Pre-registration is required for this event, opening Monday, Dec. 11 at 6pm and closing Saturday Dec. 16 at 12 noon.
There will be no at-event registration.
Welcome to the Turkey Run Ridge area of Prince William Forest Park for the first of two orienteering events of this weekend--our annual Night O! (See the separate announcement here [2] for the Sunday Day-O on December 17.)
Course setter Gary Smith has designed five night courses: Beginner (On trails--less than 2 kms), Intermediate (a Night "orange"--about 4 kms), and three Advanced courses (of ~3.5, 5, and 7.5km). Our O'events this weekend are taking place on a newly remapped portion of the Turkey Run area map with courses running mostly east of the campground.
We will not have check-in windows for the Night-O, as we do for day meets, but the requirement for pre-registration and pre-payment is otherwise the same. Because of the early onset of darkness in mid-December, we will open check-in and courses at 6pm.
Start your course any time in the 6pm - 8pm window, and be absolutely sure to be back before 10:30pm. Please allow yourself time to drive to the park and complete your course. Traffic on I-95 can be unpredictable.
Because of ongoing construction to update the sewage infrastructure at Turkey Run currently scheduled to go all the way through the month of December, the campground is closed to camping. However, the parking capacity of the campgrounds, as well as the small parking lot, is almost fully available, allowing our orienteering event to go on. Despite the construction we have good news -the rest rooms will be functional at the time of our event!
There may also be some orange construction barrier fencing still in place around the campground. This obstacle will not seriously impede any of the administrative functions of the event. And the course setter has taken it into account in his course design. The impassable area is marked on all course maps. Parking will be in the Turkey Run parking lot and in the parkings spaces allotted to each camping area as usual. Check-in will again be in the small conference room building just adjacent to the gate leading to Old Blacktop Road. When you turn in to the Turkey Run entrance road, look for a parking volunteer wearing a reflective vest for precise directions on where to go. A locator graphic is here [3].
Parking is somewhat limited at the site, so carpooling is encouraged (and will save $). Per-vehicle park entry fee is $20; if the pay station at the entrance is not manned, entry fees can be paid at the park HQ before driving out to the check-in site at Turkey Run or via the NPS app available at this link [4]. (NOTE: the fee for an annual PWF park pass is $35 or $85 for a National Park pass; QOC members may want to consider purchasing an annual pass for this great park, either at a park office or a local REI. Seniors, current or former members of the US Armed Forces and some other categories of park users are entitled to a free passes for the entire National Park System. See this link [5] for details.)
[6]
Volunteer SignUps: If you'd like to help at this event, click here [6] or contact the Event Director [7].
Groups of 8 or more: although you will be pre-registering online, for their awareness please let the Event Director know of your plans and participant numbers.
JROTC units who are planning to come by bus, please contact the Event Director [7] to let them know how many buses you would like to bring. There is limited bus parking space at Turkey Run Ridge, but we will have access to a remote parking area where buses can wait during the event.
Keep in mind:
| Location | Prince William Forest Park, Turkey Run (NightO) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registration | Registration for this event opens at 6pm on Monday Dec. 11 via this link [8]. Registration will close at 12 noon on Saturday Dec. 16 (the day of this night event). Pre-registration is mandatory.
Who's Registered? Check by clicking here [9]. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Start Times | See event text (above). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Schedule | Saturday, December 16
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| Volunteers |
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| Location Details |
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| Course Details | NightO
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| Course Notes | NightO Contour interval for all maps is 5 meters; the map scales are: This event will take place on a section of the park that has been newly mapped by Jon Torrance. It is very detailed and accurate, with lots of vegetation and rootstocks mapped. Only large (>2m) rootstocks have been used as control locations. There is a lot of leaf fall in the park, making trails difficult to see and slopes slippery. The construction around the campground and buildings at Turkey Run should only affect the beginner course. The route from the start to control 1 will follow the outside of the fencing and will be flagged or lit with glow sticks. You will have to step over some obstructions as you walk along the outside of the fence. Some of the Night-O controls are relatively close to Sunday’s day-O controls. The Night-O controls will have reflectors on the bags, but the Day-O controls won’t. So, only punch a control if it has a reflector. Don’t forget to also check the numbers! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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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Links:
[1] https://www.qocweb.org/events/2023/12/16/turkey-run-nighto
[2] https://www.qocweb.org/events/2022/12/10/turkey-run-nighto
[3] http://qocweb.org/sites/default/files/Turkey%20Run%20Ridge%20Directions.pdf
[4] https://www.nps.gov/subjects/digital/nps-apps.htm
[5] https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm
[6] https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0F4DA9A82D6-46168216-pwfturkey
[7] https://www.qocweb.org/contact/Linville/Laura
[8] https://form.jotform.com/233446798342163
[9] https://www.jotform.com/table/233447209053049
[10] https://www.qocweb.org/contact/Smith/Gary
[11] https://www.qocweb.org/contact/Hulett/Karla
[12] http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=loc:38.5827,-77.3737&sll=38.5827,-77.3737&sspn=0.076258,0.086346&ie=UTF8&z=14
[13] https://maps.apple.com/?ll=38.5827,-77.3737&q=PWF Turkey Run&t=m
[14] http://qocweb.org/content/membership-types
[15] http://qocweb.org/epunch
[16] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFJLfLJk9tk