45 checkpoints are set in gently rolling foothills... runners, cyclists, and hikers
pore over how to find as many as possible and get back under a time limit... and then we
gather you all up and tell you to...
Get Lost!! in Fort Ord
Wild Adventure Hunt
An 8-hour and 4-hour rogaine. On
bike and on foot. A trail run or ride unlike any other!
Gather a team of 2 to 5 explorers; you may go solo in the 4-hour event. We'll
give you four or eight hours to complete a course that no team can possibly finish.
Prioritize and plan a good route to maximize your point scoring. Or just plan to have a
grand adventure! You'll be using a custom-made map with accurate elevation contours and
trails. Find up to 45 or so checkpoints; a compass can be useful.
Get Lost!! in Fort Ord is conducted under a special
recreation use permit on lands administered by the United States Government, Bureau of Land Management.
On 20 April 2012, President Obama signed a Proclamation to designate the
Fort Ord National Monument. The National Monument consists of some of the
last undeveloped natural wildlands on the Monterey Peninsula of California. Fort
Ord was a military base and training area until 1994. Prior to being open to the
public, the area went through an extensive munitions cleanup—but there is still some
unexploded ordnance.
Because of this possibility, and because the National Monument contains
environmentally sensitive areas, we have been asked by the Bureau of Land Management to
stay exclusively on trails that are signed open. Each and every checkpoint will
be on a trail, and the course will be set in such a way that there will not be a
temptation to shortcut. The course will offer a plethora of route choices!
The start and finish will be at Fort Ord National
Monument Day Site. This area is in the interior of the Monument, and roads
leading to it are not open to public driving, except during special events.
Access is from the intersection of Eighth Avenue and Gigling Road in
Seaside.
To get there from most places north, take Highway 1 to Exit 406,
Lightfighter Drive. Take a right on General Jim Moore Boulevard, and shortly
a left on Gigling Road. Proceed to the intersection with Eighth Avenue;
the route will be signposted from this intersection. Remain on Gigling Road
for 1.5 miles (2.5 km) past the intersection. Take a left on Watkins
Gate Road and then an immediate right on Henneken's Ranch Road. Go on
Henneken's Ranch Rd. for 1.8 miles (2.8 km). The road will end at
Eucalyptus Road; take a left onto Eucalyptus, which will become Jack's Road
after Barloy Canyon Road. The Day Site is on Jack's Road. All of this route
is paved, and the total distance from the Highway 1 exit is
8.1 miles (13.0 kilometers). Allow 25 minutes from the highway
exit.
We will use cellphone scoring,
originally developed for our Street Scramble urban
adventures, to record your checkpoint visits. Each team must have at least one cellphone
(a smartphone is not required). Complete details about the scoring method are available.
This event has been made possible by the following businesses and
organizations. We are delighted to offer a sampling of their products as prizes for
this event. Please patronize their offerings and services, and contribute to their
programs:
From 1991 until today,
athletes the world over have come to the same conclusion: GU works. The
Berkeley-based sports nutrition company started with its original GU Energy Gel,
a revolutionary and more effective method to keep athletes fueled during
exercise. Since then, every product has been formulated to further GU's mission:
to help athletes go faster and longer than ever before.
The mission of
Road ID is twofold: One, to educate outdoor enthusiasts about the
importance of wearing ID. Two, to provide these athletes with innovative
identification products that they will want to include as part of their gear.
The dream of Road ID is to see the day where wearing ID is as common among
athletes as wearing a seatbelt is among motorists.
Zanfel Poison Ivy Wash is
the only product clinically shown to remove the plant's toxin, urushiol, anytime
after outbreak of the rash. Zanfel also provides relief from itching in
30 seconds. For most mild to moderate cases of poison ivy, one application
of Zanfel is adequate for each affected area.
o21e—the Official Uniform Provider of
Team USA Orienteering—makes a
line of clothing for adventure running in Los Angeles, California.
Scarborough Orienteering,
aka Orienteer.com, is a leading vendor of equipment. They carry compasses,
SPORTident 1cards, Inov-8™ shoes, and other gear and produce their own line
of o21e suits, club uniforms, and gaiters. Orienteer.com also offers map and
compass instruction and group outings, including orienteering and team-building
training, as corporate offsites.
