Schedule Detail

Sun - Aug 24, 2014 - Hickory Run State Park: Navigate → 🌎   Score-O
Event Director: Rob Wilkison
Course Setter: Rob Wilkison and see choices to Volunteer to help at this event 🙏

Notes: Start area is at the West end of the map in the State Game Lands parking lot

ED/CS Notes:

This event is in Score Orienteering format, which means that rather than going on a pre-set course from point to point, you will receive a map showing a number of controls, which you can go to in any order. The controls have different point values, and competitor is trying to get as many points as possible in a specified amount of time. You must return to the start/finish area at a designated time or face stiff point penalties.

At this event ther will be 25 controls in the woods, all of orange or advanced level difficulty. Each control will have a value of between 3 and 7 points. The value of each control will be based upon the first numeral of the two digit control number. For example control 31 will have a value of 3 and control 63 will have a value of 6.

One additional twist is that instead of having individual starts spread out over a period of several hours, ther will be two mass starts, an early start at 10:30 am and a late start at noon. If you miss the mass start, you can still go out, but you will be treated as if you started with the mass, so that someone who arrives late and goes out at 12:15 pm will still be expected to finish no later than 2:00 pm. The penalty for each minute overtime is 10 points. Control pickup will begin at 2:01 pm.

At the mass start, everyone will be allowed to look at their map 2 minutes before the official start, so try to be ready to go to the start, which is less than 100 meters from the parking area, a least 5 minutes before the mass start.

The event is using the original 1988 Hickory Run map, which has a scale of 1:15,000. Most of the controls are actually in the State Game Lands west of Hickory Run State Park, but some of the further controls are in the Park itself.

Those who were at the meet held in this same area last summer will know that the map has held up very well for its age, but that the vegetation shown is unreliable in some areas, and is generally thicker than shown on the map, although there are still many areas of white woods. The contours and rock features have not changed, but some of the few trails shown in the map have become overgrown, particularly much of the boundary line trail which marked to border between the park and the game lands.

Because of the sparsity of trails and the nature of the terrain, the score course is not suitable for beginners, unless they are accompanied by someone more experienced. In fact this is a good event for groups to go out together, and the mass start means that people should be finishing around the same time, so there should be no long waits for for someone that you traveled with to finish.

An important tip for novice score orienteers is not to try to do to much. It is far better to finish early than try to get \"one last control\" and end up with severe penalties. None of the controls are that close to the start/finish. Ther are few, if any people who will be able to get all of the controls.

There are some streams crossing the area, but they are as low as they ever get and you should not get your knees wet unless you walk through a pool. Some controls are at small ponds, which are currently dry, but they are distinct from the surrounding ground.

Water jugs have been placed at 5 of the controls, but you might consider carrying water so you do not have to visit the water stop controls if there is a more profitable route. Temperatures are predicted to be in the mid-70s with little chance of rain.

Directons: Parking is just off of Pa Route 534 about 1 km south of the Hickory Run State Park exit of I-80 (exit 274) and about 4 miles from the Northeast Extension interchange with I-80. Coming from the Park, the parking area is approximately 5 miles northwest of the Park office on Route 534.

Map Location:

Previous Results from this Map:
  Oct 03, 2021
  Jun 30, 2013

Unless otherwise noted:

Pre-registration is recommended, discounted, and open until Thursday night, before the event.
Day-of-registration is available, at $10 for beginners, and $20 for other courses.

All starts are from 10:00am until 1:00pm unless otherwise noted. Follow the text directions and look for Orienteering road signs as you near the park.

Legend
W	White, beginner level 3km or less
Y	Yellow, advanced beginner 2.5 to 4km
O	Orange, intermediate 3.5 to 5.5km
Br	Brown, Short Advanced 3 to 5km
G	Green, Advanced 4.5 - 7km
R	Red, Longer Advanced 6 - 10km
Bl	Blue, Long Advanced 8 - 14kms
Sc	Score-O
Sp	Sprint-O
Adv	Advanced
	E-Punching
	Confirmed Event
	Special Event
Example O-Signs: