Primary tabs

Patapsco

January 11
Saturday
Add to Calendar

(not available for past events)

For QOC's first event of 2014 (well, second if you count the rescheduled Patuxent event), we return to the fine terrain that hosted the 2009 Ran-it-Granite A-Meet. Beginner through advanced (white through blue) courses will be offered thanks to course setter Kim Jepsen, and course details (plus - new! - course setter notes) are now posted below. Register anytime between 10:45am - 1:15, start between 11 - 1:30, and be sure to check back in no later than 3pm.

If you will be bringing a large group (youth or otherwise), please contact Event Director Anne Jepsen 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.

Granite Additional information:

  • Parking will be in the large lot of the St. Alphonsus Rodriguez church parking lot.
  • Registration will be in the nearby field.
  • Dogs are welcome, but please keep them on a leash at all times.
  • There are no entrance or parking fees at this venue.
  • GPS watches will be available for loan from Jon Torrance for those who wish to track their routes.
  • Have any questions? Just use our handy Contact Us form.





Players Bar and Grill Post-Race MeetUp Special! The nearby Players Bar & Grill is offering all orienteers who show their map Happy Hour prices on all food and drink, regardless of the actual time. It's both kid friendly and beer friendly - not a common combination! And it's less than 10 minutes from our event, in the Waverly Woods Shopping Center near I-70 and Marriottsville Road (directions are here).

Nearby attractions: Historic Ellicott City offers plenty to see and do, including a French market, a bistro, a coffee shop, a hot dog & ice cream shop, two brewery pub/restaurants as well as the Ellicott City Station of the B&O Railroad Museum, currently hosting a satellite exhibit of 'The War Came by Train', a Civil War special exhibit. Note that the B&O museum closes at 4pm.

Volunteers
Course Details
Course Name Length (km) Climb (m) No. Controls Scale
White 2.9 50 11
Yellow 3.2 90 14
Orange 4.8 170 13
Brown 4.5 150 10
Green 6 225 15
Red 7.5 295 17
Blue 9.2 335 20
Course Notes
The terrain is varied, with open areas that offer a nice contrast to the woods and which will probably be used as route choices for some courses. The woods themselves are mostly open with good visibility. In many areas, particularly in the center and northern parts of the map, runnability is affected somewhat by downed trees/deadfall, which is mostly unmapped. However, because the affected areas are quite large, it is not likely that any route choice in the woods will make much difference in this regard; all the advanced courses will have legs that traverse these areas to some extent.

As was the case during last year’s event at Granite, most mapped rootstocks are some years old and decaying. Rides can often be identified in the terrain by trees that are felled and lie across the ride to block passage (not the work of the course setter…).

The yellow course is perhaps a little more complex than often seen, with two legs that invite the orienteer to follow a small stream to the next control. However, the routes are 'safe' and should not give the orienteer who has a little map-reading experience any problems beyond the usual fun and challenge of navigating the terrain.

The orange course will not have water at any controls. However, there is a water stop at a control shared by some other courses between Orange controls 3 and 4 in an open field and it will be shown on the Orange course maps.

Registration No advance registration required. Just show up and have fun!
Schedule
  • Saturday, January 11
    5:45 am - 10:00 am
Location Patapsco Valley State Park, Granite Area, Woodstock, Maryland
Driving Directions
Patapsco Valley State Park, Granite Area, Woodstock, Maryland
Google Maps Link
Apple/iPhone Link
Park in the large parking lot to the south of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez Church on Old Court Rd. From the Marriottsville Rd exit of I-70, go north on Marriottsville just 0.8 miles and then turn right on Old Frederick Rd (Rt 99). Go east 0.8 miles, then turn left (north) on Woodstock Rd. In 2 miles the church will be on your left, after Woodstock Rd has changed its name to Old Court Rd.
Entry Fees Individual Entries

Note: juniors = under 21

Club Member, adultClub Member, juniorNon-Member, adultNon-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.
  • 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.

Volunteers

Course Details

Course Name Length (km) Climb (m) No. Controls Scale
White 2.9 50 11
Yellow 3.2 90 14
Orange 4.8 170 13
Brown 4.5 150 10
Green 6 225 15
Red 7.5 295 17
Blue 9.2 335 20

Course Notes

The terrain is varied, with open areas that offer a nice contrast to the woods and which will probably be used as route choices for some courses. The woods themselves are mostly open with good visibility. In many areas, particularly in the center and northern parts of the map, runnability is affected somewhat by downed trees/deadfall, which is mostly unmapped. However, because the affected areas are quite large, it is not likely that any route choice in the woods will make much difference in this regard; all the advanced courses will have legs that traverse these areas to some extent.

As was the case during last year’s event at Granite, most mapped rootstocks are some years old and decaying. Rides can often be identified in the terrain by trees that are felled and lie across the ride to block passage (not the work of the course setter…).

The yellow course is perhaps a little more complex than often seen, with two legs that invite the orienteer to follow a small stream to the next control. However, the routes are 'safe' and should not give the orienteer who has a little map-reading experience any problems beyond the usual fun and challenge of navigating the terrain.

The orange course will not have water at any controls. However, there is a water stop at a control shared by some other courses between Orange controls 3 and 4 in an open field and it will be shown on the Orange course maps.

Registration

No advance registration required. Just show up and have fun!

Schedule

  • Saturday, January 11
    5:45 am - 10:00 am

Location

Patapsco Valley State Park, Granite Area, Woodstock, Maryland

Driving Directions

Patapsco Valley State Park, Granite Area, Woodstock, Maryland
Google Maps Link
Apple/iPhone Link
Park in the large parking lot to the south of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez Church on Old Court Rd. From the Marriottsville Rd exit of I-70, go north on Marriottsville just 0.8 miles and then turn right on Old Frederick Rd (Rt 99). Go east 0.8 miles, then turn left (north) on Woodstock Rd. In 2 miles the church will be on your left, after Woodstock Rd has changed its name to Old Court Rd.

Entry Fees

Individual Entries

Note: juniors = under 21

Club Member, adultClub Member, juniorNon-Member, adultNon-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.
  • 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.