Manastash Ridge Navigation Race

06/11/2023

2, 4, & 8-hour Nav Race

Sunday, June 11, 2023

9:00 AM map handout and 10:00 AM start.

Ellensburg, WA

Northwest Nav Races is hosting a navigation race on a new map of Manastash Ridge, south of Ellensburg, WA! This area is predominantly moderately-sloped erosional ridge and valley terrain, with some mima mounds and some landslide details on the steeper north slope. The vegetation is shrub steppe, mostly sagebrush and grasses with some stands of mostly open pine forest, and there is a trail network that ranges from sparse-to-moderate in the south to complex in the north. Trails are a mix of disused old roads and new, flowy single-track trails used by mountain bikers and runners. A fire in 2020 burned part of the terrain in the south part of the area, so it is even more open than it otherwise would be and can feel a bit like a moonscape. There are breathtaking views of Ellensburg and the Kittitas Valley from the ridgetop.

This is a great area to practice contour reading along with compass skills, since the terrain is mostly open and the visibility good.

Are you new to nav racing? That’s okay! Check out the “First Time?” section to learn how it works. Also, a great way to practice is to attend Cascade Orienteering Club‘s events. The club offers Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced-level courses, plus free beginner instruction before you begin. Cascade’s events are a great way to get acquainted with an orienteering-style map, which uses special colors and symbols to provide more detailed information than the typical USGS map. You can also review this orienteering map legend. And finally, be sure to show up at least half an hour before map issue time to receive a free Introduction to Navigation session on event morning! We’ll provide an introduction to the map, reading contours, basic navigation, and how to use the compass to orient the map.

You can also connect with us by Liking us on Facebook.

Results
Registration
Schedule
Map & Terrain
Driving Directions & Parking
Lodging & Camping
Safety & Etiquette

Results

2023 Results

2022 Results

Registration

	Open (through 5/11)	Early (through 5/25)	Regular (through 6/9)	Day-of-Event
2-Hour Adult (22+)	25.00	29.00	32.00	40.00
2-Hour Adult w/ Child (12/under)	19.00	24.00	27.00	35.00
2-Hour Youth (13-21)	14.00	17.00	21.00	30.00
2-Hour Child (12/under)	11.00	14.00	17.00	25.00
4-Hour Adult (22+)	37.00	43.00	49.00	55.00
4-Hour Adult w/ Child (12/under)	31.00	37.00	43.00	50.00
4-Hour Youth (13-21)	24.00	30.00	37.00	45.00
4-Hour Child (12/under)	15.00	21.00	26.00	35.00
8-Hour Adult (22+)	53.00	60.00	68.00	75.00
8-Hour Adult w/ Child (12/under)	48.00	55.00	63.00	70.00
8-Hour Youth (13-21)	42.00	48.00	56.00	65.00
8-Hour Child (12/under)	27.00	30.00	33.00	40.00

Cascade Orienteering Club Discount
*Members of Cascade Orienteering Club may take off $6 by using code COC#member

Washington Trails Association Discount
*Members of Washington Trails Association may take off $6 by using code WTA#member

Search and Rescue Discount
*Search and Rescue volunteers may take off $10 by using code SAR#thanks

*Discount codes may not be combined.

Online pre-registration closes Friday, June 9, at 11:59pm.

Day-of-event registration is available by credit card, or by exact amount in cash or check made payable to MerGeo.

Schedule

SUNDAY, JUNE 11

7:45am – Registration opens
8:00am – Introduction to Navigation (free!)
9:00am – Map handout
10:00am – Start!
12:00pm – 2-hour Finish
2:00pm – 4-hour Finish
6:00pm – 8-hour Finish

Map & Terrain

The map features were primarily autogenerated from excellent lidar data using the Karttapullautin software, and extensive work has also been done to add the trail network from GPS tracks and aerial photos, as well as some point features. This is an area where visibility is good and contours are important, and the autogenerated map serves well to depict the contours usefully. The automatic classification of the forest vegetation varies in it’s accuracy at depicting ease of passage, however due to the small amount of forest cover and the general openness of much of the forest, this is a minor deficit for this event.

