July 20, 2015

Bogus Basin 2015 Results

The Johnson and Wears families prepare to plunge into Intermediate Course navigation

There's a cliff above the parking lot near the Simplot Lodge. The map shows it as impassable. Strictly speaking it's not entirely impassable. Almost any cliff can be climbed, and we now know this cliff is no exception. This particular cliff sits in the middle of the path from Control 10 to Control 11, posing a choice of routes either to the east or west. Madison Thomas informed me that there is a third choice—directly up the cliff. The Thomas family (dad Dustin, mom Heidi, son Quentin and the aforementioned intrepid Madison) finished the Intermediate Course in a respectable hour and fifty-two minutes to earn a fourth place. How much time they saved via the direct route is unknown. Although the things I learn about CTOC orienteers no longer surprise me, they do still amaze me.

Carrie with Kerry Davis
And then there is Carrie Magnuson who finished third on the Intermediate Course. When Carrie reserved a map she was undecided whether to do the Beginner Course or to tackle the Intermediate Course. Carrie's first O experience was Rabbit Creek when she accompanied her Rugby comrade, Kerry Davis. After some consultation Carrie chose to venture onto the Intermediate Course. Well, Carrie demonstrated that she is not a beginner with her third place finish within two minutes of Melanie Wright. Congratulations, Carrie, on a very good first solo run on an off-trail course.

The Wears and Johnson families came to Bogus in much the same situation as Carrie. They had previous experience at the beginner level and decided to take that next very big step up to off-trail navigation. Although they did not finish, they reported that they had fun. We have more of that kind of fun ahead in August and September. We hope to see more of you and share your fun.

Katrina & Kelly at Control 6
Katrina Wright and Kelly Golden are our youngest competitors. They took on the Beginner Course without adult assistance and finished all smiles. This was not your grandmother's Beginner Course. It required some off-trail travel guided only by the map. And it had a control not visible from the trail. So, for those of you who are familiar with OUSA's color scheme, this course in places exceeded the difficulty of white and yellow. Good job girls. There's a lot to learn, and you're doing it. Also, thanks for going back out and picking up the entire Beginner's course.

Sergey, as usual set the pace on the Advanced Course. He kindly provided us with his route. There are red circles identifying the two locations where Sergey lost time. The first loss could be attributed to a boulder that was not mapped. The mapper offers his apology. However, the second location was Sergey's failure to follow one of those indistinct snowshoe trails. Sergey does occasionally have a navigation error. Given the vagueness of the trail and the unreliability of the contours, it's hard to see how at some point he would not.

A respiratory infection held Ben Brock back and rewarded his efforts with a persistent post-race cough. We hope you are feeling better, Ben.

 
Thanks to Michael Bading for picking up most of the Advanced Course controls. And special thanks to my co-director, Melanie Wright, for all of the help from yummy treats to control pickup. It made a big difference.

Next month we have the opportunity to indulge in a weekend of orienteering on two new world-class maps. These maps began with LiDAR contours obtained two years ago. Last summer CTOC hired Alexey Zuev to come from Russia to map Dutch Lake and Trap Creek. CTOC regulars know the high quality of Alexey's work from the many meets, including last month's A-meet, that we've held on the Gold Rush map. If you value the navigation element of orienteering, you won't want to miss these two new maps on August 8 and 9. For those of you who demand a test of endurance, I suspect that the directors, Sergey and Ben, will find some distance and elevation too.

Meet directors,

Melanie Wright
John Murray

July 13, 2015

Announcing the Bogus Basin Meet- July 18

Join us for our fourth orienteering adventure at Bogus Basin. This year's Bogus Basin Meet introduces new courses on a map that has expanded beyond the Nordic area onto two boulder-filled ridges to the west.   Although the advanced and intermediate courses are relatively short in horizontal distance, the vertical will reward strong legs, stout hearts and astute route choices.

So that we can make a reasonable estimate for printing, please RSVP by Thursday to jnm2870@Cableone.net indicating your choice of an Advanced (6K), Intermediate(3.5K) or Beginner map(1.2K). It's OK if you are undecided. Just let us know which maps you are considering.  We will print a few extra maps because somebody will have an unexpected opportunity to participate, but when we run out, that's it.

All three courses (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) begin at the Nordic Lodge. The finish will also be at the Nordic Lodge. The beginner's course will follow roads and trails, but the controls will be off of the trail. They will be easily accessible and within 10 meters of the road. It will be necessary for participants on the beginner's course to identify features like boulders and re-entrants on the map. If you are a beginner and unfamiliar with orienteering map symbols, the meet directors and experienced orienteers will gladly give you a brief explanation before you depart on your adventure.

If you plan to tackle either the intermediate or advanced course, be sure to bring gaiters or some other protection for your legs. Bogus Basin has brush. Full leg cover will prevent a lot of otherwise difficult to avoid scratches or worse. Also, because cut branches on the ground and steep slopes  often make the footing unstable, you should bring sturdy shoes and good judgment about when to be cautious. 

Who: Orienteers of all ages and abilities (beginners to advanced)
When: Saturday, July 18. Courses will be open for starts from 9 am – 11. Courses close at 1 pm. You may arrive within this window to try a course, as participants start separately a few minutes apart.

Finish and Parking Location: Nordic Lodge parking lot.  
http://goo.gl/maps/ZdCNi
Restrooms available at the Simplot Lodge and/or in the parking lot.
Format: Classic
Cost:
  • Single meet (day) dues: $10 per person/team, free for members
  • Single Junior (up to 20 years old): $5 per person/team, free for members
  • If more than one map is needed for a team, a small additional fee may be needed depending on printing costs.

  • You may want to bring: a watch, a compass, a snack, a whistle and a cell phone. (Some compasses will be available to borrow)

    Directors: John Murray/Melanie Wright