Photo gallery image (click to enlarge)

Tahoe 4-Day 2026

Day 3: Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park

Event #4 of 6 in the 2026 Summer Series

Date: (Sun.) Aug. 2, 2026
Location: Tahoma, CA
Event Director:
Course Setters: Peter Wailes, Ginny Wailes
Type: C; Day 3 of the Tahoe 4-Day events will provide a Summe Series event with Beginner, Short, & Long courses. Beginners & non-members are welcome; beginner instruction will be offered. Attendance at other Tahoe 4-Day or Summer Series events not required.

Related Event Information

Event Results Main Tahoe 4-Day Page Volunteer Sign-up (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ti-APHMFdFA6D3WSsLDOx7LHmaBjt8cHCEFibgWLfI4/edit) Day-1 Event Information Day-2 Event Information Day-3 Event Information Day-3 Course Setters' Notes Day-4 Event Information Attackpoint Event Page (http://attackpoint.org/eventdetail.jsp/event_60560) BAOC 2026 Summer Series

Please note that fees and time limits apply. Events are typically not canceled due to bad weather.


Parking Notice

Hope you see you at the event!
Matteo

Sunday Logistics Addendum

July 29th Reminders — Two days until the Tahoe 4-Day begins:


For this third day of the Tahoe 4-Day event, we have yet another new map, of Ed Z'Berg Sugar Pine Point State Park (https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=510) (on the west side of highway CA 89, not the beach side), and we're offering Summer Series courses. Anyone can do the courses, which are Beginner, Short advanced, and Long advanced — and you can score points for the BAOC Summer Series if you care about that sort of thing.

Everyone is welcome to participate in this event, including beginners and non-members. Free beginner instruction will be available during the time shown below.

As an added feature, this is the fourth event of the BAOC 2026 Summer Series.

Note: Attendance at other Taheo 4-Day or Summer Series events is not required.

Schedule

The following non-standard event schedule will be followed:

   9:00 AM – 11:00 AM: Registration is open
   9:30 AM – 11:00 AM: Beginner instruction is available (free)
 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM: Starts are open for all the courses
                   2:00 PM: Everyone must have returned to the Finish
Note: Participants under age 18 who register at the event must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, or bring with them a waiver signed by their parent or legal guardian. (The Summer Series registration form is available here [14KB PDF]. Note, however, that some of the fees for this event might be different than those on the form.)

Note that you can register and start on the courses anytime during the open times above. Thus, for example, you do not need to be "punctual" at 9:00. (You can if you want, but please don't show up earlier and expect to be served.)

Beginner instruction is 15–20 minute, repeating sessions ("clinics") that introduce the sport of orienteering, and provide enough instruction to be able to complete a beginner (White or Yellow) course.

Note: Beginners are given their course maps at registration. You should get your map before joining a beginner clinic.

Everyone must return to the Finish by 2:00 PM, and then promptly go to the download tent, even if they have not completed their course. Please do not leave without checking in! If there are unaccounted people after 2:00, we must initiate a search for them.

Costs & Registration

Since this is a "special" event, the standard BAOC registration fees do not apply.

The prices for the Tahoe 4-Day Package and for individual events are shown on the main Tahoe 4-Day event webpage. (Be sure to read the notes below the table of prices.)

Note: In addition to the BAOC fees, the park charges a $10 vehicle day-use fee (possibly different on summer weekends).

Online registration closed on July 28th. However, registration for individual events (but not the Tahoe 4-day Package) will be available at all the events.

The list of current registrations is available here (https://eventreg.orienteeringusa.org/reglist/tahoe4day2026).

Location of the Event

The Assembly Area (e.g., Registration and E-punch) will be located by the day-use parking lot of Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park, on the west side of highway CA 89 (W Lake Blvd.). When you enter the park, pay the $10 day-use fee, then turn left immediately into the day-use parking lot. That's where the portapotties will be, and registration, and E-punch download, etc.

The driving directions are below. This park map (https://csparks.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=065b067caa204e8da48d4b53c9483ab0&UNITNBR=339) might be useful (zoom in for details; look for the cluster of parking areas close to the highway).

Note: If the park entrance is not staffed, you will need to pay the $10 day-use fee by cash in an envelope.

Venue Facilities

Matteo, our Event Director, has arranged for a few portapotties at the Assembly Area.

Water will be available near the Assembly Area.

It's approximately 0.8 miles walk to the Start/Finish near campsites 150, 157. Along the way, there are campground restrooms you can use if nature calls again. Or if you're waiting to start, or just finished, there are campground restrooms close by the Start/Finish area.

What to Bring

Due to the dry air and altitude, consider taking water on your course even if you normally wouldn't. Don't forget sunscreen and possibly a hat!

For the Beginner course, comfortable outdoors attire and shoes are fine.

