• Little Truckee Summit OHV/Snowmobile Staging Area (at intersection of Hwy 89 and Cottonwood Rd)

2017 Nav-X Challenge @ Lake Tahoe

Update: Course Setter Notes - Click Here

Quick Info

  • Date: Sunday, September 10, 2017
  • Location:Little Truckee Summit / Tahoe National Forest near Truckee, California
  • Event Director: Mats Jansson (info@navxchallenge.org)
  • Course Setter: Greg Walker
  • Courses:  3 & 6h Map Trek
  • There will also be 4 standard middle distance orienteering courses offered on Saturday by Truckee Orienteering (follow link for more information).

List of Registered Entrants

Follow this link to an updated list of entrants.

Event Summary

The 2017 Nav-X Challenge's fourth event brings us back to the open forests of Tahoe National Forest (Little Truckee Summit).  This beautiful area has nice rolling terrain, mostly forested but runnable and not too steep. Several national orienteering events have been held here, but no event has ever made use of the entire mapped area at Little Truckee Summit - this is a first. Greg Walker from Truckee Orienteering is designing the course. It should be a real treat for anyone who enjoys the high country at the best time of year, whether you are looking for a scenic hike, or an endurance race against some of the best in the west!  Make a weekend of it - participate in a classic orienteering event on Saturday September 9, hosted by Truckee Orienteering (follow link for more information).  

Schedule

Time Long Course - 6h Short Course - 3h
8:00 Event Check-in (and Day of Event Registration)
9:00 Event Check-in (and Day of Event Registration)
9:15 Event Briefing
9:30 Mass Start
10:15 Event Briefing
10:30 Mass Start
13:30 Finish
14:15 3h Awards
15:30 Finish
16:15 6h Awards

New to Map Trekking or Rogaining?

Map Trekking is a “Navigation Sport” that has elements of a few other sports and activities like Trail Running, Fell Running (XC hill running), Hiking, Orienteering and Geo Caching.  More specifically, Map Trekking is a time-based challenge, 2 hrs or more in length, where participants try to score as many points as possible within the time allowed, by visiting checkpoints scattered across a vast, wild landscape.  Participants are free to decide which checkpoints to visit, and in what order.  Typically, a set time is allowed before the start for participants to study the map, and determine their route.  Participants travel on foot and navigate their chosen route using the map and a compass (No GPS allowed except for recording your track).  A late finish comes with point penalties, adding another layer of challenge to the sport.  Checkpoints vary in difficulty and the point value reflects the same, so that easy ones yield a lower point value than difficult ones.  To encourage beginners, course setters typically provide plenty of easy checkpoints near the start and finish location.

Venue / Park Info

The Sierra Nevada mountains of California are world famous for their beauty and wildness. However, almost all of the upper elevations is federally designated Wilderness and therefore forbidden for organized group events or races. Little Truckee Summit is one of the rare, permittable regions around 7000 feet and we are excited to bring you the 2017 NAV-X Challenge #4 at this beautiful venue! The race area has mostly low/moderate undergrowth and steepness, by California standards.  The mapped area supports a map trek up to about 3+ hrs.  What this means is that the 6 hr course will do two loops through the same general area.  The 3 hr course goes through once, like a regular map trek.  6 hr participants: All course planning for both loops is done before the start of the first loop, however, you will not be able to bring the loop 2 map with you on your first loop.  You may take however much time you want on your first loop, but you must return from your second loop within 6 hours, or face penalty points.

About the Map

A very high quality orienteering map, courtesy of Bay Area Orienteering Club (BAOC), most likely printed at 1:15,000 scale

Courses & Divisions

There will be two courses offered:

  • 3 hr Map Trek
  • 6 hr Map Trek

Participants can compete in the following divisions:

  • Junior Male or Mixed (19 & Under, 1-5 person teams, All-male or mixed Male-Female)
  • Junior Female (19 & Under, 1-5 person teams, All-female)
  • Open Male or Mixed (20-49, 1-5 person teams, All-male or mixed Male-Female)
  • Open Female (20-49, 1-5 person teams, All-female)
  • Masters Male or Mixed (50 and up, 1-5 person teams, All-male or mixed Male-Female)
  • Masters Female (50 and up, 1-5 person teams, All-female)
  • Family - Adult+Children (12&under)Family - Adult + children up to 12 yo

Results from this event count toward the 2017 Series Championship.

There will also be 4 standard middle distance orienteering courses offered on Saturday.  See http://www.truckeeorienteering.org/#sept910 for more information about Saturday's event.

Price

Early fees (25% off) through Saturday Aug 26th (via online registration).  Regular fee is August 27th - September 6th (via online registration).  Day of Event Registration is cash only.

Discounts for orienteering club members (BAOC/GCO/etc...), $4 for adults and $2 for juniors.  Discount applied during online registration process.

For family teams (3-hr course only), it is required to have at least one adult (20 & over) and at least one child (12 & under).  Children 12 & under race free.  Children must be registered and accompanied by an adult.

Additional fees to rent an e-punch ($5) and/or compass ($2).  Only one e-punch number or rental request is required per team.  On the registration page, please enter "0" for e-punch number if you are not the first person registering for your team.

Early Registration Regular Registration Day of Event Registration
Course Length 3h 6h 3h 6h 3h 6h
Junior (19 & Under) $15 $25 $17 $28 $20 $33
Adult (20+) $30 $49 $34 $55 $40 $65

Refund Policy

Refund policy: 100% refund up to 10 days before event. Future race credit 1-9 days before event. No refunds for no-show.

What to Bring

Wear what you would normally wear for a strenuous hike in Northern California.  Here are some tips:

  • Sturdy shoes with a good tread
  • Long pants or gaiters
  • Visor hat
  • Compass (you may rent one for $2)
  • ePunch (SI stick with 50 control capacity - you may rent one for $5 if you don’t have one)
  • Pen and maybe a highlighter marker (for marking up your map and making notes)
  • Water (enough for the time you will be out on the course)
  • On the go snacks (energy bar, gel, etc.)

Map and Directions

 

Parking is at the Little Truckee Summit OHV/Snowmobile Staging AreaSouth of Hwy 89 (left side if you are driving North on Hwy 89 from Truckee).  The event staging/start/finish area will be on the opposite side of Hwy 89 from the parking lot, along Cottonwood Rd, approximately 100m from Hwy 89.  From Truckee, take Hwy 89 North for about 14.5 miles.  You will see the entrance to the OHV/Snowmobile Staging Area on your left.