
- Members of other orienteering clubs can pay the “member†fee. (We hope your club would do the same for our members. 🙂)
More information about event pricing is available in the club FAQ. All the prices are also shown on the standard entry form (PDF/12KB), which you can print and fill out in advance to save some time at the event. (You will need one entry form for each group of people going on a course together.)
Optional Online Registration
Online registration has closed, but you can still register at the event.
- Notes:
- Online registration is not required—you can register at the event.
- You can see who is registered here (https://eventreg.orienteeringusa.org/eventregister/a40/reglist/home/tilden2022) (but keep in mind that others will register at the event.
Courses
We will be offering five course options at this event: White (Beginner), Yellow (Advanced Beginner), Orange (Intermediate), Brown and Green (both Advanced). For general information on the different courses head over to this FAQ page.
Here are the details of the courses (which have changed since the original version):
Course Length Climb Controls Difficulty
White 1.2 km 65 m 10 Beginners
Yellow 1.4 km 80 m 10 Advanced Beginners
Orange 3.5 km 155 m 11 Intermediate
Brown 2.5 km 120 m 9 Advanced
Green 3.6 km 170 m 14 Advanced
- There is a 20-minute walk to the Start for the Orange, Brown, and Green courses.
- Beginners should be aware that the distances shown are the cumulative straight-line distances between controls. Your actual distance will be longer. The climb numbers represent the amount of ascending that would be done on the "optimum route" (in the Course Setter’s opinion), without regard for any descending.
Be sure to read the Course Setter’s Notes for more information!
What To Bring
Bring your own water for the course(s). There will be no drinking water on the courses. There will be drinking water at the assembly area (near the White and Yellow Start and the Finish).
Comfortable outdoors attire and walking shoes are fine for those who will walk their course.
For runners, any comfortable running shoes are appropriate. However, shoes with cleats are recommended for the Orange, Brown, and Green courses.
Wearing gaiters, long socks, or long pants helps avoid annoying stickers, prickers, and other fun flora elements.
A compass is not necessary, but recommended. We have compasses available for a $1 rental fee.
We time the courses with the SPORTident system, so each entry/team needs to have a SPORTident fingerstick. If you don’t have your own, you can rent one at registration for $5. (Use of the “E-punch†system is easy. You can learn how at the event, or read about it here.)
Venue Facilities
Running water and restrooms are available near the Registration area.
Course Setter’s Notes
The Course Setter’s Notes are here. Be sure to read them.
Park Hazards
Several of the courses will require road crossings. Tilden is a high-traffic park—assume there will be cars on the road. Be cautious and, you know, look both ways.
There is poison oak throughout Tilden Park. We’ve done our best to keep controls away from it, but wearing pants and sleeves is the safest move—along with thorough washing afterward.
Lots of cows call Tilden home. Give them space, don’t approach any of the calves or get between a calf and its mother, and make sure to close any gates behind you.
If you need to pass across a fence do not climb over. Instead, roll under or find a gate.
Leg coverings and shoes with good traction are advised on the Advanced courses.
The park is likely to be fairly busy. Please be considerate of other park users.
Request for Volunteers
We still need lots of help to pull off this event. Set-up, starts, greeter, control pick-up, and beginner clinics—take your pick. You don’t need to be an experienced orienteer to lend a hand, all we need is an hour or two of your time and a willingness to help out. If you haven’t volunteered yet this year, now’s your chance!
All volunteers will still be able to go participate in the event.
Please contact Jeff Goodwin, Event Director, for volunteer opportunities ()
Driving Directions
Parking will be at the Lake Anza overflow parking lot (not the main parking lot). Typing in “Lake Anza Parking†into Google maps, will get you there. Lake Anza is relatively easy to find using park wayfinding once you’re in Tilden Park.
The Registration area is approximately a 5-minute walk from the parking lot. Follow small red flags.
The approximate coordinates are 37.8971,-122.2531.