After a gap of a couple of years, we finally return to Morgan Territory, with stunning views north to Mt. Diablo and south to the Livermore valley, and a high-quality map from the U.S. individual championships a few years ago. Nikolay Chukanov has designed a full range of courses (White through Blue) for beginners through advanced orienteers, in this beautiful and complex terrain.
Please consider volunteering to help at the event. No matter what your skill set or experience, we can use you!
If you're interested in knowing more about Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, the park website is here.
What is Orienteering?
An adventure! Discover the outdoors and discover yourself! You can explore a course by yourself or go as a team with your friends. You will get a highly detailed orienteering map, probably unlike any map you have seen before. The map will have a lot of detail on it, such as fences, boulders, lone trees, vegetation boundaries, and anything else you might see. Your course will be printed on the map.
Orienteering is easy to learn, a challenge to master, and incredibly fun! You can read more about orienteering.
Schedule
Note: Daylight Saving Time starts on Sunday, so don't forget to change your clocks Saturday night.
9:00 AM – 11:59 AM: Registration is open
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM: Beginner instruction is available (free)
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM: Starts are open for all the courses
2:00 PM: Everyone must have returned to the Finish
Note: At registration, all juniors under age 18 must be accompanied by parents or legal guardians, or bring with them a waiver signed by their parent or legal guardian.
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 the beginner (White) course.
Note: Beginners are given their White or Yellow 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
Optional online registration (and payment) is available before the event as described below.
The following fees apply at this event:
$3 for each junior on beginner (White) and advanced beginner (Yellow) courses $8 for each adult on beginner and advanced beginner courses $5 for each junior on intermediate (Orange) and advanced (Brown–Blue) 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 E-punch fingerstick rental (if you don't own one; each group will need one to complete their course) $15 (and up) for one-year BAOC membership (optional)
Notes:
- Juniors are age 8 through 20 (under age 8 is free).
- You can register at the event or online before the event (see below).
- At the event, we can accept payment by cash, check, or credit/debit card (but no electronic payments — e.g., PayPal, Venmo).
- There is no charge for a second course (but you must end up paying for the more expensive course — e.g., the Orange course after the Beginner course).
- 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 (but keep in mind that others will register at the event).
Location at the Park
The assembly area (E-punch download, registration, snacks, and restrooms) will be at the Morgan Territory Road Staging Area, on the right almost immediately after entering the park from the south side. The driving directions are below.
There are toilets, water, and picnic tables at the assembly area, as well as unlimited beautiful outdoor space, so please feel free to bring along a blanket and a picnic lunch for after the course.
What to Bring
For beginner courses (White and Yellow), comfortable outdoors attire and shoes are fine.
For intermediate (Orange) and advanced (Brown through Blue) courses, leg cover or gaiters are recommended, as well as shoes with some extra grip on the sole.
A compass is not necessary, but can be very helpful. 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.)
Request for Volunteers
As usual, we need many volunteers at this event. In particular, we still need people for these tasks:
- Refreshments
- Event set up (8:30–9:00)
- Beginner clinics (9:30–10:30)
- Starts (9:45–12:30; 2 shifts)
- Control pickup (2:00)
- Breakdown (2:00–2:30)
If you are willing to help, please add your name to this Google Sheet, or contact Vicki Woolworth, the Event Director.
Driving Directions
The approximate coordinates of the assembly area are 37.8186,-121.7956.
Carpooling is encouraged due to possibly limited parking.
From most of the Bay Area, take I-580 East to North Livermore Ave. After a straight, tree-lined stretch, North Livermore Ave ends at a "T" at Manning Road. Go left and then promptly right on Morgan Territory Road, the first real street, which will ascend into the hills and to the event.
Note: Morgan Territory Road is a narrow, steep, twisty, 1.5-lane road. Please allow more time for the drive than the distance would lead you to expect.
For anyone east of Livermore, do the same, reaching North Livermore Ave from I-580 West.
From the northeast bay (e.g., Antioch), there are more interesting route choices entering the park from the north. Consult your favorite mapping website or app (the coordinates of the assembly area are above).