PWF Happyland Night-O

Printer-friendly versionPDF version

March 26
Saturday

Note: per ARDF.us, this area is embargoed prior to April 6-10 for the 2022 ARDF Championships. As a result, anyone attending this QOC event may not compete in the ARDF Championships.

Course comments are now posted below!

Pre-registration for this Saturday *night* event is required, opening Monday March 21 at 6pm and closing Friday Mar. 25 at 6pm; there will not be day-of registration.

Quantico Orienteering Club will not host our traditional training weekend this year, but we will hold a night-day combo orienteering weekend at the former training weekend location – Camp 5, also known as Happyland, Prince William Forest Park, VA. The Night-O will be held on March 26. See the separate announcement (here) for the Day-O on March 27.

Night-O returns to Happyland on Saturday evening, March 26. Come orienteer in the dark - it's fun, it's instructive, and only a little spooky. We will hold registration in the lodge and you are welcome to change there and leave gear while you run, but due to our COVID precautions, we ask that you wear a mask while indoors, maintain social distance (except for immediate family), and depart as soon as possible after you complete your run. We will not have check-in windows for the Night-O, as we do for day meets, but it does require pre-registration and payment. Start your course any time between 7:30 - 9:00pm, and be absolutely sure to be back before 10:30pm. Course details for the 4 courses (1 beginner, 1 intermediate, 2 advanced - short and long) are posted below.

Parking is limited at the site, so carpooling is strongly recommended (and will save $)! Note that the fee charged for each vehicle has been raised to $20. Although you do not go through the main Park entrance gate to get to Happyland, you are still responsible to pay the entry fee and display the receipt in your parked vehicle. The $20 entrance fee is good for 7 days, so you only need to pay once for the weekend. Since the park office will be closed on Saturday evening, you are encouraged to pay the fee online via this link. (NOTE: the fee for an annual park pass is $35; QOC members may want to consider purchasing an annual pass for this great park.)

Driving directions are also posted below. We have not finalized the parking arrangements for the Night-O participants yet, but we will post the details as soon as they are available. UPDATE: After entering the road to Camps 2 & 5 road from Route 619, turn right at the T-intersection and follow the road until you see the parking guide who will direct you to the correct parking area.

Be prepared to walk up to 800 meters in the dark to the registration area, so have your headlamp or flashlight ready to go. We will try to get closer-in parking, but parking is tight in that area. We will have parking attendants to assist you in parking.

Due to COVID, cabin accommodations unfortunately will not be available at Happyland. If you don’t want to drive home after the Night-O and want to stay for the Day-O, there are several hotels/motels in the immediate area. Just search for lodging in Dumfries.

Groups totaling 8 or more: although you will be pre-registering online (in groups of 4 or less per registration), for their awareness please let the Event Director know of your plans and participant numbers.

COVID Risk Reduction Protocols:

As with all 2021-2022 QOC events, this event requires pre-registration via the link below. QOC’s COVID risk reduction protocols, as also enumerated somewhat here, are in effect. Please read these guidelines carefully. Key points:

• PROPERLY WORN MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING ARE REQUIRED at all times when near registration, epunch and any other areas or queues where volunteers and/or participants are congregating.
• No water will be provided. Provide for your own hydration needs before, during, and after the event.
• There is no planned, on-site beginner instruction, but beginners are encouraged to watch relevant videos such as this one created by QOC's instructional guru David Onkst.

• The size of start teams (groups of individuals orienteering together with one e-punch) on a course must be no more than four (4) individuals (juniors and adults combined).
• Dogs are welcome in this park but must be kept on leash at all times.
• The rest rooms at Happyland will be open for our event. They are in a separate building. Ask in the Lodge for the location.