Gambrill State Park

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April 30
Sunday

Gambrill

Pre-registration is required and is now OPEN, and will close on Saturday April 29 at 12 noon; there is no day-of registration.

Welcome to QOC's Rogaine, taking place in Maryland's Gambrill State Park and the Frederick Municipal Forest! This will be a 4 hour Rogaine, with 25 checkpoints worth 1 to 5 points depending on factors such as difficulty to find, or frankly, the whims of course designer Michael Dickey. There is no set course, so it is up to each competitor to determine the best route to get the maximum number of points within the allotted 4 hours. Scoring will be based on total points with time used as a tie-breaker. Competitors exceeding 4 hours will lose 1 point per minute or fraction of a minute over 4 hours. So don’t be late!

While this is not an event suitable for beginning orienteers, all others should find this a challenging and fun event. Want to learn more about Rogaines in general? Click here. Note that in contrast to orienteering (where you shouldn't look at your map before you start), in Rogaines you are given time to study the map and plan a route before your time starts. For this event, maps will be distributed at 9am, and you may start whenever you are ready between then and 10am.

Registration Details:

  • Registration is currently capped at 75 starts (individuals and teams); cost is $12.49/pp for members, and $22.49 for non-members.
  • Registration is now open, and it will close when sold out or no later than Saturday April 29 at noon.
  • Solo rogainers and teams of 2 to 4 (max) are welcome. Note that IRF rules require those under 14 be on a team with at least one person over 18.
  • Restrooms will be available near the registration pavilion.
  • Dogs are allowed but must be on leash at all times.
  • Recommended Equipment: whistle, watch (make sure to keep track of your time!), compass and basic first aid kit. Phones are allowed but are not to be used for navigation. [Feel free to take photos to share later though!]
  • Competitors should bring sufficient hydration (and food) for 4 hours, or the means to filter purified water from streams. There is no provided water on the course.
About the Map:
The map is based on recent LIDAR data. It lacks the level of detail and field checking of our orienteering maps, but has more detail than most Rogaine maps! Trails and rides are generally accurate. The mapped vegetation is entirely based on LIDAR and has not been field checked, but generally it's accurate enough to be helpful. Most light green on the map is mountain laurel that isn’t too difficult to travel through. Michael has mapped rock features that he's come across but have most definitely NOT mapped all of them. If mapped it’s there, but the absence of rock on the map does not mean it's rock-free!

Mapped streams are generally reliable and should be fine for filtering if you need water on the course. There are also a few springs on the map suitable for filling large containers from.

Private property, including some in the middle of the map is denoted in olive green. Do your best to avoid those areas. Some boundaries are marked on trees but not all of them are.

The map scale for the course will be 1:15,000 and the contour interval is 5m. There will be 2 maps (an 11x17 and an both 8.5x11), oriented to magnetic north. Clues and point values for each control will be printed on the maps. Plastic map cases should be available.

About the Course:
This is a popular mountain biking area, so be aware that there may be bikes on the trails. Please get off the trail and let them by if you are traveling on trails and see mountain bikers.

There will be 25 controls, consisting of small (6”) markers with pin punches. Total distance to reach all 25 controls is estimated to be 27km+ 22km. Each competitor or team will receive a punch card at the start. We won’t be doing e-punches, so remember to punch your card and don’t lose it! Team members must remain within verbal distance of one another at all times.

Since the start/finish area is at the southern edge of the mapped area, looping back mid-course to access any food or water left at the pavilion will not make sense. Participants should plan to carry everything they will need with them for the duration of their course.

Glory Days Grill Post Event Social: meet after the event if you wish at Glory Days Grill, located here, in nearby Frederick MD. Bring your map and let the manager (Berty) know you're with QOC to receive a free cookie with any purchase!

Schedule:
0830 - Check-in begins. We may have an update on parking depending on the number of registrations, but there is parking near the pavilions (#2 and #3) and near the park entrance just after the Visitor’s Center.
0900 - Distribute Maps
0900 - 1000: Let us know when you are ready to leave and we’ll give you a punch card with your start time. Regardless of when you leave, you have only 4 hours!
1000 - Mass start for remaining competitors
1400 - Courses close.

Have any questions? Feel free to use our Contact Form and ask!

Location

Gambrill SP, Shelter 3, Frederick, MD (Rogaine)

RegistrationRegistration for this event is now open via this link. Registration will close when sold out or no later than at noon on Saturday April 29. Pre-registration is mandatory.

Who's registered? Check by clicking here. Sorting by column is possible - just click on the column name.

Start TimesCheck-in after 8:30am. Maps will be distributed at 9am, and starts are when you wish between 9 - 10am. [Feel free to study the course map and plan your route "off the clock" before you start.]
ScheduleSunday, April 30
9:00 am - 2:00 pmRogaine:
Volunteers
Event Director:Dave Levine
Course Designer:Michael Dickey
Location Details

Rogaine
Gambrill SP
Shelter 3
Frederick, MD
Google Map

Gambrill SP Day-use fee: Maryland residents $3/vehicle; out-of-state residents $5/vehicle. Having exact change ready is recommended.

From Washington: Take I-270 north to Frederick, which transitions into U.S. Route 15, and continue to Route 40 west (West Patrick Street). Exit to the I-70 west/Route 40 split, bear right and continue on Route 40. Turn right on Gambrill Park Road. At the High Knob Scenic Area sign, where the road goes right, go left to the parking areas for Shelter 3 as well as Shelter 2 and the Tea Room.

From Baltimore: Take I-70 west to Frederick and follow to U.S. Route 15 and then to Route 40 west exit. Follow Route 40 west to Gambrill Park Road on your right as above.
Google Maps Link
Apple/iPhone Link

Course DetailsRogaine
Course NameLength (km)Climb (m)No. Controls
Score Rogaine 2225
Entry FeesSpecial Pricing is in effect for this event; see details above.

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.
  • In addition to free on-site beginner instruction if needed, beginners are encouraged to watch relevant videos such as this one created by QOC's instructional guru David Onkst