2007 NJROTC AREA 8 Orienteering Championship course notes

last update:  January 15, 2007

Oak Mountain State Park is the largest state park in Alabama.  It covers approximately 9,000 acres.  OMSP is located in Pelham, Alabama just a short drive from I-65 exit 246 about 15 miles south of Birmingham.  Oak Mountain State Park charges $3/person to enter the park ($2/person weekdays) which must be paid by all who enter the park.  The speed limit within the park should be observed at all times.

The map will be 8-1/2"x11" at a scale of 1:10,000 with 5 meter contours. The maps will be sealed in plastic bags for protection against the weather.  The map has just been updated (Dec 2006) with a few new root stocks that you might find along some of the routes.  Note that new root stocks appear all the time due to storms and wind.  Although most of the root stocks are marked on the map, you may find some that are not mapped.  The course and the descriptive clues for the course will be pre-printed on each map.  The descriptive clues for all courses will be in symbol form (non-text).  If you are unfamiliar with the descriptive clues, please refer to the following web page for more information: descriptive clues

Tentative master list of descriptive clues (updated 1-15-2007)
All courses will use a subset of these controls.

All orienteers should have their own compass and a whistle (for safety).

Orienteers will receive the map at the start line.  Orienteers will not be allowed to view the map with the course until they have punched the electronic start.  The start / finish area is located near the center of Oak Mountain State Park at mile marker 4 in the park (4 miles from the main entrance).  There will be signs pointing to the start / finish area.  From the parking area, it is a very short walk to the start line.  Only those competitors getting ready to run will be allowed at the starting line.  The finish area is in an open field which provides a good opportunity for spectators to watch/photograph the run from the last control to the finish line.  When an orienteer finishes, their maps will be collected by the finish line officials as long as there are orienteers that have not yet started.  The maps will be available once all orienteers have started on the course.

The start will have one orienteer from each course starting at the same time.  Start times will be staggered by one or two minutes depending upon the number of entries.

The safety bearing for all courses will be northwest.  If you head northwest, you will find the main park road which runs SW-NE through the park.  Head northeast along the road to the start/finish area.  Everyone who starts on any course must check back in at the finish line.  This is mandatory.  All courses have a maximum time limit of 3 hours.  Anyone over 3 hours will be disqualified.  Even if you do not finish or over the time limit, you must check in at the finish line.  All orienteers should carry a whistle with them for safety purposes.  If an orienteer becomes injured and needs help, they should give three blasts of the whistle.  Any orienteer in the area should stop orienteering, respond with a single blast of the whistle and go to the aid of the orienteer that needs help.

The competition area is approximately 600 acres of predominantly old, open, hardwood forest with little undergrowth in most places which afford great visibility.  It is full of hills and complicated ridge/reentrant systems which will challenge the navigation skills of the orienteers.  The good visibility will allow the orienteers to use terrain association to their advantage in quickly navigating through the open woods.  Many of the hills and ridges have steep sides which are covered in leaves making for very slippery footing.  Please be careful. The competition area does not contain many boulders or rocky areas.  The combination of open forest and intricate terrain make Oak Mountain State Park one of the premiere orienteering venues in the United States.

The area includes a small, 15 acre, man-made lake with a rock dam built in the early 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC).  In addition, there are numerous old buildings and ruins that remain from the CCC camp.

There are a few small streams that cross the area.  Normally, these streams are easily crossable in most places.  There are a few footbridges across them which are marked on the map.  The area contains several trails which are used for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.  Please respect hikers, bikers and horseback riders while you are orienteering.

The orienteering control markers are all standard orange/white three sided markers approximately 1 foot square on each side with a blue diagonal stripe.  All the control markers will be attached to a short aluminum stand with the electronic punching unit mounted on top for easy access.  The top of the controls will be approximately 2 feet above the ground.  Pay attention to the descriptive clues provided.  In many cases, you will not be able to see the control marker unless you are within a short distance of the feature indicated or are on the correct side of the feature.  For example, if the description indicated the control is located on the west side of a boulder, you may not see the control marker if you are on the east side of the boulder.

There will be four courses which cross each other many times and may share some common controls.  All orienteers should do their own navigation.  Just because you see someone punching the same control as you, does not mean they are on the same course as you are.  Please review the rules for orienteering.  There will be officials out on the courses monitoring the competition.  Anyone caught breaking the rules will be reported to the jury.  Once you punch at a control, you should leave the control so that you do not give the control location away to others in the area.  The ORANGE, BROWN and GREEN courses will have drinking water available at one of the controls about midway through the course.  Small paper cups provided at the water stop should be used.

Please be prepared for whatever weather may occur on the competition day.  Typically, the January temperature may be in the 30's at night and the 50's during the day making for excellent running conditions.  However, temperatures may be much lower or warmer at times during January.  The competition will continue if it rains, so be prepared.  The competition will continue except in the event of extreme weather conditions that threaten the safety of the competitors.