For the (advanced) Short and Long courses, the hillsides can be a bit slippery due to dry leaves and loose dirt, so shoes with good grip are highly recommended. Long pants and/or gaiters might be desirable because of undergrowth.

A compass is not required, but can be very helpful — and can improve safety — so is 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 E-punch 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.)

Courses

As this is a Summer Series event, there are Beginner, Short, and Long courses. The Short and Long courses involve advanced navigation, and can count toward the Summer Series standings as explained below.

Here are the course details: 

    Course     Length    Climb  Controls  Navigation
    Beginner   2.8 km     50 m      9     Trails    
    Short      3.1 km    120 m     12     Advanced  
    Long       5.3 km    210 m     16     Advanced

Beginners should be aware that the course lengths shown are the cumulative straight-line distances between controls. The climb numbers represent the amount of ascending that would be done on the "optimum route" (in the Course Setters' opinion), without regard for any descending. Because you won't travel in straight lines, and might not follow the optimum routes, your actual distance and climb will be somewhat more than what is shown above, and will depend on your route choices (and any errors you make).
For the Short and Long courses, keep in mind that you can earn Summer Series points from only the first course you run at the event, and only if it's one of the ranking courses. That is, you will not earn points if you run the Beginner course first and then one of the ranking courses. (Also, groups cannot earn Summer Series points.)

The Beginner course is for beginners and young children. This is a great warmup if you're trying orienteering for the first time. You get to see the map before the start and experience how everything works. After the Beginner course, if you want some more, you can do either of the other courses (as long as you pay the difference in fees, start before 12:30, and finish by 2:00).

The walk to the Start/Finish (which is near campsites 150, 157) is approximately 0.8 miles. You'll get a campground map to help you get to the Start.

Course Setters' Notes

By Peter Wailes and Ginny Wailes

Ed Z'berg is wonderfully runnable terrain. The mapped area is relatively small, so you will certainly cross runners going in all directions — don’t let yourself get pulled into the wrong control!

Vertical green lines generally denote dense stands of mountain whitethorn, which are slow and unpleasant to cross.

Green exes (×) denote California incense cedars. The mapper made an effort to mark only the largest and most prominent trees. They are often easy to recognize by their distinctive bark. (Mapper's note: I mistook these for giant sequoias! They are indeed California incense cedars. Rex)

Brown triangles (△) denote large dead trees, which are usually still standing.

The root-stock/tree-stump symbol (⨂) is used on clue sheets.

Enjoy the fast terrain, but moving too quickly may result in costly misses!

Hazards

Fortunately, there is no poison oak in the Sierras! 😊

However, deer ticks are found in this area, and they might carry Lyme disease. So, please be sure to check yourself carefully after the event.

You should be mindful of dehydration because the high-altitude air will be dry. That concern will be even greater if the weather is hot. So, you should consider carrying water while on your course.

Also because of the altitude, there will be increased risk of sunburn, so be sure to use plenty of quality sunscreen.

2026 Summer Series

The Summer Series consists of six events (five in the Bay Area and this one) that are organized as two competitions with unique scoring that "handicaps" event results based on age and gender. The objective is to provide a "fair" competition for all the participants in that it is possible for anyone to have a high point score for the day.

Note: There is no requirement that you attend all the Summer Series events. Also, if you're not interested in the "competition" aspect of the Series, you can still participate "just for the fun of orienteering".

Points for the Summer Series will be awarded to all the individuals (not groups or teams) who complete either the Short or Long course as their first course of the day (i.e., not after the Beginner course). The results for the two courses at this event will be added to the standings in the two Summer Series competitions: Short and Long.

You can read about the Summer Series scoring details.

Volunteers Needed

As always, we need volunteers for this event.

Please consider volunteering to help — even part of a shift will help! Previous experience is not needed (except for Beginner Clinics), and easy training will be provided as needed, so please don't hesitate to sign up.

The shifts and current assignments are shown in this form (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ti-APHMFdFA6D3WSsLDOx7LHmaBjt8cHCEFibgWLfI4/edit). You can check the form to see what's available, then put your name on the form to sign up. If you want, you can send email to , the Event Director, to indicate your interest or ask where he would particularly like help. Matteo will respond back to you.

Driving Directions

Traffic can be heavy, so leave plenty of time to get to the venue.

Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park is located on the west side of Lake Tahoe, between Tahoe City and South Lake Tahoe, about 3 miles south of Homewood (7360 W Lake Blvd, Tahoma, CA 96142). The approximate coordinates of the Assembly Area are 39.0569,-120.1216.

From highway CA 89 (W Lake Blvd), turn away from the lake, toward the mountains, to enter the west side of the park, which has the campgrounds. After paying your $10 park fee, make the first left to find the day-use parking lot.