Get Lost!! in Fort Ord is a rogaine. About 45 checkpoints scattered over the
entire area of the National Monument that is open to the public will be circled on a
map and marked on the ground by orange and white orienteering markers. Each location
will have a scannable QR code and a letter code. You will record checkpoint visits
by either scanning the code with your smartphone, or sending us a
text message with the letter code (a simple cell phone will work with this option).
Each checkpoint has a point value, which is equal to the checkpoint number rounded
down to the tens. For example, Checkpoint 68 would be worth 60 points. The
objective is to score as many points as you can within the time limit by visiting
checkpoints along your planned route. There are point penalties
for returning late. Maps are issued well before the start, so that teams have time to
plan their route.
Most preinstalled smartphone code
reader apps will work with our QR codes. Here's a sample code to try;
on our Androids, it is readable by the AT&T Code Scanner. Scanning this
code brings up the Messaging interface, and you need to hit "Send" to complete the
message.
Instructions on how to use a phone without an app are in the event-day notes.
2. Event staff
Administrative Director: Vladimir Gusiatnikov
Course Designer: Vladimir Gusiatnikov
Cartographer: Vladimir Gusiatnikov
Safety Coordinator: TBA
Communications Chief: TBA
Emergency Medical: Laura Tremaine
Food Chief: TBA
3. The terrain
The terrain of Fort Ord National Monument is gently rolling foothills;
28.6 square kilometers of them are open to the public. The total trail mileage is
86 miles (138 km), and the types of trails include wide paved roads,
fireroads, and twisty, technical singletrack. All trails are open to bike use
(and to foot use). About half of the area is forested, the rest is grassland and
chaparral.
A significant portion of the open hillsides in the southern part of the area harbors
an endangered species, Smith's blue butterfly.
4. Potential hazards
The main hazard is unexploded ordnance. Although BLM staff are very
confident there is none on the official trails, findings of it are regularly reported
off trail. Do not enter trails that are posted closed. Do not approach anything on the
ground that looks manmade, and follow the rest of this guide.
Poison oak is present. This plant produces an oil which
may cause a delayed skin irritation reaction. Know what it looks like, avoid contact, and treat exposed skin areas with
a product such as Zanfel Poison Ivy
Wash. By staying on trail, you won't encounter continuous, extended areas of
poison oak, but there is plenty of it along trail edges, mostly below knee height.
Rattlesnakes may be present if it's warm. They aren't aggressive, but
don't want to be bothered.
There is a small chance of heat-related problems at this time
of the year. The chance of hypothermia is exceedingly small.
5. Participant safety
Participants will be responsible for their own safety while taking part. Of course,
event staff will try to help you if we learn that you are seriously injured or
otherwise need assistance, but there is a good chance you would be waiting a long time
for help, and we don't have the level of staffing or expertise necessary to quickly
and expertly handle many emergency situations that might arise, so your best bet is to
be very careful not to get injured. If you are not comfortable assuming the risks
involved in prolonged exertion while traveling through rugged terrain under various
and possibly unexpected conditions, then you should not take part in the event.
Each person will be required to sign a liability waiver when registering online or
upon checking in for the event. A parent or guardian must sign for a minor.
The organizers are not in a position to review each participant's preparedness to
participate and will not do so. However, if it comes to the organizers' attention that
a person or a team is poorly prepared for the event, the organizers may deny entry to
that person or team in the interest of the safety of all the participants and staff of
the event.
The team aspect of the event is perhaps the best safety instrument. Team members
must stay together within unaided voice distance, and must
approach checkpoints at the same time. Not staying together will yield
disqualification. If you would like additional reassurance, team up with a friend.
There is cell phone coverage by AT&T and Verizon, quite reliable on ridgetops,
less so at the start/finish/parking. Participants are required to carry cell phones in
order to be able to score checkpoint visits. If there is an emergency, call 911
and also notify the organizers. At least one of our cell phones will be reachable; this
number will be on the front of the competition map.
If a team has indicated an emergency, it is the duty of all other teams who
are nearby and hear the distress signal to help the team or participant in
distress.
