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(not available for past events)
Pre-registration is required and will open on Monday, Oct. 13 at 6pm and will close at noon Saturday Oct. 18. There will be no day-of registration.
Join Us For An Adventurous Day of Orienteering!
Join us once again at the Manor Area of Cunningham Falls state park in the Catoctin Mountains. The map contains many charcoal platforms (like the one in the photo), a round flat area along the hillside that is a remnant of a bygone era of charcoal making in the park.
Cunningham Falls is more rugged than many of our other venues, and as a precaution, QOC has again partnered with Austere Medicine Professionals to provide on-site first response in the event of participant injury. The on-site responders will almost certainly arrive faster than calls placed to 911, so, unlike other QOC events, call the Austere Medicine Professionals first if there’s a serious injury. Their emergency number 443-815-4267 will be printed on each map.
The ranger has warned us that snakes, including copperheads and rattlesnakes, are still active in the park. Please be mindful of this as you travel through the woods.
What To Expect
Participants will navigate through diverse terrains, including wooded areas, open fields, and waterways, using a map and compass. This event is designed to test your navigation skills, endurance, and for groups, teamwork. Various courses will be available to accommodate all skill levels:
- Beginner Course: Perfect for newcomers, offering a gentle introduction to orienteering with straightforward checkpoints and kid-friendly terrain. Beginner Instruction will be available.
- Intermediate Course: A bit more challenging, great for those with some orienteering experience looking to improve their skills.
- Advanced Courses: For experienced orienteers seeking a rigorous and demanding course with complex navigation.
What To Bring
Participants should come prepared with the following items:
- Comfortable outdoor clothing and sturdy footwear
- Water bottle and snacks
- Compass and whistle if you have them. Loaners are available if needed.
Park Entrance
The Cunningham Falls Park charges a per-vehicle entrance fee - $3 for MD residents, $5 for out-of-staters. The park has asked QOC to help ensure all participants pay this fee. If you have an annual pass, you're all set. Otherwise, please bring exact change and pay at the park entrance. However, if there’s a line of cars behind you at the entrance, feel free to proceed directly to the event parking area. You can pay the entrance fee at check-in instead—we want to avoid traffic backing up onto the highway. We’ll collect the fees and submit the total to the park. If a ranger states the park is too crowded to enter and tries to turn you away at the gate, since we have a permitted event, please tell the ranger on duty you are attending our event to be let in.
Parking Details
Park in the lot close to the pavilion. If the lot is full, there is another parking lot closer to the park entrance.
Volunteer: Sign up for a volunteer slot via this form or email the Event Director directly for other options.
Groups
QOC allows groups of up to 4 people to orienteer together. Any youth or large groups attending this event should contact the Event Director in advance so that we can coordinate pre-registration for your group. Details and the required waiver form can be found on our For Group Leaders webpage.
Local Orchard
Care to stock up on fruits, vegetables or pumpkins? Pryor's Orchard is located here, just one exit north of our event and will be open until 6pm.
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| Course Details |
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| Course Notes |
Welcome orienteers to Cunningham Falls! This park has very few trails and is seated at the foot of the blue ridge mountains so expect lots of contouring and hillside navigation. Advanced courses start 1.1km and 200m up the main trail and traverse their way down the hillside. Beginner courses start near the aviary/nature center. All of the courses cover rocky terrain so please be careful to avoid ankle sprains. This is an active time of year for snakes, including venomous timber rattlesnakes and copperheads. Please watch where you step as they've been seen frequently. |
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| Registration | Advance registration will be required. The date and time that registration will open will be posted here; usually, registration will open at 6pm on the Monday before the event. |
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| Schedule |
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| Location | Cunningham Falls St. Park, Manor Area, Thurmont, Maryland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Driving Directions |
From US-15, 11 miles north of Frederick MD and 2.7 miles south of Thurmont, turn west onto Cunningham Falls Park Rd. After entering the park, keep following the road around to your left, past the parking lots, playground, visitor center and aviary, then park in the large parking lot at the bottom of the incline south of the aviary. Registration will be in the pavilion near the northeast corner of that parking lot. |
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| Entry Fees | Individual Entries Note: juniors = under 21
Group Entries Participants are welcome to orienteer together as a group (up to the maximum for that event; usually 4). Each member of a group is charged their individual rate as shown above, up to a group total of $30 (maximum), and each receives a map. A group receives one epunch. Individuals or groups desiring to compete on a second course after completing their first can do so for a reduced fee of $2/map subject to approval at the event by the Event Director. Important Notes
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Volunteers
- Event Director : Iva Zicha
- Event Director : Dagmar (Dasa) Merkova
- Course Designer : Glenn Pastel
- Event Director : Joe Pastel
- Course Designer : Glenn Pastel
Course Details
| Course Name | Length (km) | Climb (m) | No. Controls | Scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 1.5 | 90 | 10 | |
| Yellow | 1.6 | 90 | 11 | |
| Orange | 3.5 | 120 | 11 | |
| Brown | 3.9 | 30 | 11 | |
| Green | 5.0 | 40 | 10 | |
| Red | 6.7 | 70 | 14 | |
| Blue | 7.6 | 150 | 19 |
Course Notes
Welcome orienteers to Cunningham Falls! This park has very few trails and is seated at the foot of the blue ridge mountains so expect lots of contouring and hillside navigation. Advanced courses start 1.1km and 200m up the main trail and traverse their way down the hillside. Beginner courses start near the aviary/nature center. All of the courses cover rocky terrain so please be careful to avoid ankle sprains. This is an active time of year for snakes, including venomous timber rattlesnakes and copperheads. Please watch where you step as they've been seen frequently.
The park map has not been updated recently, so many areas of white along the main trail are more appropriately light green. Cunningham Falls is home to charcoal platforms, remnants of the 19th-century iron industry. These flat areas on hillsides were used to build and fire charcoal kilns and, although overgrown, will be used as control features.
Course maps scales will be 1:4000 (white and yellow), 1:7500 (orange and brown), and 1:10000 (green, red and blue).
Registration
Advance registration will be required. The date and time that registration will open will be posted here; usually, registration will open at 6pm on the Monday before the event.
Schedule
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Sunday, October 19
12:30 am - 5:30 am
Location
Driving Directions
From US-15, 11 miles north of Frederick MD and 2.7 miles south of Thurmont, turn west onto Cunningham Falls Park Rd. After entering the park, keep following the road around to your left, past the parking lots, playground, visitor center and aviary, then park in the large parking lot at the bottom of the incline south of the aviary. Registration will be in the pavilion near the northeast corner of that parking lot.
Entry Fees
Individual Entries
Note: juniors = under 21
| Club Member, adult | Club Member, junior | Non-Member, adult | Non-Member, junior |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $5 | $20 | $5 |
Group Entries
Participants are welcome to orienteer together as a group (up to the maximum for that event; usually 4). Each member of a group is charged their individual rate as shown above, up to a group total of $30 (maximum), and each receives a map. A group receives one epunch. Individuals or groups desiring to compete on a second course after completing their first can do so for a reduced fee of $2/map subject to approval at the event by the Event Director.
Important Notes
- If you wish to become a QOC member you should join online in advance 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 will be loaned one for that event. Loaned epunches that are lost incur a $40 replacement fee. Epunches (also known as SI-cards or finger sticks) can be purchased from online vendors 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 (such as car keys) when borrowing a compass or epunch.
- There is no planned, on-site beginner instruction, but beginners are encouraged to watch relevant videos such as this one created by QOC's instructional guru David Onkst
