Notes updated on 27 Dec. 2006. Check back as more details may be added.
The Freezer O' - Miami University Natural Areas
The 1:10,000, 5 m contour, offset-printed map is a few years old and you will notice some changes. Note the posted master map before starting. This is a standard local event, and you will probably copy your course from master (off the clock) before starting. White (2.8 km), Yellow (3.5 km), Orange (5.0 km), Brown (4.2 km), Green (5.1 km)
Course Setter: Bill Swift
The Frozen Pig Sprints "A" Meet
The Event Center will be the Western Lodge on the Western Campus of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. Registration for both events, and download of times will be inside the lodge. Facilities: heated cabin with modern restroom.
The scale for both maps will be 1:4000 with 3 meter contour interval. Sport-Ident electronic punching. Unless the ground is completely frozen, metal spiked shoes are strongly recommended. You will cross some roads, parking lots and sidewalks, especially on sprint number one, but you will also cross many grassy and wooded slopes which will likely be wet and slippery.
Course Setter: Mike Minium
(NEW) Control descriptions: You will receive control descriptions 2 minutes before your start. Descriptions for orange+ course are ISCD 2004 symbols. Descriptions for white/yellow are in English. Descriptions will also be on your map, but on Sprint #1, they will be attached to the back of the map. On sprint #2, decsriptions are printed on the front of the map.
(NEW) Special Symbols: Green O - single tree, Brown X - rootstock, Black X and O are miscellaneous manmade objects, as follows: On Sprint #1, black O is a bench alongside a wooded trail, black X in the woods is junk pile, black X in the campus area is a manmade art object or sculpture. On Sprint #2, black O represents Ropes Course or Exercise equipment (sometimes very low, eg a 10 cm. high balance beam, sometimes tall, eg two telephone poles with a high cable between them.), large signs, a bench alongside a trail, and an old campfire circle. Black X represents playground equipment (swing set) in the open areas or a junk pile in the woods. On the Sprint map #1, there are some small squares shown with the building symbol, surrounded by a ring of green, which represent electrical utility boxes. They are about 2 meters by 2 meters, but only a meter or so high, and surrounded by bushes. There are two of these on a small model map which will be available at the event center, and you'll pass them along the walk to start #1.
Sprint Number One: Western Campus. orange+ 2.75 km., (NEW)
white/yellow 2.03 km. The Western Campus and Western
Woods map was originally drawn for 1:10,000 use. For this event,
we've tried to update to ISSOM 2007 standards for sprints. However,
changing the existing 3 meter contour interval to the 2 or 2.5 standard
for sprints was not feasible. Although the map area will not be completely
closed to vehicle traffic, due to the holiday, we expect very few non-orienteers
to be on campus. Orienteers are asked to drive to and from the event
with extreme caution. If possible, please arrive before the first
start at 10:00 and don't leave before 12:30.
This is primarily a campus sprint, although it starts off with a couple
legs through open, mature woodland. If you remember that "white is
allright" and "green is mean", you should do fine in the woods. For
most of this sprint, expect open land with lots of buildings, walkways,
and mature trees. A couple linear patches of thicker woods along
small streams will also come into play. The area is rolling terrain,
with elevated walkways and steps coming into play as well.
(NEW) There
are a few small boulders mapped, and used as controls, which are smaller
than IOF standard. This is southwest Ohio, and any rock we see is
a rare sight, worthy of mapping. So, expect many of the mapped small
boulders to be in the .5 meter range or even smaller.
(NEW) Hiking
trails in the woods are shown with the standard small path (507) symbol,
and foot bridges on these paths are shown with an ISOM 2000 standard (512)
black line.
Start is a short walk of 300 - 350 meters from the lodge; finish is
at the lodge.
Sprint Number Two: Peffer Woods. orange+ 2.75 km., (NEW)
white/yellow 1.58 km Although this map was newly
drawn in 2005 by Vladimir Zherdev, he made every effort to smoothly connect
it to the Western Campus map. So, extensive changes to symbols were
needed to bring it close to ISSOM 2007. Again, the contour interval
remains at the non-standard 3 meters. Again, the mapped area will
not be completely closed to traffic, but you will not cross any roads.
