What we’re about
This is a group for people of all ages and abilities who want to use a map and compass to explore new areas and for people who want to compete in true cross country events. Orienteering is a map and compass sport that can be approached as a casual activity or as serious competition. The City of Trees Orienteering Club (CTOC) conducts a meet almost every month of the year in venues as familiar as city parks and as rugged as the Sawtooths. We offer instruction and easy events for novices and opportunities for international competition for advanced orienteers.
More information, links to training videos, and reports from previous meets are available at http://ctoc-boise.blogspot.com/ .
Upcoming events (4)
See all- Hazard MeadowsHazard Lake, McCall, ID
Hazard Meadows is a new map situated to the northwest of the Hazard Lake Campground. There are some important things to keep in mind.
Hazard Meadows is a long drive from Boise. It is north of the Brundage Ski Area and north of Goose Lake. You might want to camp in the area or stay in McCall.As I write this meet announcement in December the meet is proposed on the basis of a promising map derived from 2017 LiDAR and recent Google Earth images. So, at this time it is a prospect that I will need to validate by spending some time exploring the terrain after the snow melts from the road.
In my judgement it will provide excellent intermediate and advanced orienteering with lots of varied features in both intermittent meadows and mountainous terrain. Much of the area is runnable, but there are sizeable parts dominated by fallen trees that advanced orienteers will need to avoid or negotiate. The terrain is otherwise suitable for intermediate and sport courses. No beginner course will be offered.
Cliffs are the predominant feature for control placement and navigation. There are many boulders and a few notable root stocks.
Please RSVP by Wednesday evening, August 20 with name, course choice, and phone number to ensure you will have a map. You can RSVP either in the comments below or directly to MurrayJohnA1@gmail.com .
Liability Waivers:
Non-members please bring printed and signed liability waivers (available for download at ctoc-boise.org/pub/ctoc_ind_waiver.pdf ) from home. We will have blanks if you forget. If you are bringing a minor who is NOT your own child, you MUST bring a waiver signed by their parent or guardian.Sturdy shoes are a must; we also recommend gaiters to protect your legs and feet from brush. Some slopes are steep and unstable. It's not a city park, so safe travel requires attention to your footing on hillsides. A compass is essential for setting and following bearings.
LOGISTICS
When:
Starts from 10:00AM to 12:00AM. Course closes at 2:00PM.
Meet Location:
Meet Start/Finish
Drive north from Goose Lake about 13 miles on US Forest Service Road 50257 to the start about one mile north of the Hazard Lake Campground. Travel beyond Brundage Ski Area is on a graded gravel road that can have a washboard surface if not recently graded.
The Google Map pin below shows the location of the start and finish.
ORIENTEERING-SPECIFIC
Punching at Control:
This meet won't have e-punching.
Courses:
Classic format traveling in sequential order. You're welcome to go at whatever pace you prefer :)
The terrain does not support a Beginner Course.
Until the map and courses are finalized the course description are approximate.
Sport (2.83, 74m elevation gain, 8 controls)
A good choice if it's your first time orienteering or you'd like to develop your navigation skills.
Intermediate (4.03km, 100m elevation gain, 12 controls)
An opportunity to apply compass-bearing and contour-reading in rugged terrain.
Advanced (5.5km, 190m elevation gain, 17 controls)
Same terrain and technical ability as intermediate with a lot more endurance required and enough distance to satisfy that need to run.
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 per the discretion of the meet director depending on printing costs.
CTOC annual membership:
Regular $45 (pays for all local meets).
Family $65 (pays for all local meets).
Join in August for Monthly prorated membership fees:
Month Regular Family
August $19 $27
Membership form and instructions found here.
John Murray
Director - Gold Rush South-WestSteamboat Gulch Idaho City, idaho city, ID
## Details
This is a Classic course format traveling in sequential order on brand new map South of Idaho City. We will try to design something fun so you come back with smiles and happy! You're welcome to go at whatever pace you prefer.
4 regular courses:
1. Beginner Course (stats tbd): Suitable for first comers or those who just started the sport. Predominantly on trails, roads, or along easy to recognize linear features.
2. Sport Course (stats tbd): A good choice for more experienced orienteerers or you'd like to develop your navigation skills.
2. Intermediate (stats tbd): An opportunity to apply compass-bearing and contour-reading in rugged terrain.
3. Advanced (stats tbd): Same terrain and technical ability as intermediate with a lot more endurance required and enough distance to satisfy that need to run.
Keep in mind that these distances are based on straight path distances, not the distance of your travel, that will be longer.LOGISTICS
When: Saturday, September 27
Starts from 10:00AM to 12:00AM. Course closes at 2:00PM. (that means please be back at the start by this time.)Meet Location:
Newly mapped Gold Rush South areas right South of Idaho City along HW21 (snipped of the basemap is above). Keep in mind that it takes about 1-hour drive from Boise to get to the location. Take HW21 to Idaho City, continue on HW21 East past Idaho City for about 1 mile, take right onto forest road NF-203 for ~400 m, take right on first Y split onto, drive ~800 m to the meet center at the large open space near Steamboat sledding and tubing hill.
We will place directional signs where appropriate.The Google Map pin shows approximate location of the meet center.
Please RSVP by Wednesday evening September 24 with name & course choice. You can RSVP either in the comments below or directly to savelichko@yahoo.com.
