Course Notes
When: Sunday, June 28, 2026
Registration window 10 am – noon (note this is earlier than our normal EMPO weekend meets)
Where: 190 Spier Falls Rd, Gansevoort, NY 12831
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TLxXAcXZECWoCFiH7
Don’t enter the park at the gate – save your money and legs!
Park your car at Spier Falls/ Moreau “Saddle” Trailhead. This is where registration will take place between 10 am and noon and where I will wait for everyone to complete the course.
If parking is full at the Spier Falls trailhead, please find alternate spots on the dirt road leading to the parking area. If you drive a little downhill (SE) on Spierfalls Rd from the dirt road, you’ll find parking spots on the left hand side under the powerline.
To Start: walk up on the green (“Baker”) trail (heading south from the parking area) until you reach a major trail junction (red trail left and right). This spot is marked by a triangle on your map, and is where your course starts and also ends. The attached map on the right shows the trailhead parking area marked with P and the start with an S. The walk up to the start is about 1 mile and you will climb about 500 feet. As an upside, the course itself will have very little climbs. The start and the finish will be at the same spot.
Start and Finish: The Start / Finish area will have 4 SI boxes:
1 – Clear your stick by inserting in the SI box marked “Clear”;
2 – Check your stick is ready to be used by inserting it in the “Check” box;
3 – Start yourself by inserting your stick in the “Start” box;
4 – Finish by inserting your stick in the “Finish” box when you’ve completed your course.
The controls will have SI boxes programmed for contactless punching. If you’re using an Air Stick please make sure you hear your stick beep at each box. In case of no beep, use your Air stick just like a regular SI stick by inserting it into the SI box hole.
Registration: Please email gabor.bobok@gmail.com the course of your choice and your SI number. If you are not an EMPO member, or if you are a member and need to rent a compass or SI card, please bring cash/check for payment or feel free to pay via PayPal (https://paypal.me/EmpireOC or philht@outlook.com).
The course map is $10 for non-members,, and compass or SI card rentals are $3 and $2 respectively.
Refreshments and Facilities:
There will be no water on the courses and there are no restrooms nearby.
Courses:
Brown – 3.2 km – 10 controls (Short Advanced)
Green – 4.3 km – 14 controls ( Advanced )
Red – 7.2 km – 19 controls ( Long Advanced)
Map Scale:
Brown: 1:5000
Red, Green: 1:7500.
Please note that all maps will be printed on waterproof 5mil, readily foldable paper.
Terrain: The terrain is gorgeous with great visibility, which helps navigation. This help is needed, as the plateau has a very limited trail network. I recommend heavy use of the compass to make sure your direction between controls is what you planned for. Reading larger contour features and marshes (blue striped areas) will also be keys to success on the course. In case you are completely lost, you can always go back to your last known location or follow a direction to find one of the trails that surround the courses. This event will probably be the most challenging local meet as far as navigation goes.
Trails are somewhat narrower than usual, but markers on the trees will help you see them from a distance. Green and Red course participants will see very few trails.