You may cross two or three parking lots, but unless there is snow, they
should be empty. If there is snow, you may have to contend with sledders
in the parking lots and on the course. The area has several mountain
bike trails, but because of the holiday it is unlikely that you will see
any bikers. This area has a ropes course with both high and low elements.
You may have controls in the ropes course area, but please do not climb
on any of the structures. Additionally, a portion of this area is
used for an annual capturing and banding of migratory birds. The
area used is distinguished by several minor paths and linear rough-open
areas. In this area, there are a couple dozen 1" diameter (2.5 cm.)
metal poles, extending about 1.5 feet (0.4 - 0.5 meter) above the ground.
All are visible (not hidden by high weeds), but they could be highly dangerous
if you were to fall on one. We will attempt to cap them with empty
plastic bottles or tennis balls to make them safer and more visible.
Please do not disturb any equipment (metal poles, ladders, etc) that you
might find in this area.
This is primarily a woodland sprint, and most of the forest is young
and very dense. You'll make heavy use of the network of the mountain
bike trails and the meandering paths used to access ropes course elements.
(NEW) As you start
Sprint #2, be sure you go to the correct controls. Check codes carefully!
There are several controls well within 100 meters of each other.
Control circles are close together and connection lines cross each other.
(NEW) Larger
trails in this area are generally about 2m. wide mowed grass, usually with
a bare track, and are shown with ISSOM 2007 symbol 506.1 for unpaved footpath
or track. This new symbol looks a bit like a minor road, except with
gaps in it (like an "under construction" symbol on a highway map).
Smaller trails are shown with the familiar small path symbol (507).
Start is a 600 - 700 meter trail walk from the lodge. From the
finish is a return walk of about 600 meters.
"Midnight in Rio" Orienteering
The Event Center will be the Murnstein Hostel at Governor Bebb Butler County Metropark. Facilities: a pioneer log cabin, heated by wood burning fireplace only. No running water. Portable toilets by the parking lot.
The map is 1:7500 with a 5 meter contour interval. This event will probably use conventional pin punching. Maps will be pre-marked, and will be handed out a few minutes before the mass start.
This will be a 90 minute, score style course with mass start at midnight, Rio de Janeiro time (9 pm Eastern). By special dispensation, all clocks in Governor Bebb will be turned ahead 3 hours and we'll celebrate New Years with Rio de Janeiro! Arrive before 8:30 pm to register and be ready for the mass start. Mass start at 9 pm Eastern time (Midnight in Rio)!
You're never far from trails or roads in this park, except in the northwest corner, where you can lose yourself in rough open fields liberally sprinkled with thorny locust and hedgeapple (osage orange) trees. There are a few rather steep areas, so proceed with caution. Dry Fork Creek (the western and southern edge of the map) can be deep and wet, and crossing is not advised.
CourseSetter: Mike Minium
The Billy Pig - Hueston Woods
The event center will be the lodge at Hueston Woods State Park. Expect the lodge and restaraunt to be busy.
pre-marked (NEW) 1:10,000 maps with 5 meter contours. Sport-Ident electronic punching. Rolling ridge and reentrant terrain, but we guarantee that the wily Pig will find a few of the steepest ravines to give you climbing pleasure. (NEW) Billy Pig will be about 12.5 km, Piglet will be about 7.5 km. Beginner level white course will also be available. The Billy Pig will have 3 forked controls and the Piglet will have two. On your map, you will see two control circles marked (for example 5A and 5B). Connection lines will go from 4 to both 5A and 5B, and from 5A and 5B to 6, but NOT between 5A and 5B. You must choose ONE of these two controls to visit as YOUR control #5. Also, on the Billy Pig and Piglet, you may skip any one control on the course. Choose carefully to make the greatest advantage of your physical and navigation skills.
(NEW) Jon has printed additional notes which will be available at event check-in.
Course Setter: Jon Rauschenbach