Patapsco Avalon

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February 27
Sunday

Pre-registration for this Sunday event is required, opening Monday Feb. 21 at 6pm and closing Saturday Feb. 26 at 12 noon; there will not be day-of registration.

Welcome back to the Avalon section of Patapsco Valley State Park, where you'll find fairly typical ridge/valley terrain (similar to the other PVSP areas), with steep hillsides both to the start and on the courses. A full set of courses (white through blue, including beige) will be available courtesy of course setter Kim Jepsen, and full course details are posted below.

To take advantage of the best terrain, there will be two start locations:

• Start 1 is for White, Yellow and Orange courses, and is a 700m walk from our Shelter 105 registration area, up to the runnable terrain;
• Start 2 is for advanced courses (Beige through Blue), and is a 900m walk from the registration area; it also passes Start 1

Important Note: Patapsco Valley State Park has a strict rain policy, which will force us to postpone or cancel the event in case of more than 1/4” of rain within the 24 hours preceding the event. Please check this webpage for possible cancellation notices before traveling to the meet if rain has been falling in the preceding 24+ hours.

This park does collect entry fees, as follows:
- Honor System in effect: $2 per vehicle in-state; $4 per vehicle out-of-state
- Buses: $10 per bus (any vehicle with over 9 passengers)
- Admitted Free: Children buckled in safety seats, senior citizens 62 & older with the Golden Age Pass, people with the Universal Disability Pass for persons with disabilities, members of the Maryland National Guard & all active duty military personnel who display their active military identification card (complimentary access is permitted for card holder only).

Please bring exact change since the park entrance fee will likely be collected using an honor system, and a ranger may not be on duty to provide change. Please remember to pay the fee even if the entry booth is unmanned.

COVID Risk Reduction Protocols:

As with all 2021-2022 QOC events, this event requires pre-registration via the link below. QOC’s COVID risk reduction protocols, as also enumerated somewhat here, are in effect. Please read these guidelines carefully. Key points:

• PROPERLY WORN MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING ARE REQUIRED at all times when near registration, epunch and any other areas or queues where volunteers and/or participants are congregating.
• No water will be provided. Provide for your own hydration needs before, during, and after the event.
• Park restrooms will be available.
• Dogs are permitted but must be leashed at all times.
• 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.

ARDF Radio Orienteering Courses: We will also offer a ten-control "Fox-O" radio-direction-finding (ARDF) orienteering course designed by Mike Kholodov for those who are interested. Click here for more details.

Location	Patapsco Valley State Park, Avalon area, Elkridge, MD (Classic)
Registration	Registration for this Sunday event opens at 6pm on Monday, Feb. 21 via this link. Registration will close at noon on Saturday Feb. 26. Who's registered? Check by clicking here. Sorting by column is possible too - just click on the column name.
Start Times	Start times will be by windows (to be defined for this event before registration opens).
Schedule	Sunday, February 27 10:00 am - 3:00 pm Classic:
Volunteers	Event Director: Anne Jepsen Event Director: Kim Jepsen Course Designer: Anne Jepsen Course Designer: Kim Jepsen
Location Details	Classic Patapsco Valley State Park Avalon area Elkridge, MD Google Map 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.
Course Details	Classic Course Name Length (km) Climb (m) No. Controls White 2.7 100 13 Yellow 2.7 150 13 Orange 5.2 170 9 Beige 4.2 165 10 Brown 5.2 225 11 Green 6.3 265 13 Red 7.5 290 14 Blue 9.1 325 15 ARDF 5.2 220 10
Course Notes	Classic Courses and terrain: Yellow course: Be prepared to judiciously follow short linear features or make shortcuts as alternatives to longer (or long!) detours using paths. If none of the opportunities for shortcuts are used, the total course length is ~5.5km. Terrain: The terrain is nice and runnable in many places, but Orange through Blue courses should be prepared for patches of thorny vines (mainly wineberry) which can be a nuisance. Thanks to mapper Ted Good, some of the worst areas have recently been updated on the map, but we recommend wearing gaiters if you have them. Mapper Notes: 5 meter contours. Map uses 2017 map symbols (one of few QOC maps that uses them). The mapping criterion for rootstocks is 2 meters and above (some older rootstocks will have degraded to less than 2 meters, and not all newer rootstocks will have been mapped). All distinct rocks are mapped. Trails under power lines are hard to see; animals trails not mapped. In the greener areas there are thorns.
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