The terrain is predominantly moderately-sloped erosional ridge and valley terrain, with some mima mounds and some landslide details on the steeper north slope. The start and finish are near the southern edge of the area, and the ground generally slopes gently-to-moderately upward toward the ridge toward the north, falling more steeply to the floor of the Kittitas Valley on the north side of the ridge.

The vegetation is shrub steppe, mostly sagebrush and grasses with some stands of mostly open pine forest, with some thicker areas of close-together branches or understory vegetation. The trail network ranges from sparse-to-moderate in the south to complex in the north, and trails are a mix of current dirt/gravel service roads, disused old roads and new, flowy single-track trails used by mountain bikers and runners.

Apart from the trails, there are some remnants of ranching use: old watering troughs and dammed watering ponds in valley bottoms. A fire in 2020 burned part of the terrain in the south part of the area, so it is even more open than it otherwise would be and can feel a bit like a moonscape.

Driving Directions & Parking

The check-in, start, and finish are on the south side of Manastash Ridge, along Umptanum Road.

If you put the address 13800 Umptanum Road, Selah, WA into Google Maps, it finds the spot where the check-in, start, and finish will be located.

Please park as far to the right side of the road as practical and as directed by staff. We will have parking along the north side of the road.

A Discover Pass is required to park on state lands. One day passes are NOT sold on-site, therefore you must pre-purchase your pass ahead of time. Here are lists that show two retail locations and three sport licensing locations in Ellensburg where you can buy your pass ahead of time.

Here is a map you can use to get directions (Google Maps) to the event.

Lodging & Camping

CAMPING
While there are no official campgrounds close to the start/finish area, camping is generally allowed on Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife lands, so you could set up a tent or park your camper vehicle in the vicinity of the event location. The ground is often somewhat rocky, and there is no water or other facilities there, however we will have portable toilets brought in for the event. If you camp at the event site, you should plan to be self-sufficient, avoid trampling areas with vegetation, and pack out your trash.

There are some federal Bureau of Land Management campgrounds and a private campground in Yakima River Canyon, over half an hour from the start, however they appear to be fully booked for Memorial Day weekend, with just a handful of non-reservable sites available on a walk-up basis at the federal sites.

There are a few RV parks in or near Ellensburg, and we don’t know their availability.

HOTELS
If you prefer warmer and softer accommodations, Ellensburg is just a 15-minute drive from the start and offers numerous hotel options.

We have not vetted most of the various establishments, so we encourage you to research the options to your own satisfaction before you book.

Safety & Etiquette

WATER
There will be water at some locations throughout the course, however we ask that you start out carrying your own, as supplies are limited, and it could be a long time between water stops, depending upon ones route.

RESPIRATORY VIRUS SAFETY
Outdoors settings are generally very low risk for respiratory virus transmission. Please stay home if you are sick and contagious. We no longer ask participants to wear a mask, but you are welcome to do so if you wish to reduce your personal risk. Our staff are vaccinated.

OTHER USERS
The trails and roads will be open to other users during the event, including motorcycles and automobiles (on the roads), pedestrians, cyclists, and equestrians (horseback riders). Please be courteous. Horses have the right of way, and if you encounter a horse in your path, stop running and talk to the rider and/or horse in a friendly voice, so that the horse knows you are not threatening; you will probably need to step to the side of the trail to let the horse past, but sometimes the rider will tell you it is okay to walk past. The amount of trail traffic will depend upon the weather.

Some dirt roads within the area traversed by the course have traffic. Please be alert for vehicles.

DOGS
Dogs are allowed on-leash only at this event. Since not everyone is comfortable interacting with dogs, please only bring your dog with you on the course if you can ensure that it does not approach or otherwise interfere with other participants. Also, spring is nesting season, so pets need to be supervised, so as not to interfere with any nests that might be discovered.

EMERGENCIES
Participants are responsible for their own safety while participating, and the organizers are neither qualified nor equipped to render medical care in the event of a serious injury. In case of an emergency, call 9-1-1. You are encouraged to bring a cell phone with you as a safety precaution, if you wish; though know that you may not have cell reception while out on the course or even at the start/finish area.