Hemlock

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February 21
Sunday

Kincheloe Parking area

New year, same great Hemlock Overlook terrain, but new parking! Different from previous years, parking and registration will be out of the Kincheloe Soccer Parking area. [Click here for a printable graphic overview.] This should alleviate some of past year’s parking woes, and port-a-johns will be conveniently available.

Aaron Linville has prepared a full set of classic courses (details are below) and made minor updates to the South East edges of the map where advanced and intermediate orienteers will be approaching and departing from; course information will be posted soon.

As usual, everyone must be out of the woods and back at the registration/finish area by 3:00pm when we will begin picking up the controls. See the course notes about the remote start/finish and allow yourself time to get back to the registration area and download regardless of whether or not you finished!

COVID-19 Risk Reduction: QOC’s COVID risk reduction protocols, as also enumerated here, are in effect. Please read these guidelines carefully. Key points:

  • PROPERLY WORN MASKS ARE REQUIRED at all times when near registration, epunch areas or other concentrations of participants or others.
  • Water will not be provided in accordance with QOC COVID-19 risk reduction policies. Please plan for your own hydration needs before, during, and after your run/walk.
  • We encourage everyone to download and use any or even all of the DC, Maryland and Virginia COVID exposure notification apps.
  • Maintain social distancing at all times especially in the designated lines for check-in, e-punch registration, start and e-punch download.
  • 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
Kincheloe Area Overview Additional Event Info:
  • Any groups planning to attend the event or anyone with questions please contact the Event Director.
  • There are no pavilions or park shelters at this registration/parking. Bring appropriate clothing for mid-February.
  • 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 permitted at this event but must be leashed at all times.

    • NOTE: The Captcha function used to contact individuals (as named below) is under repair and is not working. To contact an event director, use the Contact Us form.

    Location

    Hemlock Overlook Regional Park, Kincheloe Soccer Parking, Clifton, VA (Classic)
    RegistrationRegistration for this event will open at 6pm on Monday Feb. 15 - via this link. Registration will close no later than 6pm Sat. Feb. 20 (the night before the event).
    Who's registered? Check by clicking here. Sorting by column is possible too - just click on the column name.
    Need to contact an event director? Use the Contact Us form.
    Start TimesParticipants will register in advance for a specified 15 or 45 minute check-in window (including map pick-up), starting at 9:45am until the final window from 1:15-1:30pm. Each window will be limited to 15 or 45 "starts" (solo individuals or groups).
    ScheduleSunday, February 21
    10:00 am - 3:00 pmClassic:
    Volunteers
    Event Director:Laura Linville
    Event Director:Beatri Bennett
    Course Designer:Aaron Linville
    Location Details

    Classic
    Hemlock Overlook Regional Park
    Kincheloe Soccer Parking
    Clifton, VA
    Google Map

    		From Clifton VA, take Main Street (route 641) south for 1 mile. Then GO STRAIGHT and continue on this road (now called Kincheloe Rd) for another 1.2 miles. The soccer parking area will be on your right.
    A printable graphic overview is available here.
    Google Maps Link
    Apple/iPhone Link
    Course DetailsClassic
    Course NameLength (km)Climb (m)No. Controls
    White 1.8256
    Yellow 2.3355
    Orange 4858
    Brown 4859
    Green 5.721510
    Red 7.527015
    Blue 935020
    Course NotesClassic

    Updated Feb. 17
    Hemlock is a classic park in QOC’s repertoire but changing it up this year, runners will be attacking it from the south east. Runners will get an approximately 700m warm-up heading west along the Bull Run Occoquan Trail (BROT) from the Kincheloe Soccer Parking. The advanced start and finish will be located in the open field along the BROT just before it enters the main area of the park. White/Yellow/Orange runners will be on newly mapped sections around the soccer fields.

    The leaves have long since fallen and are mulching away so visibility is great and the park is fast (when you’re not attempting to run up steep, muddy reentrants). Light green tends to be sparse rhododendron and is unlikely to slow runners down much at all. Mapped rootstocks are accurate but the usual course designer disclaimer that there may be additional unmapped rootstocks in areas of recent deadfall. Courses will avoid the south west peninsula of the park that has grown a little more scrubby.

    The storm on Thursday is likely to leave some snow in shaded areas and orienteers should take care on the steeper, and likely quite slick, reentrants.
    Entry FeesIndividual Entries

    Note: juniors = under 21

    Club Member, adult Club Member, junior Non-Member, adult Non-Member, junior
    $10 $5 $20 $5

    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
    • If you wish to become a QOC member you should join online in advance via this webpage (which also explains the member benefits). Membership is completely optional.
    • Most of our events use an 'epunch' timing chip for electronic timing. Individuals or groups without their own epunch will be loaned one for that event. Loaned epunches that are lost incur a $40 replacement fee. Epunches (also known as SI-cards or finger sticks) can be purchased from online vendors as described here.
    • Former QOC members who have let their membership lapse pay non-member fees.
    • Compasses are available at no charge, but if lost incur a $15 replacement fee.
    • Please provide collateral (such as car keys) when borrowing a compass or epunch.
    • Free beginner instruction is always available - just ask at the registration table. While COVID-19 policies are in effect, please check out instructional videos online such as those mentioned above in lieu of in-person/at-event instruction.