Occoquan
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Sunday
This Sunday event requires pre-registration, opening Monday, Sept. 15 at 6pm and closing Saturday Sept. 20 at noon.
There will be no day-of registration.
We’re heading back to Occoquan Regional Park for a day of orienteering fun! This area offers a mix of open fields, historic landmarks, and challenging wooded terrain that make for an excellent orienteering experience. Rob Field has put together 6 courses ranging from White (beginner) through Blue (advanced), as QOC returns for the first time since 2023. Check out the course stats and notes below to pick your course and then come out, explore the park, sharpen your map and compass skills, and enjoy a great day outdoors with the orienteering community. See you at Occoquan!
Event check-in is at Shelter 4 with parking in the adjacent lot; a locator map is here.
This event is extra special because it’s also part of the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics (NVSO). We’re excited to showcase orienteering as one of the NVSO activities, proving that adventure and competition are for all ages. For more information, please contact Keg Good or Sid Sachs (note: NVSO registration is already closed).
Volunteer: Our club runs on the incredible energy of our amazing volunteers - a massive thank you to those who volunteer week after week! Thanks to you, we’re able to offer an event almost every weekend in the season! We’re always looking for new volunteers to help, so sign up for a volunteer slot via this form or email the Event Director directly for other options.
Post-event Social: details TBD.
Beginners: Make sure to check out our Your First Event and Orienteering Techniques For Beginners webpages, and if they don't answer any question you have, just use our Contact Form and ask. Beginner instruction will be offered at the event.
Group Leaders: Please see our For Group Leaders webpage and then contact the Event Director so they are aware of your plans.
Other notes and reminders:
- QOC will continue to use pre-registration as the ONLY method of signing up for our events. There will be NO day-of, on-site registration. Refunds are paid only in case of event cancellation.
- No water or food will be provided. Participants are responsible for meeting all their own food and hydration needs.
- Restrooms are available near Shelter 4.
- Everyone must be out of the woods and back at the registration/finish area by 3:00pm when control pick-up will start. Allow yourself time to get back to the registration area to download, regardless of whether you finished the course. We want to ensure that all participants are safe and accounted for.
- Pets are allowed but must always be kept on a leash and under the owner’s control.
| Location | Occoquan Regional Park, Shelter 4 Parking Area, Lorton, VA (Classic) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registration | Advance registration is required. Registration will open at 6pm at Monday Sept. 15 and will close at 12 noon on Saturday Sept 20 (the day before the event). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Start Times | Start times will be by windows (to be defined for this event before registration opens). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Schedule | Sunday, September 21
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| Location Details |
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| Course Details | Classic
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| Course Notes | Classic We have a set of classic courses at Occoquan Park featuring moderately hilly terrain with many areas of runnable forest and good visibility. The map is somewhat out of date, especially the undergrowth. Minor updates to the map were made in 2021, but unmarked undergrowth can be thick even in areas mapped as open forest, such as the area along the fence of the closed landfill on the north part of the map (marked as out-of-bounds). Areas of dense vegetation are best avoided by following the marked trails around or through them. Rootstocks are marked with a brown X, but are not all up to date; they have been updated where used for controls. Black X on the map typically indicate large, old manmade debris in the woods, or standalone birdhouses (off-limits) in the fields. All courses except White and Yellow will cross Mordor Drive at least twice. Mordor Drive is a paved road that is open to the public – it is lightly traveled but be sure to look both ways for traffic before crossing. Yellow course orienteers note that one control is significantly away from a trail, but along a distinct ridgeline, which is considered a "linear feature" appropriate for Yellow skill levels. Ticks and chiggers are still active, so be prepared with long pants (and maybe change clothing before the drive home). White, Yellow, Orange, and Brown courses are on a 1:7500 scale map, while Green, Red & Blue are 1:10,000. On both maps, the north lines are spaced 250m apart (rather than typical 300m). NOTE: To fit a longer course on this small-ish map, the Blue course will incorporate a map flip, with the first side containing controls which match those on the Red course; then on the flip side, the Blue course continues with controls matching those on the Brown course. This will allow many competitors to compare their routes with those across other courses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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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