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Blue Mountain Orienteering Free Member Event

Sat, Mar 08

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Blue Mountain (Middle Trailhead)

A FREE event for all GrizO members. Special format: see details below. Registration is open. Spots are limited, so sign up soon!

Blue Mountain Orienteering Free Member Event
Blue Mountain Orienteering Free Member Event

Time & Location

Mar 08, 2025, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Blue Mountain (Middle Trailhead), Forest Road 365, Missoula, MT 59804

About the Event

Join us for a free event for GrizO members at Blue Mountain Recreation Area in Missoula!


Date and Time

The event will take place Saturday, March 8. Advanced courses will have a mass start on a 'Billygoat-Style' event (see below) at 11am.

Participants on other courses can start any time between 10am-12pm. Everyone must be out of the woods by 2pm.


What's a Billygoat?

The Billygoat Run is perhaps the most prestigious, long-standing orienteering race regularly held in the United States. It's been held annually in the Northeastern USA since 1979, and is typically a mass-start long distance orienteering event with some twist.

Spin-offs from the original Billygoat Run have been held by many orienteering clubs in the country for a number of years. This year we are bringing a Billygoat-style event to Montana. Got ideas for a name? Let us know!


In this year's Goat event, we will offer a long (8-12km) and a short (5-8km) option. Participants will all start at 11am. The race is run like a regular orienteering event, except for the special rule that you are allowed to skip any one control. There may be other twists that will be explained at the pre-race briefing at 10:45, so make sure to get here in time!


Regular Beginner, Advanced Beginner, and Intermediate courses will also be offered. Participants on these can start at any time between 10am-12pm.


Location

The event will be staged at this parking lot  off the side of Forest Service Road 365.


Equipment  We will provide specially created maps with pre-printed courses for each participant. We will also provide loaner compasses. Please return these when you are done. The compasses will be sanitized after each use. Wear clothing that is comfortable for activities in the woods and  off-trail and appropriate for the expected temperatures. Please bring your own snacks and hydration. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.


Beginner Instruction Beginner instruction will be provided by several experienced orienteers. If this is your first event, take a look at the "Newcomers" section of our website to get an idea of what to expect: https://www.grizzlyorienteering.org/newcomers .


Start and Finish You will need to check in with one of our volunteers at registration  before proceeding to the start. Our volunteers will provide you with the  appropriate map, a loaner compass if needed, and a loaner electronic  timing chip and will keep track of  who is out and doing which course. When you have found all the controls  on your course, return to the finish and check in with a volunteer  there. Even if you decide to quit your course before finding all the  controls, please check in at the finish so we do not go out searching for you.


Electronic "punching"

An e-punch records your race. At each control, you’ll dip the e-punch  into an electronic box, which will beep and flash as confirmation.  After you finish, you’ll download the e-punch at the download tent and  get a receipt that shows which controls you visited and how long you took  between each; these are your “splits.”

Part of the fun of orienteering is comparing your splits with people  who completed the same course, and discussing the routes you took!



Tickets

  • Blue Mtn Free Member Event

    $0.00

Total

$0.00

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