Due to COVID-19, this event has special requirements noted below reduce risk to participants.
This Hamilton Island orienteering event is our first event after having to cancel most of our 2020 events to help slow the COVID-19 outbreak. To comply with Washington state restrictions, we are making the following changes to this event.
This is a fluid and changing situation. If infection numbers become significantly worse, this event may be canceled or the permit not granted
All participation requires pre registration (no event day registration is allowed).
If you feel ill, please stay home.
The course will remain open to map hikers for 6 days after the event.
Minimal crowds are allowed so our start time intervals have been increased to 10 minutes. When you arrive, either stay in your car or at least stay away from other people outside your car. If you arrive late, we will find a time to fit you in safely.
Minimal number of volunteers.
Social distancing and the wearing of face masks around others is required.
No clinics at the event and no rental equipment (compasses).
Touching common objects (such as control flags) is discouraged. For this event, we will be using the Sporteering cell phone app in place of control flags for competitive orienteers and the honor system for map hikers (they can also use Sporteering).
Disposable gloves will be available for anybody needing them for restroom visits.
Quick Info
Date/Time:
Competitive assigned starts on Sat Aug 15 (assigned between 9 AM and 3 PM)
Self-starts for map hikers from Sun Aug 16 to Fri Aug 21
Location: North Bonneville baseball field picnic shelter, North Bonneville, WA, see map and directions below.
Requirements:
Competitive orienteers (Sat Aug 15 participants):
CROC membership
Pre registration (required for start time and map)
Sporteering cell phone app to verify your arrival at each control site. NOTE: Be sure your cell phone is fully charged.
(Optional) Compass (no rental compasses)
Map hikers (Sun August 16 to Fri Aug 21 participants):
CROC membership
Pre registration required.
Map hikers will have an assigned one hour start window to ensure that there are not too many people on the courses at one time. We will confirm your start window after you register.
Maps will be emailed to map hikers on August 15
(Optional) Sporteering cell phone app NOTE: If using a cell phone, be sure that it is fully charged.
(Optional) Compass
Director: Tony Pinkham (runnerinwoods at gmail dot com and 650-793-8764)
ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED
To receive maps (and pick start times for competitive orienteers) please pre-register. There will not be any registration on event day.
Competitive orienteers: pre register by midnight Thurs, Aug 13
Map hikers: pre register by 11 pm Wed, Aug 19
COSTS
Fees for this event are $5 per entrant (can be a single person or team - we recommend that teams only comprise people who live together to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus).
There are no parking fees.
EVENT OVERVIEW
Hamilton Island was initially "discovered" for Americans by Lewis and Clark in 1805, and they named it Strawberry Island. That name was eventually changed to Hamilton Island in honor of a Samuel M. Hamilton, a nearby land owner in the mid 1800s. The island stopped being a real island in the 1970s when construction debris for the Bonneville North Power house filled in one of the surrounding waterways.
The terrain is mostly wide open in all directions with scattered copses. There is one large low hill to go around or climb multiple times. There are marshy areas, some thickets, and shorelines. You can enjoy beautiful river gorge views and lots of wildlife.
Minor paths may have blackberry and thistles growing on or across them. Lower leg protection / gaiters recommended on the brown and green courses.
CROC thanks our land management partner the US Army Corps of Engineers for making this event possible.
TIMES
Registration: Online until midnight, Thurs Aug 13
Course starts for competitive orienteers: Assigned between 9 AM and 3 PM on Sat Aug 15 (additional times available only for overflow on Sun Aug 16). You have 3 hours to complete your course.
Course starts for map hikers: Set your own time (within park hours) when you arrive in the following week (until Fri Aug 21). Courses are automatically closed when the park is closed.
Courses
White: about 3 km for beginners and young children. Navigationally very easy on trails.
Yellow: about 5 km for novices. Navigationally easy with route choices.
Brown: about 5.5 km for advanced orienteers (off-trail navigation) wanting a course less physically strenuous than the green course. Gaiters recommended.
Green: about 7 km for advanced orienteers (off-trail navigation) wanting a full physical challenge. Gaiters recommended.
MAP
After you register for this event, you will receive a map in one of the following ways (that you choose):
PDF file sent to you by email (you must print that map)
Printed map sent to you by mail (these will be printed using water resistant pigments)
Printed map presented to you at the event on Saturday August 15 (these will be printed using water resistant pigments)
Results
Results are posted to the Events & Results web page a few days after the event.
Driving directions and map to event
Latitude longitude coordinates of event: 45.6338, -121.9790
Click for a Google map, or copy/paste these latitude longitude coordinates into Google maps or your smartphone mapping app to get a map and driving directions to the event.
Note there will NOT be a CROC sign on Hwy 14, as the locals like to (ahem) remove them.
Driving directions from Portland:
Drive east on I 84, take Exit 44 at Cascade Locks.
Cross the Bridge of the Gods into Washington (Toll $2).
Turn left (west) onto Hwy 14 and go approx. 4 miles.
Turn left onto Bonneville Road – sign for North Bonneville, turn at the Chevron gas station.
Immediately turn right onto W Cascade Drive and go approx 1/2 mile through North Bonneville. Follow the signs to "ball field".
Turn left onto Portage Drive and go about 1/4 mile farther. Park in the baseball field parking lot.