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Sunday
New Date! This event, originally scheduled for Jan. 10, is now scheduled to take place Sunday January 17. Let's hope for reasonable weather!
Welcome to the second QOC event of 2016, featuring a full set of classic courses (white/beginner through blue/advanced) courses for you to choose from, courtesy of course setter Kim Jepsen.
A few additional notes:
- BE CAREFUL crossing the park road. Getting to the start as well as to the finish requires crossing the park road, so pay attention!
- We plan on having a fire of some sort going, assuming it's cold enough to enjoy.
- Dogs are allowed in this park and should be on a leash at all times.
- Restrooms will be near the parking/registration area.
- Speaking of parking: carpooling is encouraged for the sake of all park users.
- This section of Patapsco is pretty steep, so take that into account when choosing your course.
- Remember: No Drinking Directly Out of the Water Bottles! Use the provided cups.
- Have any questions? Just use our handy Contact Us form.
As usual, youth groups and other large groups planning to attend this event should contact the Event Director well in advance so that we can coordinate pre-registration for your group; the group registration and waiver form is part of the information on our Group Leaders page.
| Location | Patapsco Valley State Park, Avalon area, Elkridge, Maryland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Registration | No advance registration required. Just show up and have fun! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Start Times | You may start your course at any time between 11 - 1:30. Make sure to be back and to have downloaded by 3pm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Schedule |
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| Volunteers |
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| Location Details |
Patapsco Valley State Park, Avalon area, Elkridge, Maryland
From I-195 exit 3 in Elkridge MD, take US 1 South. Then take the first right, and very soon afterwards the first left into Patapsco State Park. Follow road to park entrance, pay the weekend park entrance fee ($2/vehicle in-state, $4/vehicle out-of-state), and then go left at the T intersection. The Avalon parking/registration area is just after the road curves to the right after crossing the river (near the large playground), and will be in one of the two pavilions.
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| Course Details |
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| Course Notes |
All courses have a 700m walk to the remote start. Also, the finish is remote, and situated on the same path as the start, about 100m downhill from the start. You will pass the finish on your way up to the remote start, so be careful not to punch the finish instead of the start when setting out on your course.
The terrain is nice and runnable, mostly, although there will be sections that have some deadfall and briars. There is some withered stiltgrass in sections of the park, covering fallen branches and stones - bear this in mind when running, since the footing underneath can be uneven. Also note that many of the paths are used extensively by mountainbikers, so please be vigilant and help avoid accidents. Due to the steep terrain along the Patapsco River, most courses have a climb ratio in the 3.5 to 4.5% range (Brown a little more). The Yellow course offers a couple of opportunities to set and maintain a compass bearing, mainly on an open field and for a short distance in the woods to save some distance – if you are getting ready to progress to the Orange level, you could look for an appropriate place to try this out. The Orange course has a couple of legs that will benefit from a precision compass bearing, but with good opportunities to bail out to an open field or a path if needed. |
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| Entry Fees | Individual Entries
Note: juniors = under 21
Team or Group Entries Participants are welcome to compete together as a single team entry. Teams containing one or more nonmembers are charged the nonmember individual rate. Teams containing one or more adults are charged the adult individual rate. For teams to receive member or junior rates, all members of the team must be members or juniors, respectively. Each extra team map beyond the first is an additional $2. Individuals or teams desiring to compete on a second course can do so for a reduced fee of $2/map. Important Notes
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Location
Registration
No advance registration required. Just show up and have fun!
Start Times
You may start your course at any time between 11 - 1:30. Make sure to be back and to have downloaded by 3pm.
Schedule
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Sunday, January 17
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Location Details
Course Details
| Course Name | Length (km) | Climb (m) | No. Controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 2.1 | 75 | 11 |
| Yellow | 2.9 | 135 | 13 |
| Orange | 5.2 | 175 | 14 |
| Beige | 3.8 | 160 | 12 |
| Brown | 4.7 | 230 | 13 |
| Green | 6.1 | 255 | 14 |
| Red | 7.7 | 295 | 16 |
| Blue | 9.9 | 340 | 24 |
Course Notes
The terrain is nice and runnable, mostly, although there will be sections that have some deadfall and briars. There is some withered stiltgrass in sections of the park, covering fallen branches and stones - bear this in mind when running, since the footing underneath can be uneven. Also note that many of the paths are used extensively by mountainbikers, so please be vigilant and help avoid accidents.
Due to the steep terrain along the Patapsco River, most courses have a climb ratio in the 3.5 to 4.5% range (Brown a little more). The Yellow course offers a couple of opportunities to set and maintain a compass bearing, mainly on an open field and for a short distance in the woods to save some distance – if you are getting ready to progress to the Orange level, you could look for an appropriate place to try this out. The Orange course has a couple of legs that will benefit from a precision compass bearing, but with good opportunities to bail out to an open field or a path if needed.
Entry Fees
Individual Entries
Note: juniors = under 21
| Club Member, adult | Club Member, junior | Non-Member, adult | Non-Member, junior | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epunch Owner | $5 | $5 | $10 | $5 |
| Epunch Borrower | $10 | $5 | $15 | $10 |
Team or Group Entries
Participants are welcome to compete together as a single team entry. Teams containing one or more nonmembers are charged the nonmember individual rate. Teams containing one or more adults are charged the adult individual rate. For teams to receive member or junior rates, all members of the team must be members or juniors, respectively. Each extra team map beyond the first is an additional $2. Individuals or teams desiring to compete on a second course can do so for a reduced fee of $2/map.
Important Notes- At the event, we can only accept payment in cash or check; online, you may use a credit card or PayPal account.
- You may become a member at the event or by joining online via this webpage (which also explains the member benefits). Membership is completely optional.
- Most of our events use an 'epunch' timing chip for electronic timing. Individuals or groups without their own epunch pay a higher entry fee (see above), which includes the loan of an epunch for that event. Loaned epunches that are lost incur a $40 replacement fee. Epunches (also known as SI-cards or finger sticks) are usually available for sale at each event as described here.
- Former QOC members who have let their membership lapse pay non-member fees.
- Compasses are available at no charge, but if lost incur a $15 replacement fee.
- Please provide collateral (driver's license or car keys) when borrowing a compass or epunch.
- For additional safety, whistles are available for sale at $1/each.
- Free beginner instruction is always available - just ask at the registration table.