We are required to have a licensed EMT on site, and there is a possibility there
will be additional medical help. The emergency responder station is at the edge of the
event area, and the National Monument is close to the city of Monterey which has
advanced medical facilities.
Each team will be required to fill out an intention sheet, which is a copy of the
competition map, with their intended route. The actual route taken does not have to
exactly match the intended route. Intention sheets are due at the briefing
15 minutes before the start.
We will provide water on the course. However, to be on the safe
side, all participants should carry enough water to sustain them for three hours.
Consuming enough salt will mean the difference between being sluggish and not
thinking clearly, and being sharp and enjoying the experience throughout the whole
duration of the event. Take salt pills or eat salty food starting at 3 hours into
the event at the latest; 200–400 milligrams of sodium ion per hour are advised.
Drinking only plain water depletes sodium in your body. Other electrolytes may also
help prevent cramps. We suggest carrying electrolyte pills if you plan on participating
in one of the 8-hour divisions.
The safety bearing is east to California Highway 68 and
Reservation Road; this will be noted on the competition maps. If you are using the
safety bearing, please do still stay on open trails!
The map was made in 2012 for Get Lost!! in Fort
Ord. It will be at 1:25,000 scale with 10 m
contours. We will offer high-legibility printing. The whole area will be on a
single map sheet. We do not feel that waterproof paper is needed for this event. We
will provide plastic map cases of appropriate thickness.
Trail widths and their suitability for riding are shown according to the specifications of the International Orienteering Federation for
mountain-bike maps. You will be able to estimate in advance how fast a given trail
is using information on the map. Of course, this is largely irrelevant for foot
participants and teams, but makes a large difference for bikers.
The source of elevation data for this map is Monterey County lidar survey. The USGS processed this data into a digital
elevation model, from which we derived elevation contours. Trail configuration is
from GPS data.
The symbols we use on this map are the same as those we used on the map for the 2012 event. Maps will be printed to
magnetic north, and will have a UTM grid (no indication of true
north).
A. CONTOURS: The contours are the most reliable and
consistent component of the map. The quality of the contour base is uniform throughout
the map, and the absolute accuracy is better than ±10 m lateral, ±2 m
vertical. The contours are unaltered by field survey, which could only make them
worse.
B. TRAILS: All trails are from GPS data; a number of cycling
enthusiasts rode the Fort Ord trails and made their tracks available for download.
We assigned trail grades using high-resolution aerial photos and survey in the terrain
by the 2012 course designer. Closed trails are still shown on your maps, and have
purple X's (which mean DO NOT ENTER) across them.
Trails are continuously rerouted in Fort Ord, new trails are being created, and old
ones, retired. We will have made a GPS survey pass to investigate all trails that are
known to have changes from last year's event.
C. VEGETATION: Passability will not be shown. Open vs. forest
may or may not be shown (it wasn't in 2012). If the open areas are indeed shown, their
boundaries will be from high-resolution aerial photos.
D. STREAMS: The streams are from USGS 7.5' quad data.
E. ROCK AND FENCES: Neither are shown. There are some cliffs
that you can see from trails, but not many in this terrain.
7. Course specifics
There will be about 45 checkpoints, totaling 1600 points. The optimum
distance to get them all will be between 75 and 80 km along the actual
trails. Climb on this route will be below 3% of the distance traveled. We hope
that nobody is able to get all checkpoints, but if really strong mountain bike riders
show up this may not be true.
The number of points awarded for visiting a checkpoint is the first digit of the
checkpoint's code, times 10; for example, Checkpoint 68 is worth
60 points. The penalty for being late is 10 points per minute, or fraction
thereof. Teams finishing more than 30 minutes after the deadline will be
disqualified and will get a score of 0.
Most locations are technically very easy; this event puts emphasis on careful route
planning, including into account the relative speed along various trails, and on
endurance, rather than on navigational prowess. We will assign values to checkpoints
so as to maximize the planning challenge.
Other than the start/finish, there will not be aid stations on the course, manned
or unmanned. There will, however, be unmanned water-only stations (below).
