2011 Golden Goat and Golden Kid
Camp Tamarancho
Date: (Sun.) Dec. 11, 2011
Location: Fairfax, CA
Event Director: 
- 415.747.2768
Course Setter: Greg Ehrensing
Type: Extra long courses with a mass start -- sorry, but no beginner courses at this special event
Course Setter's Notes
By
Camp Tamarancho in December will be a new experience for us. Instead of dry, knee-high grass full of stickers and foxtails, the grass is short and green, and I walked around all day and ended up with only a few burrs on my shoelaces!
The weather forecast for Sunday, December 11, is calling for sunny and cool weather with the temperature at start time of around 50° F. Good running weather!
We will offer the Golden Goat and the Golden Kid, which require only Orange (or even Yellow) navigation in a longer, more physical format. However, a couple twists may reward the thinking runner; brains and brawn will be required to win! Donato has promised to bring some of his fit, adventure racing friends to provide some competition to our top runners.
By popular request, a Little Brown Goat will also be offered, with more advanced navigation on a much less physical course, but which will, in the spirit of the Goat, include one leg almost 1 km in length. An Orange course (Baby Goat??) will also be offered, which will include some legs common to the Goat and Kid.
All the courses will begin with a mass start at 10:00 AM — although suitably penitent latecomers might be accommodated on the two shorter courses.
Course Statistics
Course Length Climb Controls
Little Brown Goat 3.4 km 140 m 8 Orange 3.6 km 190 m 8 Golden Kid 8.3 km 350 m 16 Golden Goat 12.7 km 670 m 24
The Goat and Kid will both include a butterfly loop after control #1. They will also include the option to skip one control numbered 100 and higher. For the most part, the controls 100 and higher are at the edges of the map.
Though the technical navigation may be easier than a normal advanced course, almost every leg will offer a wide variety of route choices. Combined with the skip option, the possibilities will be endless.
The Map
Despite its age, the Tamarancho map remains surprisingly accurate. Though the vegetation has grown in some areas, it can still be used for general navigation — the growth of invasive species, especially French Broom, may reduce runnability and visibility in some areas. As the vegetation has changed, the formerly "distinctive trees" may not be as distinctive as they used to be. Where I have used distinctive trees as control or attack points, they are still distinctive. However, other trees shown on the map may be harder to use for navigation.
Trails come and go at Tamarancho depending on Scout usage. Trails that may have been distinct last year may be difficult to see this year. Also, since we are visiting the camp in a different season, the newly fallen leaves may obscure some trails.
Hazards
The trails that you definitely won't miss are the mountain bike trails that ring the camp. Most courses will cross these trails, and on the Goat and Kid, the bike trails will be a route choice. With good weather, there will probably be a number of bikes on the trails moving at speed. They're usually easy to hear if you're walking, but difficult if running. On the trail you are most likely to use, your route will have you facing slower moving uphill traffic and moving in the same direction as faster downhill traffic. I've found the bike riders to be alert and courteous. Please be the same.
Of course there is poison oak! However, it should be totally avoidable — but there is no accounting for route choice.
All that nice green grass means ticks. I did some of the field work with my dog, and found ticks on him almost every day — but only one on me. Be sure to check after your run.
I suppose the road up the hill to the event should be included in the Hazards section. It's no worse than before, but no better than before. Vehicles with low ground clearance should stay home! However, most average passenger cars or vans will have no problem; just allow time to take it slow! Also, on the first part of the road — up until the bike trail bulletin board — watch for bicycles, especially on the blind curves.
Don't be intimidated by the Golden Goat! There is something for everyone!! Please come join us for orienteering at what will seem like a new venue, in some beautiful fall weather, at a location not normally open to the public.