The Wednesday Evening series is our most relaxed, casual set of navigation events, held in local parks once the weather warms up. The BBQ will be fired up, so come and enjoy a night off from cooking, do a bit of orienteering, and finish up with frisbee on the lawn.

Parks chosen for the monthly Wednesday Evening Series events tend to be open, accessible parks with easier features that are perfect for newcomers. As with all Cascade Orienteering Club events, there is beginner instruction. Starts are casual, anytime between 5:00-7:00 PM. Groups welcome.

 

COURSES

For this event, there will be four courses:

Beginner – 1.3 km

Course 2 – 2.7 km

Course 3 – 2.6 km

Course 4 (2+3) – 5.3 km*

*For Course 4, complete Course 2, then do an on-the-clock map exchange and continue onto Course 3.

 

How are courses measured?

Courses are measured as the crow flies, in a direct line from control to control. Unless you have wings, you will travel farther than this distance! Courses are measured in kilometers, so a good rule of thumb is to simply round up to miles to estimate how far you will go. So in a 5 kilometer race, you’ll likely travel about 5 miles.

A few notes from our course designer, Pat Kelly:

Be sure to read the control numbers before punching.

The south half of the park is typical suburban park, with a beach. The park is divided by a bike path. North of the bike path is wooded with trails. Between these sections is an arboretum. In the arboretum, the planted areas are marked in olive green, which means OUT OF BOUNDS. Stay on the gravel paths or on the lawn in this area and be respectful of people calmly enjoying the gardens so we don’t wear out our welcome.

The map was made by John and Sherri Brady. It is in very good shape. A couple map symbols of note:  A black circle represents a bench. Also, a trail crossed by a series of short parallel lines indicates a set of stairs.

The weather looks promising and the hardier folks among you may enjoy a swim at the beach after your run!

SCHEDULE

5:00pm – Registration & Start opens
7:00pm – Registration & Start closes
8:00pm – Course closes

Why is there a start window?

This event uses an interval start, which means that participants are started in waves instead of all at once.

PRICES

PRE-REGISTRATION PRICES
$17 base price
– subtract $5 for CascadeOC members
– subtract $5 for using your own e-punch

DAY-OF-EVENT REGISTRATION
$20 base price
– subtract $5 for CascadeOC members
– subtract $5 for using your own e-punch

Become a member for $5-20

Buy your own e-punch for $38

What’s an e-punch?

An e-punch records your race. At each control, you’ll dip the e-punch into an electronic box, which will beep and flash as confirmation. After you finish, you’ll download the e-punch at the download tent and get a receipt that show which controls you visited and how long you took between each; these are your “splits.”

Part of the fun of orienteering is comparing your splits with people who completed the same course, and discussing the routes you took!

SIGN UP

Online pre-registration closes: at 9pm on Monday, June 13

Day-of-event registration is available by cash or check, made payable to Cascade Orienteering Club

Learn more about volunteering

Volunteers make these events happen! You can volunteer and participate on the same day, plus earn volunteer points to earn a free meet.

LOCATION

PARKING

From SE 248th Street, turn right onto Gaffney Road, which will lead you into the park. There is a large parking lot at the end of Gaffney Road. The event staging area (including registration, start, and finish) will be readily visible a short distance from the parking lot.

CARPOOL

Looking for a carpool? Join the Yahoo listserv and share your request to find a ride.

THE MAP

Lake Wilderness features a mixture of open grassy areas, manicured gardens, and trails in the forest. Distinct features such as fences, buildings, and roads, will help novice navigators. The arboretum area, with its many small trails, provides a fun opportunity for orienteering ping-pong for advanced orienteers.

Read more on the map page

Navigational Challenge: 3/10

Physical Challenge: 3/10

SAFETY & ETIQUETTE

Return to the Finish
All participants MUST return to the finish and download their e-punch or turn in their punch card.

Even if you have not finished your course, you must still return to the the finish and confirm with event staff that you have returned safely.

Out of Bounds
Some areas may be marked out of bounds. It is imperative to respect these boundaries to maintain our relationships with land managers. Participants MUST NOT go out of bounds. Any participant caught going out of bounds will be disqualified.

Course Closure
All participants MUST return to the finish by course closure time. If a participant does not return by course closure, event volunteers will begin coordinating a search party.

If you need a long time on the course, start as early in the start window as possible, wear a watch, and be prepared to cut your course short to make it back by the course closure time.

Whistle
All participants MUST carry a whistle on the course. Complimentary whistles are available at the start tent (please only take one).

If you are injured on the course and need assistance, blow three long blasts to call for help.

If you hear a call for help, abandon your course to find the person in distress.

Voices
Part of the fun and fairness of orienteering is navigating your own course, so please be polite when you find a checkpoint and don’t holler that you’ve found it.