Please join us as we return to the Pacheco State Park map for a "regular" event (i.e., very different from the Golden Goat event last year). This will be a nice time of the year to visit Pacheco. The grass might still be green, and the ground might be soft and ideal for running — perfect conditions for springtime orienteering!

Please be aware that there are cows grazing and horses being ridden in the park, which might be in the area of the courses. Keep distance from cows, and never get between a calf and its mother! When encountering horses, slow to a walk and talk to the riders so as not to spook the horses and to let them know you are a human and not a cougar, and to know how the riders want you to proceed.

Be sure to read the eventual Course Setter's Notes for more information about the courses.

Information about the park is on the park's website.

Note: Dogs are not allowed in the park.

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

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

At registration, all minors (people under 18) must be accompanied by parents or legal guardians, or bring with them a waiver signed by their parent or legal guardian (e.g., print the registration form).

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 (but 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 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 and Registration

Optional online registration (and payment) is available before the event as described below.

The available courses mentioned below is subject to change. 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 (Silver–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 electronic fingerstick rental (if you don't own one; you'll need one to complete the course)

$15 for the lowest-cost individual one-year BAOC membership (optional)  

Notes:

• In addition to the fees described above, there is a $10 park fee collected at the park entrance or the parking lot.
• Juniors are age 8 through 20 (under age 8 is free).
• At the event, we can accept payment by cash, check, or credit/debit card (but no electronic payments — e.g., PayPal or Venmo).
• Individual entrants can register at the event or online before the event (see below).
• Groups going on a course together must register at the event. (The online registration system can't deal with groups. 🙁)
• There is no charge for a second course (but you must end up paying for the more-expensive course​—​i.e., Intermediate or Advanced 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, 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

You can (but are not required to) register online for this event. If you do that, you must pay via PayPal (with credit card, debit card, or PayPal account - you do not need to have a PayPal account).

Note: If you register online, you must pay online before the event, and you must complete the online waiver.

Online registration for this event will close on Saturday, April 25th, at 6:00 PM.

Notes:

• Online registration is not required​—​you can register at the event. Individuals might want to register in advance to simplify check-in at the event (and to help the Registration crew).
• Online registration is available only to individuals, not to groups (i.e., sharing a single E-stick). Groups must register at the event.
• If you register online, and later change your mind about the course you'll do, you can easily make the change at the event.
• Compass rental cannot be arranged during online registration, but you can register online and rent a compass at the event.
• E-punch fingerstick rental can be arranged during online registration.
• You can see who is registered (but keep in mind that others will register at the event.

Venue Facilities

The Assembly Area (registration, E-punch download, and restrooms) will be at the usual place next to the parking lot. The driving directions are below.

Picnic tables and toilets are available. Please feel free to bring along a picnic lunch to enjoy after you finish your course.

There is no piped drinking water available at this park. Water will be available at the Start for a last-minute drink (but not for filling containers). It would be a good idea to bring your own water.

We are not permitted to provide food at this venue.

What to Bring

For Beginners 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 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 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 how the E-punch system works.)

Courses

The standard set of courses, from beginner to advanced, will be available at this event. The preliminary details of the courses are below.

The Start for the White, Yellow, and Orange courses is next to the Assembly Area. The Start for all the advanced courses is located 800 m (40 m climb) from the Assembly Area.

The Finish is ~200 m (no climb) from the Assembly Area.

Be sure to read the (eventual) Course Setter's Notes for more information.

                                              Map    Water   Navigation
    Course   Length      Climb    Controls   Scale   Stops   Difficulty
    White    1.9 km    60 m  3.1%     6     1:7,500    0     Beginner  
    Yellow   2.4 km   195 m  8.2%    10     1:7,500    0     Adv. Beginner
    Orange   3.0 km   235 m  7.9%    10     1:7,500    0     Intermediate  
    Silver   2.6 km   100 m  3.8%     5     1:7,500    1     Advanced  
    Brown    3.8 km   165 m  4.4%     9     1:7,500    1     Advanced
    Green    4.6 km   255 m  5.5%    10     1:7,500    1     Advanced
    Red      6.3 km   375 m  6.0%    10    1:10,000   1-2?   Advanced
    Blue     7.4 km   505 m  6.8%    13    1:10,000   1-2?   Advanced

Notes:

• Maps for the Beginner courses (White and Yellow) are given out at registration, and can be looked at before starting the course.
• Maps for the Intermediate course (Orange) and Advanced courses (Silver through Blue) are provided at the Start, and must not be looked at before starting the course.
• 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 Setter's 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).

Hazards

For participants on the intermediate and advanced courses, the park has some poison oak which you will want to avoid. It looks like this. Washing clothes and shoes, and bathing with dishwashing soap or a commercial product such as Tecnu, is recommended to remove the irritant oil. (Note that you can be exposed through clothing, and that stalks without leaves are still a risk.)

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

Park Rules

Fence gates must be left closed, except if they are fastened open.

Please note that horses always have the right of way. If you encounter equestrians while running on a multi-use trail or road, please walk until you are clear of the horses. A startled horse could throw and injure the rider. Also be careful not to jump onto a trail when horses are nearby.

Request for Volunteers

As always, we need volunteers for this event. Please consider volunteering — we have these positions available:

• Assembly Area Set Up: 8:30–9:00 (particularly appreciated 😉)
• Registration: 9:00–12:00 (e.g., answering questions; any part of the period will be helpful)
• Beginner Clinics: 9:15–10:30
• Starts: 9:30–11:00, 11:00–12:30
• Control Pickup: 14:00–15:30 (hopefully ending earlier)

Even part of a listed session will help! No experience is necessary for any of the tasks — just use this sign-up sheet or send email to James Arthurton, the Event Director.

Many thanks to those who have already signed up to help!

Driving Directions

Notes:

• Be very careful turning across Highway 152. The traffic is moving faster than you might think!
• Be aware of the park fee of $10 per vehicle, collected at the park (possibly by putting cash in an envelope).

The entrance to Pacheco State Park is between Gilroy and Los Banos on the south side of Highway 152, just west of Pacheco Pass. The approximate coordinates of the turn-off are 37.0665,-121.2192. A useful address for the park is 38787 Dinosaur Point Rd, Hollister, CA.

From most of the Bay Area: Take US 101 south past San Jose to Gilroy, and then Highway 152 East. Pacheco State Park is to the right just before the very top of the pass, about 10 minutes after the exit for Casa de Fruta (the last "facilities"). There is a large, gravel lot (often used by trucks) on the right-hand side of the road that does connect to the park entrance, but a better route choice is the paved road (Dinosaur Point Rd) to the park, which is immediately after the gravel lot (at the turn-off coordinates above).

From points further east (Central Valley, Sacramento, Livermore, Antioch): Take Interstate 5 south to Highway 152 West. Pacheco State Park is a left turn (there is a turn lane) immediately after the top of Pacheco Pass (at the turn-off coordinates above).

The approximate coordinates of the parking area are 37.0633,-121.2148.