By Rob Clima
Here are the details for the courses:
Course Distance Climb Controls Comments
White 3.4 km 125 m 15 Beginner
Yellow 3.5 km 150 m 12 Advanced Beginner
Orange 4.0 km 175 m 11 Intermediate
Brown 3.1 km 225 m 12 Advanced
Green 3.5 km 265 m 13 Advanced
Red 5.0 km 350 m 17 Advanced
Blue 5.4 km 375 m 19 Advanced
The White course is entirely on trails.
Yellow has some controls located a distance of 50-100 m off-trail. Long pants are recommended.
We have been instructed by the park ranger NOT to cross fences. Hence, crossing a fence without using a gate will be an automatic disqualification. The White, Yellow, Orange, Brown, and Green courses do not encounter fences. If you are on these courses and find yourself wanting to cross a fence, think again. On the Red and Blue courses, you will need to cross the fence several times. A control has been set at each of the gates that must be used to cross.
The map quality is generally poor. There are unmapped and extended trails, and some of the existing trails are not mapped precisely. Boulders are not reliable and contours sometimes require interpretation. White "forest" or vegetation boundary is sometimes just a single tree. However, the map quality should not be a problem for this event, since orienteering at Shell Ridge is not technically difficult.
If you have not participated before, we recommend that you try a beginning course first. All courses close at 2 PM. Please be sure that you have checked in at the finish line by 2 PM whether or not you have finished the course.
Short beginner clinics will be held in the morning as needed. Check with registration to find out when the next clinic will start.
E-punch will be used for Orange and advanced courses.
Poison oak prevalence in the park is low, but if you are very sensitive, please take precautions.
A portable toilet will be available near the registration area.