Welcome to the Sabiston Creek Map and the WCOC Long event
SCHEDULE
Registration desk at the Sabiston arena will open at 8am
Start times: 9am.
Maximum time allowed is 180 minutes for all Long courses.
Courses close at 2 pm for the Long
Distance to Long Start from arena: 500m on good trail allow 10 minutes.
Getting to the events
The event centre is 9 km north of the junction of Sabiston Creek Road and Highway 1 a few hundred meters west of bridge that crosses the Thompson River at the west end of Kamloops Lake and about 2k from the west access to Savona and the access to Steelhead Provincial Park. The road is signposted to Tranquille, Red Lake, Criss Creek and Copper Creek. Turn North on the road. It is winding, steep and rough in places, and is likely to be dusty especially on the hairpin bends. The road is suitable for highway vehicles. Kilometer markers are attached to trees at 7km and beyond. The model map start is at 7.5 km.
Savona is the nearest community, east of the bridge and the Sabiston Creek road. The hamlet has a school, a gas station and small store, a licensed diner (Millers Crossing) beside the gas station, a pub, a community hall and a swimming beach and picnic area beside the hall. There is a “boil water” advisory in Savona at the time of writing and you can only buy bottled water or beer in the diner. Such a shame! Savona is about 40 minutes from downtown Kamloops.
MAP INFORMATION
ISOM
Scale is 1:10,000 for all Long event classes with the exception of M21, W21, M17-20 and M35 who will use 1:15,000
Contours: 5m
Size: 8.5" X 14"
Mappers: Bryan Chubb 2010-2014; Alan Vyse 2013-14
Arena Elevation: 1050m
Safety bearing: use either North or South to the road that runs through the middle of the map from west to east
OFFICIALS
Course planner: Alan Vyse, Sage
Controller: Marion Owen, FWOC
IOF Event Advisor: John Rance, GVOC
OWNERSHIP
The south half of the map is crown land managed under lease by our good friends from Indian Gardens Ranch … the Haywood-Farmer family. We thank them for their cooperation. The northern half is crown land.
MAP
The map has an interesting mix of terrain …. or should we say terroir? If the map was to be compared to other BC maps in wine terms we might say it has the grassy flavours of Lac Du Bois and mineral hints of Six Mile Hill. The bouquet of tree needles is similar to McQueen Lake and with subtle overtones of Edith Hill fruit but without the excess of deadfall resin. It drinks well on first encounter but will cellar for many years. In other words this map is destined to be a Kamloops classic! For the orienteering connoisseur there are areas of detailed forested terrain, open grassland, rounded rocky hilltops and runnable open forest. There are lots of rock features, ponds, and thickets and a few watery features. Wet feet will be rare. The forest is open and runnable but footing is uneven in rocky areas. There are patches of unpleasant thick vegetation with reduced visibility however many of these patches were too small to map. In addition, the map was created over a period of 5 years and the course setting team noticed minor reductions in runnability that are not reflected on the map as a result of tree growth. For the beginning orienteer there are trails and rides and ponds to provide handrails. A main forest road bisects the map but traffic has been light and the road can be crossed with caution.
Large sections of the map were logged 20 years ago and this created open forest and good running on the map. A small section of the southwestern edge of the map was logged last winter and while open, footing is uneven because of woody debris and running is slow.
The ponds on the map will vary in water levels. Last winter’s snow levels were quite high so there is lots of water this summer (2014) and water levels are high. This may change with warm weather in July.
ARENA
Arena announcer: none
Vendors: The O-Store should be able to set up at the arena. No other vendors.
Food: Please bring your own food and enjoy a picnic after your run
Water: Please bring lots of water but water will be available on courses.
Toilets: port-a-potties close to the arena
START
There will be a remote start for all courses. YOU MUST FOLLOW THE MARKED ROUTE TO THE START TRIANGLE.
FINISH
ALL COMPETITORS MUST REPORT TO THE FINISH
PARKING
Parking is available along the main road between Km 8 and the arena at Km 9. There is no parking beyond the arena unless otherwise directed. Please park on one side of the road only as directed.