There is no cell phone coverage in the area.Map and Course Notes:
This is really a world class terrain! Area is very technical pine woods, gold hydro mined areas with lots of small and large re-entrants, spurs, gullies, and other micro- and macro- relief forms. Keep in mind that map is basically a good basemap with little fieldchecking done. Occasional boulders dot the area. These boulders usually 0.5 m to 1 m height. In general, it is about 100 m height mountain side with sandy grounds, open and semi-open pine woods. Significant climb is expected. In some places it may be very steep so watch where you may go safely up or down. Developed net of trails and few major forest roads.
Forest density (green shades) and open spaces (yellow) were derived based on lidar data and are pretty accurate. Dark green is really fight, lighter green allows walk or light jog. Contours are 5 m apart so small details, especially in gold hydro mined areas are not captured, rely on larger features while navigating. Road and trail network was captured almost completely but rear distinction between wide and narrow bike rides. Beginner course is all on trails or along easy to navigate linear features. Sturdy shoes are recommended for advanced courses. Shoes with cleats would be big plus on sandy grounds. A compass is essential for setting and following bearings.PUNCHING:
We will use SI electronic punching. Rent a SI stick for nominal $2 or bring your own.Liability Waivers:
Non-members please bring printed and signed liability waivers (available for download at ctoc-boise.org/pub/ctoc_ind_waiver.pdf ) from home. We will have blanks if you forget. If you are bringing a minor who is NOT your own child, you MUST bring a waiver signed by their parent or guardian.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 per the discretion of the meet director depending on printing costs.CTOC annual membership (all meets are FREE):
Join with Monthly Pro-Rata for membership fees:
Membership form and instructions found here.Cheers,
Sergey - Black Rock Canyon MeetBruneau, Bruneau, ID
Some information from past years, amended for this event.
This is a Classic course format traveling in sequential order. You're welcome to go at whatever pace you prefer.We will have our usual 4 courses:
1. Beginner Course (stats TBD): A good choice for beginners. Due to wilderness of the area we will require any child to be accompanied by a shadowing grownup.
1. Sport Course (stats TBD): A good choice if you'd like to develop your navigation skills and move up from the beginner level.
2. Intermediate (stats TBD): An opportunity to apply compass-bearing and contour-reading in rugged terrain.
3. Advanced (stats TBD): Same terrain and technical ability as intermediate with a lot more endurance required and enough distance to satisfy that need to run.Keep in mind that these distances are based on straight path distances, not the distance of your travel, that will be farther.
This venue does not lend itself to a beginner course, this not a city park venue. There are many varying ground coverings (smooth, sandy, to rocky, to boulders), in addition to steep and rocky cliffs. However, we will try to put something suitable for shorter and easier course to accommodate people who just started the sport. We will publish more information closer to the meet.
LOGISTICS
When: Saturday, October 18
Starts from 10:00AM to 12:00AM. Course closes at 2:00PM. (that means please be back at the start by this time.)
Meet Location:
Ten miles south of Bruneau on the west side of State Highway 51. This is approximately 1.5 hours drive from Boise - but it is worth the time.
Wear gators if you have them. The cheatgrass isn't terrible, but bad enough that is your be glad to have. Grounds may be soft so shoes with cleats may be a good idea. Of course, remember your compass, or bring $1 to borrow one for the day. You definitely will need one to take bearings in this open terrain!There is limited parking at the site. Pease keep that in mind as you come into the turn off and if your vehicle allows, you may need to pull off the road further. Car pooling is encouraged.
The Google Map pin shows the location of the start and finish.
Please RSVP by Wednesday evening October 15 with name & course choice. So we may preprint maps for you. You can RSVP either in the comments below or directly to savelichko@yahoo.com. Limited number of extra maps may be available but do not rely if you didn't RSVP.PUNCHING on the course:
We will use SI electronic punching. You may rent SI stick for nominal $2 or bring your own.There is not cell phone coverage in the canyon, but generally there seemed to be some elsewhere on Verizon.
Map Notes:
The vegetation is simple: scattered sagebrush, rabbit brush, and other species. Cheat grass, never dense, covers the entire area. It was never a problem with gaiters and awn resistant shoes. Basalt outcrops like those pictured above punctuate large areas of flat runnable terrain. The only thing, and it's an important consideration, that prevents the terrain from being 100% runnable is the prevalence of softball-size rocks on much of the venue. Safety requires extra attention to foot placement in many locations. Recommended to tape ankles or wear ankle braces to prevent potential sprains. It also will provide you with more confidence and additional protection from grass and scrub.
Cliffs are the predominant feature for control placement and navigation. It was not very useful to try to map all of the many boulders. Their absence from the map, with a few exceptions, produces what we believe will be a less cluttered and more readable map.Liability Waivers:
Non-members please bring printed and signed liability waivers (available for download at ctoc-boise.org/pub/ctoc_ind_waiver.pdf ) from home. We will have blanks if you forget. If you are bringing a minor who is NOT your own child, you MUST bring a waiver signed by their parent or guardian.Sturdy shoes are a must; we also recommend gaiters to protect your legs and feet from cheat grass . Some slopes are steep and unstable. It's not a city park, so safe travel requires attention to your footing on hillsides. A compass is essential for setting and following bearings.
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 per the discretion of the meet director depending on printing costs.CTOC annual membership make all our meets free:
Join and use Monthly Pro-Rata for membership fees.
Membership form and instructions found here.Yours,
Sergey
