Rules and Notes
The rules for this event are similar to the rules and arrangements for previous Non-Contact events, but there will be differences, so read carefully:
This is a Score-O!
- It will run from New Year’s Day (January 1) through January 31.
- All control locations will be marked by a ribbon, with no number or anything written on it to show the control code; it should be very obvious if you are at the correct control; these ribbons will be standard survey ribbons, some shade of orange (there are some other ribbons around marking trails or who knows what)
- There will be no punching, either SportIdent or physical paper punch
- Timing is on your own, but the UsynligO program has the course, and it will record your split times as long as you hear it chime near a control location (this can sometimes take a little while; be patient, move around for a minute or so)
- In order to successfully “record” that you reached a control, your hand must come within one meter of the ribbon (you cannot just see it in the distance and move on; this makes it more consistent with a normal O event); however, if you get close enough for UsynligO to record it, that is sufficient
- There are no facilities near the course or anywhere on the course
- There will be no water or refreshments or food (bring your own)
- Links to download maps will be sent for you to print (in PDF format) to those who register
- OUSA has sent out some guidelines on how to do these sorts of events; by downloading the map, you agree to the terms of the waiver
- If you don’t have a color printer to produce your map, let me know early enough, and I will mail you one
- Registration can be done via e-mail to me and/or payment can be made via EMPO’s PayPal account, which is linked to my philht@outlook.com address; if you pay that way, I’ll know about it and you don’t need to e-mail me; otherwise you can send a check (see below for postal address)
- It is not required, but it would nice if you would e-mail back to me the time for your course; if you have a watch that does splits, or if you use UsynligO, those might be interesting as well; you can also “share” your route from UsynligO
- Suggested donations are the normal EMPO entries: $5 for members, $10 for non-members; there is of course no way for me to monitor whether or not you have donated, but it would be helpful to the Club if you did.
Score-O Timing and Points Rules - The event is self-timed. There will be no one there to record the Start/Finish of your course.
- Partly because of the self-timing, and partly to allow maximum flexibility, you may choose how long you wish to participate/compete. There is no way to control this, so you can choose how long to participate on the fly. I suggest that you choose a time in the range of 1 hour to 6 hours.
- If you are a Team, you must stay together. You cannot split up and have one person go to one control while another rests or goes to another control; UsynligO will only record one phone at a time on a course.
- You must stay within the red boundary borders shown on the map. We have no permission to enter any private lands. There will be no monitoring of use of private property, and you will not be disqualified if you cross it. But, I have not given you permission, and you might be shot.
- There are 20 controls. Each control is worth 10 points.
- There are no overtime penalties, since you choose you course time.
- There are three “Start/Finish” locations shown on the map, where there is sometimes plowed out space to park; you may use any or all of them. If there is not plowed out space, park along the road, but be VERY CAREFUL, as there are some deep ditches which may not be visible due to being filled up with snow. If you get into one of them, you are unlikely to get out without being towed. Over 35 years, I’ve done that twice. Not fun.
Safety - The area is mostly bounded by roads. The safety bearing is towards the center, so it very much depends upon where you last thought you were. If you run into trouble, get to the nearest road, and work your way back.
- Cell phone coverage is mediocre, so do not count on that as a safety feature.
- While deer season is long over, there are still some hunters going after game birds or small game like rabbits. They have to be very close to their targets, so they are not much of a safety issue. Still, wearing bright clothing is a good idea.
- Ponds and marshes MAY be crossable if sufficiently frozen, but you must be very careful. You are On Your Own in making decisions about crossing them, and you must remember that there is likely no one to help you if you break through the ice.
Map Notes - The full map is printed at 1-10,000, with 5m contours on Legal paper (8.5×14). You are free to blow up portions of it to print at a larger scale.
- This is an orienteering map, not a Ski-Orienteering map or a Rogaine/Snowgaine map. That means:
- Trails are shown in foot-O black, and their different levels reflect the most common uses of those trails:
- The “vehicle track” symbol is used for trails which are wide enough for ATVs or snowmobiles (which are not allowed)
- The “footpath” symbol is used for trails which are narrower;
- The “small footpath” and “indistinct footpath” and “narrow ride” symbols all show semi-open paths which are much less likely to have been recently used by anyone (until this event).
- The town and state lands are outlined in Red, with the tag lines pointing towards the town and state land. This is the only land you are allowed on. There are 3 “in-holdings” shown on the map, which are both surrounded by the red boundary line and marked with the “Out-of-Bounds” symbol.
- Clues are on the map; they should not really be needed. A note about one Clue: I have used the “Ant Hill” clue symbol for a “Beaver Lodge”; this is actually identical to the Dominie map symbol for a Beaver Lodge, and we don’t have a lot of mappable Ant Hills around here.
My e-mail address for any replies or questions philht@gmail.com. And that is the address to use to tell me you plan to attend, so I can send you the map file link. That e-mail address is NOT how you link to donating. You go to PayPal.com, enter my other e-mail philht@outlook.com, and send me money! How easy is that? I do have a list of EMPO membership status, though it is often a bit off, so if you are not sure, let me know, and I‘ll tell you what I have on file or remember. Individual memberships are $10, and Family memberships are $20. Checks should be mailed to:
Philip Hawkes-Teeter
PO Box 8
Berne, NY 12023
I think that covers it. If you have any questions, let me know.
-Phil