2020 Nav-X Challenge @ Donner Summit - Cancelled

UPDATE 7-6-2020: Event Cancelled to comply with Shelter in Place Order (due to Covid-19 pandemic)

Quick Info

• Date: Sunday, July 19th, 2020

• Location: Donner Summit, California

• Event Director: Mats Jansson (contact)

• Course Directors: Heidi and Bill Cusworth

• Courses: 3 & 6h Map Trek

List of Registered Entrants

Follow this link to an updated list of entrants.

Event Summary

The 2020 Nav-X Challenge's third event brings us back to the Donner Summit area of Tahoe. We will be using an improved Topo map at scale 1:15,000. While not orienteering level detail, this map will have very accurate contours (from Lidar) and pretty reliable vegetation shadings using the very latest auto-draft technologies from OCAD. 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! A great warm-up event for the World Rogaining Champs at Northstar on Aug. 1-2.

Schedule

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 and the terrain is varied. You will encounter just about every possible type of terrain available in the Sierras, like rocky, sandy/pumice, forested, open, chaparral, dense brush, granite slabs, cliffy areas, ledges, creeks, streams, lakes and ponds. There are trails, some of them easy to follow, others a little harder to follow when they traverse granite slabs. There is an abandoned train tunnel! Part of the course will be on ski resort terrain, but we have tried to avoid the most developed parts of these resort areas (where possible). Overall, I would say that while the terrain might be a little slower than typical Bay Area terrain, it’s not horrible by any stretch, and is quite pleasant for the most part. There is a lot of elevation change on the course, but you can design your route to minimize climb quite effectively. This being at the actual Donner Summit, the views are outstanding from many parts of the course.

About the Map

This map was created by merging 2 old BAOC orienteering maps, Boreal Ridge & Donner Ski Area, with 2014 Lidar data and expanding to the Castle Peak area north of I-80.... The Castle Peak area north of I-80 is an "improved Topo" map. However, compared to most such maps, this one will have very accurate contour lines, owing to available Lidar data. In addition, using the latest auto-draft technology in OCAD, vegetation shadings will be more accurate than normal for Topo. The map will be printed in 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 (19 & Under, 1-5 person teams)

• Open Female (20-49, 1-5 person teams, All-female)

• Open Male (20-49, 1-5 person teams, All-male)

• Open Mixed (20-49, 2-5 person teams, mixed Male-Female)

• Masters Female (50 and up, 1-5 person teams, All-female)

• Masters Male (50 and up, 1-5 person teams, All-male)

• Masters Mixed (50 and up, 2-5 person teams, mixed Male-Female)

• Family - Adults (20+) + children (12 & under)

Results from this event count toward the 2020 Series Championship.

Price

Early fees (20% off) through July 5th (via online registration).  Regular fee is July 6th - July 15th (via online registration).  Day of Event Registration is cash or check only.

Discounts for orienteering club members (BAOC/GCO/etc...), $3 for adults (no member discount for juniors).  Discount applied during online registration process.

For family teams (2-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. No e-punch trade-ins allowed (ie. to get a higher punch count e-punch).

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

Coming Soon.