The start/finish will feature an ample supply of energy gels by GU Energy. PLEASE DO
NOT LITTER ON THE TRAILS!!!! If you do, this event may never happen
again.
There will be three or four water stations. These locations may or may not be at
checkpoints. Plain bottled water will be offered, in individual bottles or in
jugs.
There will be a trash bag at each water station. You are allowed to dispose of
your trash into these bags, but not elsewhere on the course other than the
start/finish. There will not be any other drinks, food, or supplements at the water
stations.
Each checkpoint will be equipped with an orange and white orienteering control
marker. There will not be sign-in/intention sheets at checkpoints. Water stations, if
not at checkpoints, will not have orienteering markers.
All checkpoint locations will have been verified with GPS.
All team members must approach each checkpoint within 60 seconds (first to
last) in order to claim credit for the checkpoint.
8. Classes and categories
There will be four event divisions, the 8-hour bike, the 8-hour foot, the
4-hour bike, and the 4-hour foot. Solo competitors are allowed in the 4-hour division,
but not in the 8-hour. The maximum team size is 5 members. A team that has a
member born in or after 1999 must also have a member born in 1995 or earlier.
There will be the following gender classes:
Men;
Mixed; and
Women.
A mixed team is one that has members of both genders.
There will be the following age categories:
Open;
Juniors (each team member born in 1993 or later);
Masters (each team member born in 1973 or earlier); and
Supervets (each team member born in 1958 or earlier).
Every team is eligible for awards in the Open category. Some teams may fall into
multiple age categories. In this case the team is eligible for awards in all
categories in which they meet the criteria.
Logical combinations of the above classifications will constitute awardable
categories, for example, "8-hour bike Supervet Women" or "4-hour foot
Junior Mixed". Categories with few teams will not be consolidated for the
purposes of awards.
9. Scoring, results, and awards
All teammates must stay within unaided voice distance and all must approach a
checkpoint in order to claim credit, within 60 seconds (first to last). If one team
member is unable to continue, the whole team must report to the start/finish. A new
team may be formed and it may then go on the course, but it will be unable to claim
credit for checkpoints already visited.
The number of points awarded for visiting a checkpoint is the first digit of the
checkpoint's code, times 10; for example, Checkpoint 68 is worth
60 points. The penalty for being late is 10 points per minute, or fraction
thereof. Teams finishing more than 30 minutes after the deadline will be
disqualified and will get a score of 0.
Teams will be ranked within their division, age, and gender categories according to their total score. Among teams with
identical scores, the earliest finishing team will be ranked highest. Teams that are
disqualified or do not finish do not get a place.
(Every team that finishes within 30 minutes of
the time limit, and does not break certain rules, gets a score.
You don't have to stay out for the full 4 or 8 hours! You can finish earlier
if you feel like it.)
Upon finishing, team scores will be available near-instantly. Each team will receive
a copy of their score sheet that will contain checkpoint-by-checkpoint split times, the
total straight-line distance traveled, and the approximate climb.
Top teams in all divisions, classes will get prizes from our sponsors. Event results, splits, and RouteGadget will be
promptly made available online.
10. Weather and recommended clothing
August is the foggiest month in coastal California in general, and Monterey
Peninsula in particular. While inland locations may well be in the middle of a heat
wave, temperatures above 70 °F (+21 °C) are unlikely at Fort Ord in
early August. Rain is quite unlikely but possible. A local guide says "In the
summer, always carry a sweater," which, applied to rogaining, means you may want
to consider a long-sleeve shirt.
The Day Site has a shelter, and we will have tents erected, but there are no heated
indoor facilities.
Team members must stay together (within unaided verbal contact) the whole time
they are on the course (Orienteering USA Rule 5.5).
All team members must go to each checkpoint visited by the team (IRF
Rule B16).
All participants are required to respond to a distress signal and to assist a
participant who is injured and needs assistance (Orienteering USA
Rule 10.2).
All participants are responsible for their own safety while they participate,
and participants should make themselves aware of the hazards associated with the
weather, rugged terrain, health risks of extreme exertion, equipment malfunction,
and remoteness from emergency assistance.
Except in case of emergency, all participants must check in with event staff
before leaving the area; in case of emergency, an evacuated participant or her/his
team members should notify event staff of the situation as soon as possible after
attending to the emergency.