HAZARDS
Hot weather
Hot weather is a normal summer hazard in the BC interior and this summer is no exception. Water will be provided on both the Middle and Long courses but competitors should take their own precautions. Make sure you are well hydrated before your start time and take water with you if you expect to be out on the course for a lengthy period of time. In the long event there will be water on the main road that traverses the site and at a few control sites. If the weather is very hot, extra water will be provided on the courses (See the hot weather tips below).
Animals
The mappers encountered deer and bears on the map, but these species are unlikely to be present in August. Cows graze the area but are likely to be much further north at the time of the event. Rattlesnakes are present but none were seen or heard during preparations for the meet. However, a rattlesnake was seen on the West side of the map in late June. Big horn sheep were seen on the road up to the map.
Vegetation
Wildflowers were abundant in May and June but sadly will be brown and dry by August. Nasty vegetation consists of thickets of willow or Douglas-fir. There is no Devil’s club or salal within 50 km of the map but there are a few prickly pear cacti on the southern rocky slopes.
Fire
The Forest Fire Hazard at the time of writing is High and a campfire ban is in place. We have to take great care with any possible sources of ignition and for this reason we will not allow any camping on site. We will have an evacuation plan for the event and more information will be distributed as we get closer to the event. Evacuation maps will be available. If we get more hot dry weather in the next three weeks, and big fires in the local area, it is possible that a Forest Closure might be announced. If this happens we may be forced to cancel the Middle and Long events. This is unlikely.
Logging traffic
Loggers may be using the main road to access a site some distance away from the event. Logging trucks could be using the road at night during the week before the event. We don’t expect any impact on the event other than extra dust, but we have learned to expect the unexpected. Once again, take care on the road.
OTHER NOTES
We chose the Western Tanager as the symbol for the map because it lives on the map, it is western, and it is beautiful.
HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION CHECKLIST FOR ORIENTEERS
Heat illness (heat exhaustion, heat stroke) can strike with little warning. Susceptibility to heat illness varies according to the individual.
Risk Factors:
· History of heat illness
· History of chronic illness (even if controlled)
· Current illness (e.g. flu, sunburn)
· Heat stress index (depends on temperature and humidity)
· Fatigue
· Improper hydration (too little, wrong time)
· Poor fitness
· Young age (children have less developed defence mechanisms)
· Multi-day exposure to heat stress.
· Diet supplements such as aphedria and some antihistamines.
· A “finish at all costs” attitude.
Orienteers should take the actions necessary to keep the heat stress level with within their tolerance capabilities.
Risk Reducers:
· Hydrate numerous days before the event (starting the night before is inadequate).
· Consume proper foods by type and amount
· Get proper rest
· Replenish your fluids regularly from the water stops on course
· Acclimatize yourself to the heat/humidity at least a week before the event
· Be fit upon arrival at the event.
· Wear a head covering
· Carry and use your own fluid replenishment supply.
· Modify your pace to suit the environmental and personal conditions. Don't start if conditions are too hazardous for you.
· Rehydrate immediately after the event, that night, and the next day.
· Replenish your electrolytes after the event by drinking sport drinks and eating fruits and vegetables.
· Be aware that your susceptibility to heat illness increases as the days of exposure continue.
On the course be conscious of your physical and mental condition. For example, if you feel `punchy' or dizzy when raising your head:
o Stop immediately
o Get under shade
o Drink
WCOC 2014 Course/class table
Course Class distance km. climb m. # of controls time limit on course
1 Beg, M12, W12 2.6 40 14 3 hours
2 M14, W14 3.5 60 14 3 hours
3 Int, M16, W16 3.9 115 17 3 hours
4 M85+, M80, W75, W80, W85+ 2.7 80 10 3 hours
5 Adv, M75, W55, W65 3.8 125 10 3 hours
6 M65, W45 4.6 180 11 3 hours
7 Exp, M45, M55 5.8 210 14 3 hours
8 W20, W35 5.4 180 13 3 hours
9 M20, M35, W21E 8.2 310 18 3 hours
10 M21E 12.4 455 22 3 hours