ADVANCE ONLINE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS EVENT.
Makes things fast and easy for YOU on event day (no paperwork or payment)
Simplifies processing the results
Helps meet directors know how many maps to print
See who’s attending, maybe plan a carpool
QUICK INFO
Online pre-registration required, no event day registration
Registration deadline: Thursday, May 18, 11:00pm
Location: Hamilton Island near Cascade Locks in the Columbia River Gorge - map
Courses: Four different courses for all skill levels. Classic point-to-point orienteering format
Start: Anytime between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm
Event Director: Debby Wenzel
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. Lower leg protection / gaiters are recommended on the more advanced courses.
We use an electronic scoring and timing system known as “e-punch”. Each entry or team needs to have an e-punch stick. If you don't have your own e-punch stick, the rental cost is included in your registration fee. Using e-punch is easy. You can learn how at the event, or read about e-punch here.
CROC thanks our land management partner the US Army Corps of Engineers.
START WINDOWS
For this event we’re using assigned 30 minute start windows between 11 AM and 1 PM. This spreads participants over the entire two hour start window instead of a big rush at the beginning, easing the workload on event volunteers.
Please choose your start window during registration. The earlier you register, the better chance you have of a preferred window. If you arrive early for your start window, you may be asked to wait. If you're late, no worries, we’ll allow you to start when we have an opening. It's a guideline, not a firm rule.
NEW TO ORIENTEERING? WELCOME!
Our events are open to both members and non-members, and beginners are welcome.
Have a look at our “New to O?” webpage, which covers just about every question you may have.
At most events, we offer free beginner clinics (they take about 10 minutes) to teach you everything you need to know. These are typically at half-hour intervals; choose your time slot on the registration page.
If you'd like to get reminders about upcoming events, sign up at our newsletter page. (No more than a couple of emails per month, we promise!)
Thanks for coming out and trying something new, we think you'll like it!
TIMES
Check in and map handout: opens at 10:30 am
Beginner clinics: 11:00 am and 11:30 am
Course starts: anytime between 11:00 am - 1 pm
All courses close: 3:00 pm
(All teams must check out through the course finish area before leaving, even if the team does not finish the course or returns after the course closes.)
Courses
White (beginners and kids) about 2 km, navigationally easy, all on trails
Yellow (novice): about 3 km, navigationally easy, mostly trails, with simple route choices
Orange (intermediate) about 4 km, navigationally more difficult with route choices
Green (advanced): about 6 km, (off trail navigation) most elevation gain with more challenging route choices. Leg protection is recommended.
VOLUNTEERS
All CROC events are put on by volunteers, and the meet director can almost always use some extra hands. Please keep in mind:
No prior experience is needed for many of the tasks
You can help out AND still run your course of choice
Typical ways to assist are: helping with starts and finishes, handing out maps, and picking up control flags after the course closes. Typical shifts are one hour.
If you'd like to help, you can choose a task and time shift when you register online. Thanks!
REGISTRATION AND OTHER COSTS
Advance online registration is required. There is no event day registration.
Application deadline: Thurs, May 18, 11:00pm
Refund policy: full refund if requested more than 48 hours before the start time of the event. Email us to request a refund and we’ll work it out.
Event Cost
$17 base price - individuals
$22 base price, teams of 2 or more
- Subtract $5 if you’re a member or CROC or other O-club (Join CROC)
- Subtract $5 if you have your own e-punch (Buy your own epunch)
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: 45.6316, -121.9708
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.
We will NOT be at the baseball field in Cascade Locks as in the past few years. See directions and map below.
Driving directions from Portland (allow about 1 hour):
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. 3.2 miles.
Turn left onto Dam Access Road and almost immediately right onto Fort Cascade Drive.
Drive I.4 miles to event. Restrooms available 0.2 miles farther past event site.