Points will be deducted from the scores of late returning teams, and teams
finishing more than 30 minutes late will receive a score of zero
(Orienteering USA Rule 9.1).
A team may be disqualified for infringing these rules
(Orienteering USA Rule 8.1).
Solo participants are allowed in the 4-hour divisions (exception to
Orienteering USA Rule 3.1 and IRF
Rule B1).
GPS devices and altimeters (such as GPS tracking watches) may be
carried on the course (to allow tracking analysis afterward) but not used for
navigation by teams. If carried, any such devices that have a display must be
presented to race officals to be sealed (after tracking is activated, if desired)
before the start. Without going into the details of the sealing method, we can say
that participants with GPS watches and altimeters should plan to carry them, not
wear them. This is an exception to Orienteering USA Rule 5.2
and IRF Rule B7.
Most cellphones nowdays have GPS on them. We will rely on your honor not to use
it to aid your navigation. Remember, the challenge of this event is not as much in
precise navigation as it is in careful route choice that optimizes your
score.
It will not be allowed to have equipment caches arranged for you on the course.
Carry all you may need, including spare inner tubes. (Orienteering USA
Rule 5.8 and IRF Rule B13.) You are also not
allowed to discard trash or unwanted equipment, except into trash bags at the water stations.
Off-trail travel is not allowed. Any participants or teams
seen traveling off trail, or entering closed trails, will be disqualified.
Please observe trail etiquette. Cyclists, yield to foot
travelers; both, yield to equestrians. Friendly, respectful interaction with other
trail users is key to our future ability to use Fort Ord National Monument.
The required equipment is (we may modify this list up to one week before the
event):
Each team must have bottles or other containers able to carry at least
0.5 liters of water per team member.
Each team must carry at least one cellphone (AT&T or Verizon).
Each participant must carry a whistle for signaling in case of emergency
(three short blasts).
Each individual should have clothing appropriate to the weather, accounting
for the possibility of injury or exhaustion.
We will check this equipment before the start. Teams who do not possess it will
not be allowed to start.
12. Suggested equipment
Each team should have a compass, food/energy snacks, salt tablets, a first aid kit,
and a space blanket. For bike division participants, we suggest bike map holders such
as this one.
Event Menu
Food will be served at an appropriate temperature according to the schedule.
Stuffed grape leaves, aka dolma
Super soup
Sausage pasta
Veggie pasta
Chicken breasts
Hot dogs
Veggie patties
Watermelon
Apples and oranges
Muffins, bagels, and pastries
Peanut butter, jellies, and Nutella
Coffee and tea
Just wanted to say
thank you guys for such a fun event. It was a great navigation exercise and an
awesome workout. I have also never been at an event with such great food! I don't
even eat that well at home!
—Stephanie, Team Racing With Giants
2012 Fort Ord Rogaine
Get Lost!!'s inaugural
rogaine at Fort Ord was featured in Episode 202 of
This American Land, a series on PBS. The Fort Ord segment starts at 9:03 in the video, and
coverage of the rogaine begins at 10:18 and is sprinkled throughout the segment.
The style of the map used for
this year's event will be very similar to one used in 2012. The map was printed
at 1:30,000 in 2012, but will be at 1:25,000 for this year's event. All
checkpoints will be shared by bike and foot participants.
Travel and Accommodations
The directions to the start/finish are here. Monterey has an airport, and excellent public-transit
connections with the Bay Area and Southern California.
Orienteering USA has negotiated discounted rates with its sponsor, Choice Hotels.
The closest Choice property is a Comfort Inn in Marina, about 4.8 miles from the Gigling
and Eighth gate, less than 30 minutes of driving from the Day Site (the location of
the start and finish). Hotels in August are at a premium on Monterey Peninsula. At the
time of this writing, members of Orienteering USA were offered rates as low as
$151.99 per night, plus tax. In order to obtain these rates, you must book through the Choice Hotels site and enter
Special Rate ID 00228560 in the "Select Rate" drop-down menu. Lower-priced
Choice properties are available on Monterey Peninsula. By making your booking through
the website and referencing the Orienteering USA partnership code, you will be
supporting U.S. orienteering and rogaining.
