Sumas Training Event

Organizers: Adam Woods (Event Director), Joanne Woods (Course Planner), Stan Woods (Controller), Jules Tough (Membership), Karen Lachance (Membership)

Map: Sumas Mountain

Good news. Sumas mountain map is one of the best "white" runnable forest maps that GVOC has. It is a beautiful area to run! You don't want to miss this event! There is lots of information -so please read to the end.

Driving instructions to Sumas mountain

It takes ~ 1 hour from the Port Mann Bridge to get to the site.

There is a limited parking at the event site, so please carpool as much as possible. To get to the Registration and Start area take exit 95 Watcom Road from Hwy1 and go east 2 km on North Parallel Road and then turn west and follow Lower Sumas Mountain Rd North (it turns into Upper Sumas Mountain Road) and follow for 7.8 km and then turn right onto Batt Road. There is a sign for Sumas Mountain Regional Park about 300 m prior to Batt Road. Then after 1 km on Batt Road turn right again at Taggart Road onto a gravel road. After 0.5 km there is a right turn-off to the Sumas Mountain Staging Area parking lot if you want to use the washroom. From this Staging Area keep on the main gravel road about another 4 km, until you reach the Chadsey Lake Trail Parking Lot at about 4.8 km up from the end of the pavement on the km markers. There is a washroom about 30 down the trail to Chadsey Lake. This is the closest washroom to the event area, which is about 600 meters further up the road. Continue up the road to the Gate about 450 m past the Chadsey Lake parking lot. There is room for 5 or 6 cars to park near the gate, so please park here if there is room. The event registration tent is about 30 m past the Gate and is visible from the gate. Someone will be at the registration tent near the gate to let vehicles past to park along the side of the road, not blocking the road, between the registration tent and about 600 past the gate.

Schedule

YOU MUST CHECK IN and CHECK OUT for the morning session and again for the afternoon session at the start circle on the map.

Registration 9:30

Event fee $10 per person or the usual family event fee. Then move to the training area.

Morning session 10:00 - 12:00 orienteering training for all skill levels. The first session will be on a 1:7500 scale map: Pie exercise. There will be 3 levels of courses: Apple pie for beginners, Blueberry pie for those wanting to improve their skills, and Cherry pie for the more advanced who want more of a challenge. Details of the Pie exercise is below. The idea of the morning training session is to help you read all the details on the map and understand the control descriptions, but not to tire you out too much, so you have energy for the afternoon session. Unless you are on the Cherry pie course!

There will be a second training exercise on the same area but on a map with the 1:10,000 scale to help you adjust for the afternoon event. The second training session - you can choose from a variety of activities: relocation, line-O, map reading, or route choice.

Lunch break 12:00 - 1:00 and then move to a new location that we have not used in the past few years. It will be approximately a 30 minute walk to get from the morning session area to the afternoon session.

Afternoon Session Race simulation exercise with starts between 1:30 - 2:00, using SI timing, so be sure to bring your SI stick if you have one. You will have the opportunity to practice what you learnt in the morning training session. How is this different than a race? You can see the map in advance (only if you want) and plan your route then discuss what handrails and catching features to use. Then you will have the opportunity to go out and re-do the areas you had challenges with. You don't normally get to do this at a race!

Anticipated end time of about 4:00 - and then a delightful uphill walk back to your car!

PIE EXERCISE This exercise is done with a partner. Each set of partners will have a distinctive pin flag that is different from all the other teams pin flags. The start/finish area is located in the center of the map and you return to that location after each control. Person "A" runs from the start to control #1 and puts out the pin flag hopefully in the correct location and then runs back to the central start/finish location. The map is then passed to the second person "B" who runs to control #1 and searches for their team's pin flag - being sure not to pick up another team's pin flag. Once person "B" finds the flag he/she picks it up and moves the flag to the location of control #2 and returns to the start finish. Person "A" then runs to control # 2 and moves it to control #3, returning to the start to pass the map to Person "B" and so on, until each person has run to all the controls on the map. Precision is KEY. You will need to read the control descriptions and place the flag accurately on the feature - your partner can provide feedback as to whether or not you put it in the correct spot!

To vary the difficulty there will be 3 levels of courses.

Beginner (or warm-up) Apple Pie: each person will have a copy of the map so while one partner is out moving the pin flag, the other person can have time to interpret the contours and anticipate what they will see as they run along their planned route. There is flagging tape where the pin flag is to be placed which is labeled "Apple" and also with the control number (i.e. Apple 1), so you can confirm you are in the correct location. While you are waiting for your partner. you can get help from more experienced people if you need help to plan your route, to understand the control description, and how to use "CAR" control, attack point, route. You can walk, jog or run - you choose.

Intermediate (need practice in the forest) Blueberry Pie - depending on your skill level you can share one map between the partners, or each have a copy of the map. Only controls #7, 8, and 9 will have flagging tape to confirm the control location (flagging tape will say Blueberry 7). Controls 1-6 and 10, you will have to figure out on your own. If you need help reading control descriptions - there will be information at the start/finish area. You can choose to use contours or bearings to practice going from control to control. Go at whatever pace you want to.

Advanced (love a challenge) Cherry Pie - Each team will get only one map. The distances to the controls are further from the start/finish area. You will have to figure out where to place each control, as there is no flagging out on your course. To make it more challenging try running between the controls.

Bring you own lunch, snacks and water for the day. No food will be provided.

We anticipate you will want to come for the entire day 10:00- 4:00ish. If you can only come for 1/2 the day - please let us know by adding a comment (morning only, or afternoon only) when you register.

Note - if you arrive late, you may have difficulty finding us in the forest - so don't be late.

Please sign up by Friday. We will print all the maps Saturday morning because we will be spending Saturday on the mountain to prepare for the event and the photocopy shops may be closed by the time we make it home. If you sign up late, we do not guarantee maps for you.

Choose one of the 3 categories:

New to forest orienteering (beginner - have done orienteering in city parks but not much forest orienteering)

Some off trail experience but have room for improvement (anything in between)

Experienced and want a challenge (Elite)