Prince William Forest Night-O

All maps are printed at 1:10,000. The start is along the camp entrance road, near the camp parking lot. The finish is next to the dining hall. If lost, please head west and eventually you'll get back to Route 619 and thereby to the cabin camp or directly to the cabin camp. If disoriented, going downhill will take you to the south fork of Quantico Creek. Following it upstream/west/to the left will eventually get you back to the cabin camp.

The beginner course wends it way along the trails, roads and open areas of Cabin Camps 2 and 5 and the area between them. In daylight, this would be a yellow course, with most of the controls a short distance into the woods from the nearest handrail. Careful attention to where to head into the woods is recommended. Scanning with your light for any reflections off in the right direction once in the vicinity is also likely to be rewarded.

The intermediate and the three advanced courses plunge into the steep spurs and reeentrants east of Cabin Camp 5, between the south fork of Quantico Creek and Route 619. This terrain is similar to much of the western half of the park, with mostly runnable woods but some thicker areas. The map is aging, but gracefully enough that the vegetation mapping is still generally useful for indicating where the visibility and runnability are both reduced. The worst of both is mostly encountered immediately to the east of the cabin camp - please plan your routes through the thicker stuff carefully and take extra care/slow down if needed.

For those who remember last year's night-O at this venue, or who have looked at the Routegadget, the intermediate course is both shorter and somewhat easier. The advanced courses are merely shorter, i.e. very challenging technically for night-O courses. Please pick your course accordingly. Enjoy.

Jon Torrance