We recommend Hertz, an Orienteering USA partner, for car rentals. By booking
through this link, you will be supporting U.S. orienteering. Our discount code
will be displayed on the reservations page.
Entry and Registration
We have a soft limit of about
100 participants, dictated primarily by the size of the parking at Fort Ord
National Monument Day Site. If you pack your car with fellow adventurers, we can accept
more.
We will offer long-sleeve tech shirts with a design similar to this one to the first
50 individuals and teams who enter. All food during and after the event is
included in the registration price.
The design shown is for the 2012 Get Lost!! in Fort Ord. Design for the 2013
event will be different enough that you won't regret obtaining a shirt if you already
have a 2012 Get Lost in... T shirt.
Pre-registration is open. Team members may enter together
(be entered by the same person), or separately. If you would like to go with a team,
but don't know your teammates' names yet, you can enter yourself and other members can
join the team at a later time.
As with all events by Get Lost!!, fees for teams are capped. Three, four, or
five people enter at the team price; each team member gets a map. The price for a team
is determined when the last member joins it; additions after the deadline will increase
the team fee. The fees are:
Although we publish an individual price for the 8-hour
event, everyone who participates in the 8-hour divisions is required to be a member of a
team. The individual price serves as the base for individual discounts, and the team price
is the maximum a team would pay.
If you are unable to attend the event, our fees are fully
transferable to future events. If prices change in the future, we will give you a
complimentary entry into a category that most closely approximates your original
entry.
Discounts!!
On top of these prices, we offer the following discounts:
Family/junior (at least one participant age 20 or under)
–
$10.00 per team
The BAOC and Orenteering USA discounts only apply to
individuals, not teams. For example, a registration for two people who are both BAOC
members will cost less than the team price. A three-person team is always best off taking
the team deal.
These discounts are taken and combined automatically by the registration system. Make
sure to indicate the team association, individual participant's club membership, and the
correct (or at least approximately correct) ages for the team members.
We accept credit
cards online through Google Checkout, and cash, checks, and credit cards on site.
If there is an emergency, call 911 and also notify the Safety Coordinator.
Contact info is on the front of your map.
B. REQUIRED AND SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT
REQUIRED: Bottles or other containers able to carry at least 0.5 liters
of water per team member; Cellphone (AT&T or Verizon); Whistle.
SUGGESTED: Compass; Bike map holder; Salt tablets; Food/energy snacks; First
aid kit; Space blanket.
AID: Three water-only stations on the course with plain bottled water.
C. HAZARDS
UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE: DO NOT APPROACH OR TOUCH ANYTHING THAT LOOKS MANMADE.
Stay on trails. Do not enter trails that are posted closed, and do not enter trails that
are marked as forbidden routes on your map.
POISON OAK: Learn to identify it if you're sensitive, and treat with Zanfel Wash afterwards.
RATTLESNAKES: Do not approach. Do not put your hands or feet where you can't
see them.
D. TIME LIMITS
4-hour event: 2:00 pm
8-hour event: 6:00 pm
E. INTENTION SHEET
Each team and individual participant must mark their intended route on a copy of the
competition map. This so-called intention sheet will be collected at the briefing
15 minutes before the start. Teams and participants who do not provide an intention
sheet will not be allowed to start. It is not critical that the team follow this plan,
however the intention sheet will give us a good idea where to look for a team should it
become missing.
F. TEAMMATES STAY TOGETHER
All teammates must stay within unaided voice distance and must punch at checkpoints
together in order to claim credit. Not staying together will yield disqualification.
G. SEARCH PROCEDURES
At 06:15:00 pm, that is 15 minutes after the 8-hour time limit, we will
generate a list of teams and individuals who have not reported back from the course. We
will take into account information provided by the scoring system, and all cars/shuttles
still missing passengers. We may do so earlier for the 4-hour event. If the list is not
empty, we will first attempt to reach the participants' cell phones and then their listed
emergency contact numbers.
