Cunningham Falls
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PDF versionShareThisOctober 24
Sunday
Pre-registration is required and will open on Monday, October 18 at 6pm and will close at noon on Saturday October 23, the day before the event.
There will be no day-of registration.
Welcome back to Cunningham Falls for the fifth edition of Platformpalooza, which is "an orienteering celebration of that rare in our area but nevertheless humble remnant of the era before fossil fuel dominance, the charcoal platform" (a grassier than usual for this event Scottish examplar of this trace of human impact on the landscape is pictured to the right). Course stats will be available soon.
The park charges a per vehicle entry fee - $3 cash for MD residents, $5 for out-of-staters. If a ranger states the park is too crowded to enter and tries to turn you away at the gate, since we have a permitted event, please tell the ranger on duty you are attending our event in order to be let in. Having the right/exact amount of cash will speed things up for everyone too.
Registration procedures and COVID Risk Reduction policies will follow those outlined in our first event of this season; basically, masks are required other than when you're orienteering.
Cunningham Falls is more rugged than many of our other venues, and as a precaution, QOC has again partnered with the Maryland and Mid-Atlantic Wilderness Rescue Squad to provide on-site first response in the event of participant injury. The on-site responders will almost certainly arrive faster than calls placed to 911, so, unlike other QOC events, call the Rescue Squad first if there’s a serious injury. Their emergency number will be printed on each map.
We also plan to offer MapRun versions of the courses, and participants are encouraged to use that app while out on their courses.
As always, please be off the course no later than 3 pm and remember to download at our e-punch station even if you did not finish. We want to make sure of everyone’s safety and status.
New to orienteering? Make sure to check out our Your First Event and For Beginners webpages, and if they don’t answer any remaining questions you have, just use our Contact Form and ask away!
There will not be any full, on-site beginner instruction, and beginners are encouraged to watch relevant videos such as this one created by QOC's instructional guru David Onkst before arriving at the park.
However, there will be a volunteer on hand to ensure that first-time orienteers know how to get to the start and use the e-punch.
Youth Group Leaders (other than JROTC): please see our For Group Leaders webpage and then contact the Event Director so we can answer questions and coordinate any logistical issues.
Other notes:
Pets are allowed in Cunningham Falls Park.
Reminders:
- there is no water on the course. Participants are responsible for their own hydration. A very limited supply of bottled water for emergency use will be on hand with the Meet Director; but it is vital to stay well hydrated. Please come prepared!
- post-event snacks are no longer provided
Detailed course notes will be provided below before registration opens.
| Location | Cunningham Falls St. Park, Manor Area (Classic) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registration | Registration for this event will open at 6pm on Monday Oct. 18 via this link. Registration will close no later than Noon on Saturday Oct. 23. Who's registered? Check by clicking here. Sorting by column is possible too - just click on the column name. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Start Times | Start times will be by windows (to be defined for this event before registration opens). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Schedule | Sunday, October 24
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| Volunteers |
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| Location Details |
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| Course Details | Classic
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| Course Notes | Classic The map has been updated considerably since last year, but it still does not have the level of detail that most of our maps do. There may be boulders and rootstocks that are not mapped, but I’ve tried to capture the ones that competitors are likely to see. There will still be features that you come across that are not mapped. Some mapped vegetation is based on field checking, but most is still based on LIDAR data; I’ve added green areas that you should pay attention to, but some types of vegetation that result in slower running don't show up on the map. This is steep and rocky terrain; even areas that are mapped as open and runnable will not be as fast as most of our maps. Courses are a bit shorter than normal, but this is not an event to move up a level. Yellow course notes: The yellow course has a section between controls 8 and 12 that has easy to follow linear features, but may be a bit more challenging than most of our yellow courses. It will be worth understanding the mapped linear features and paying attention to them. Emergency services volunteers will be stationed on the mountain near two separate locations marked on the map. There are controls near both locations and emergency personnel will be located near those controls. Participants are encouraged to carry a cell phone. The telephone number to call in case of an emergency will be printed on each course map. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Entry Fees | Individual Entries
Note: juniors = under 21
Group Entries Participants are welcome to orienteer together as a group (up to the maximum for that event; usually 4). Each member of a group is charged their individual rate as shown above, up to a group total of $30 (maximum), and each receives a map. A group receives one epunch. Individuals or groups desiring to compete on a second course after completing their first can do so for a reduced fee of $2/map subject to approval at the event by the Event Director. Important Notes
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