Mason Neck

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March 10
Sunday

Welcome back to the distinctive orienteering terrain of Mason Neck State Park, where the flat coastal woodlands and relatively few easily identifiable features provide a great opportunity to improve your compass work and pace counting. And the 2.5m map contour interval (rather than the standard 5 meters) will give orienteers the chance to develop a heightened appreciation of terrain subtleties. In early March, we'll avoid the onset of the greenery that makes navigating at Mason Neck even more of a challenge!

Ken Walker Jr. has designed a full set of classic courses (white through blue; stats below - and climb is minimal) on the Mason Neck map that received a major updating last season thanks to Jon Torrance. As usual, we will set up the registration site right off the main parking area. Rest rooms are immediately adjacent.

Event registration will be from 10:45am - 1:15pm. Start your course anytime between 11am - 1:30pm, but be back before the courses close at 3pm. There is an entrance fee for the park ($5 (in state) or $7 (out-of-state) per car).

Park Information: Mason Neck State Park is also a great place for exploration on the water or by bike (a very smooth and family-friendly bike path runs through much of the park). Of note:

• Make sure to set your clocks ahead 1 hour for Daylight Savings Time on Saturday night!
• There's an extensive playground adjacent to our registration area.
• Dogs are welcome in the park, but must be on a leash of length 6 feet or less at all times and "with a human on the other end", as a park ranger said.
• April through October: kayaks and canoes may be rented for an hour or all day to explore Belmont Bay and Kane's Creek. It's a great way to see eagles; details are on the park website.

• Alaskan tundra swans over-wintering nearby may still be seen (WashPost article about them is here). The best parking to see them is just before the entrance station to the State Park on the left. It is a mile walk on a dirt path to the best outlook to view them. The other parking lot is straight head on the road past Pohick Bay and Guston Hall, several miles after the turn off to the State Park on the right. The walk is 1 km on a paved trail to another overlook which is further away from where the swans are this winter. {thanks to Sid Sachs for this suggestion}
• Nature Programs for Kids & Families: There are three programs on March 10th at Mason Neck--11am (Ranger at the Blind), 1pm (Wily Coyotes), and 3pm (Rockin' Raptors); details are here.