If these attempts are unsuccessful, the cellphone scoring system will determine the
last checkpoint visited by the missing participant(s). We will then retrieve the missing
participants' intention sheets, and use them to narrow down the area to search. We will
then dispatch event staff to this area. Past experience shows that these workers are quite
likely to discover the missing team(s).
If the missing participants are still not found, full-scale search will commence. The
search will be directed by the event's Safety Coordinator or by authorized emergency
personnel.
H. CELL PHONE COVERAGE AND COMMUNICATIONS
Cellphone coverage is acceptable for AT&T and Verizon throughout the entire event
area, except in several low-lying areas.
I. MEDICAL PERSONNEL
There will be a dedicated EMT stationed at the start/finish who will operate a medical
aid tent. The EMT can reach an injured person on the course if necessary.
J. SPEED LIMIT
The speed limit on Fort Ord Public Lands is 25 mph.
K. STAY ON TRAILS AND RESPECT OTHER USERS
Any participant or team seen traveling off trail, entering closed/forbidden trails, or
taking shortcuts will be disqualified. Please observe trail etiquette. Cyclists, yield to
foot travelers; both, yield to equestrians. Friendly, respectful interaction with other
trail users is key to our future ability to use Fort Ord Public Lands.
2. Map, terrain, and course notes
For most extensive map notes, please refer to the map section. A summary, with updates, will be posted here
during the week before the event.
3. Cellphone scoring
Cellphone scoring will be offered for this event. There are two possible ways to
score. Attached to each checkpoint flag is a label with the checkpoint number, a letter
code, and a QR code. To score with
QR codes, you need an app for QR recognition that can send out text messages; most
smartphones come with these apps preinstalled. One such free app is offered by i-nigma.
You should download and install it on your phone before the event—data coverage
at the start/finish is spotty, but voice and texts seem to go through well. When at
checkpoint, simply scan the code with your phone; depending on the app, you may have to
to then hit "Send" in your messaging app. You will then receive a confirmation message
as shown below. Prior to start, you will need to register your phone by scanning a
QR code that comes in your registration package.
A smartphone is not required to score with letter codes, and here's a short
tutorial for scoring with simple text messages. The confirmation message looks the same
for those scoring with texts and with QR codes, but otherwise QR users don't need
to use any of the commands explained in the tutorial—scan and go on your way!
Our receiving phone number is
+1 503 567 8924. (It spells out LOST X24. Hope you
aren't.)
Start with registering your team's cell phone number. You can send us answers from
more than one cell phone. We don't pull the phone number information from your
registration, so this step must be done for at least one phone. From this phone, send
us a text message that says T followed by
your team number. You will find out your team number at check-in, or if you would like
to complete this step early, email us and we'll let you know your team number. For
example, if your team number is 142, text
T 142
You will receive a short confirmatory message. It may take a few seconds for the
system to issue a confirmation to each of your commands and answers, sometimes up to
about half a minute, more if your phone moves in and out of coverage.
After you have registered your team
number, you're clear to head out on the course! And here's how you score checkpoints:
Just send us the checkpoint number and the letter code, in this order or code first,
with or without a space; the answer (as all commands) is case-insensitive. For example,
if the letter code at Checkpoint 35 is P, text
35 P
—or—
35P
—or—
p35
For each answer, you get a short confirmatory message.
You can find out how many
checkpoints you have visited, and how many points they are worth, by texting S?.
The full command set is
R? S? T/T? U
We already went over most of those. The remaining commands
are: R? tells you how long your team has
been on the course; T? replies with your
team number on record; and U is used to
unsubsribe the phone number.
The system is currently on Eastern time. We may or may not
be able to fix that before the event.
Please do not send praise, comments, blame, bug reports, missing
checkpoint notes, or status updates to this number—they are all quite welcome,
but use +1 971 998 0321 instead. They will all be read
and acted upon.
4. Pen-and-paper scoring
If technology fails, write down each letter code on your map. If you also write the
time at which you visited this checkpoint, we will be able to add your split times to the
event data for post-race analysis and RouteGadget.
We maintain a discussion board for all our events on
Attackpoint. Popular among map and adventure-sports athletes in the U.S.,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries, the site is the one to go to for the
latest navigation-sport news, schedules, discussion, and gossip.