Spring Lake Regional Park
Date: (Sun.) Sep. 17, 2006
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Event Director: Judy Koehler - 707.778.1604
Course Setter: Dwight Freund (GCO)
Type: C; National Orienteering Day "Come and Try It" event for beginners; White, Yellow, & Fog-O courses
This event is part of the National Orienteering Day festivities, designed as an opportunity for those with little or no experience of orienteering to try the sport.
Come on out to scenic Spring Lake County Park in Santa Rosa for an orienteering event especially for those new to the sport of orienteering. The terrain is gently rolling with some forest cover, a beautiful lake, and many bike paths and trails to help you find your way. The area is relatively flat, so is suitable for children.
There will be a short course suitable for true novices and those with small children. A longer, slightly more difficult course will challenge those who have orienteered before or are used to reading a map. This course will require some off-trail orienteering. For those really looking for a challenge, take in both courses!
There will also be a "Fog-O" course for intermediate and advanced orienteers using the controls from the Yellow course. The Fog-O course map has sections between controls totally blank. Only the immediate terrain around the controls will be as they are on the Yellow course map. This will allow intermediate and advanced orienteers who wish to come to the Spring Lake event a chance to practice their compass bearing and navigation skills on a course that is not very physical.
More information about the courses can be found in the Event Director's Notes.
Free Beginner Clinics will provide you with the "quick and dirty" knowledge to successfully complete the courses. Clinics will start at 9:30 and continue through the morning at 20-minute intervals as needed. No one will be sent out without instruction.
No pre-registration is necessary. Simply come to the Oak Knolls picnic area located at the southeast side of Spring Lake to register, take in a clinic and start on a course. Registration will be open at 9 AM and close at 12:30 PM. The courses will be open for starts from 10 AM until 1PM, and all participants should finish their courses (or check in at the Finish) by 2:30 PM. Most people take between one and two hours to complete an orienteering course. If bringing a group of 8 or more, please call in advance if possible so that I may be sure to have enough maps for each individual. A compass is not necessary to complete these courses. Wear clothing and shoes suitable for a walk in the woods.
Picnic tables, piped water and flush toilets are available, so please feel free to bring along a picnic lunch to enjoy after you finish your course.
Driving Directions
Take Highway 101 north toward Santa Rosa. Once in Santa Rosa, exit onto Highway 12 going east. Follow Highway 12 for 1.5 miles to where Highway 12 makes a left turn at Farmer's lane. Do not take this turn, but instead, continue straight onto Hoen Avenue. Go 1.5 miles to the traffic light at Hoen-Summerfield Avenue. Continue straight on Hoen, then take an immediate left onto Newanga Avenue. Newanga leads into Spring Lake Country Park. At the ranger's kiosk, make a right and go up the hill to the Oak Knoll Picnic Area. There is a $4 park entry fee.