Balls Bluff

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February 22
Saturday

Balls Bluff OverlookPre-registration is required and will open on Monday, Feb. 17 at 6pm and close at 12 noon on *Friday* Feb. 21.
There will be no day-of registration.

Welcome back to Balls Bluff Battlefield Regional Park, a National Historic Landmark and the site of Loudoun County’s largest Civil War battle. Event Director Bill Johns and Course Setter Carl Lundgren will have a full set of courses (white through blue) for you to enjoy.

For this *Saturday* event, parking will be at the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), and driving directions are given below. Starting at 9:30am, a shuttle bus will take all orienteers to the registration & start/finish area.

Check in at the reg area will open about 9:45am, and courses will open at 10:00am. As always, be off the course no later than 3pm and remember to download at our e-punch station even if you did not finish. We expect the last shuttle returning to the LDS parking lot to leave at 3:15pm.


Come Join Us! A group of QOC orienteers & volunteers will meet after the event at the Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, located here, just 8.7 miles north of Balls Bluff off of Route 15. Vanish serves a great selection of pub grub - bar snacks, wood fired pizzas, BBQ, burgers, oysters plus more - and features both wine and 20+ beers brewed on site with local ingredients. See the Vanish website for more information.Vanish

Keep in mind:

  • Beginner's instruction will be available.
  • For those new to orienteering, make sure to check out our Your First Event and Orienteering Techniques For Beginners webpages, and if they don't answer any question you have, just use our Contact Form and ask.
  • Group Leaders (of larger groups): please contact the Event Director so they are aware of your plans.
  • While leashed dogs are technically permitted in the park, they are not allowed on the shuttle buses.
  • Port-a-johns will be near the start/finish area.

Location

Balls Bluff Regional Park, LDS Church parking, Leesburg, VA (Classic)
RegistrationAdvance registration is required. Registration will open Monday, Feb. 17 at 6pm and will close at 12 noon on *Friday* Feb. 21.

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Who's Registered? Check by clicking here.
Start TimesStart times will be by windows (to be defined for this event before registration opens).
ScheduleSaturday, February 22
10:00 am - 3:00 pmClassic:
Volunteers
Event Director:Bill Johns
Course Designer:Carl Lundgren
Location Details

Classic
Balls Bluff Regional Park
LDS Church parking
Leesburg, VA
Google Map

Take the Dulles Toll Road or Rt. 7 to the Rt. 15 by-pass in Leesburg. Turn right and proceed for about a mile; turn right on Battlefield Parkway; drive 0.2 miles and turn right onto Ball's Bluff Rd; then immediately turn right into the parking lot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Google Maps Link
Apple/iPhone Link
Course DetailsClassic
Course NameLength (km)Climb (m)No. Controls
White 1.5759
Yellow 2.111011
Orange 3.314012
Brown 4.216011
Green 5.219014
Red 6.222018
Blue 7.930024
Course NotesClassic

All courses (white through blue) start just off the main parking lot. Visibility is clear through the woods, which are mostly open. Some underbrush and thorns are present, so gaiters or thick pants are recommended for the more advanced courses. Contour features are strong throughout, and while courses avoid the river bank, participants should be aware of the high cliff faces along the water. Further precipitation this week may cause muddiness, particularly on trails in and out of reentrants. Course map scales are likely to be 1:5000 for white and yellow, and 1:10000 for orange through blue.
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.
  • Beginners are encouraged to watch relevant videos such as this one created by QOC's instructional guru David Onkst.