Oatka Creek Park

August 06 2022, 10:00am

Registration: 9:30-10:15

Starts: 10:00- 10:30

Courses close: 12:00

Courses:

White (beginner) – 9 controls, 2.5km

Score-O – 29 controls

Score-O Rules:

- Controls have differing point values, 570 points available in total

- 90-minute time limit

Location:

We are starting from the parking lot at the park entrance. We were not able to get the park shelter for this event.

Course comments:

- The park is currently very dry. Besides the creek itself, no water or mud has been seen. What the upcoming weather does to the course is anyone’s guess.

- The major trails are very well defined. The minor trails are quite overgrown, some are challenging to spot even as you travel on them. Be alert when trying to intercept a trail.

- Oatka is full of depressions and pits from the former mine, some of them quite deep. Be careful when off trail

Notes on the map from Linda:

The map was created in 2004 and has been used just about every even year since then. The last updates were 2012 so it's well overdue for some changes. The major changes dealt with vegetation, most of the trails remain the same. Unfortunately, the swallow wort has made an appearance in the park and makes some of the rough open and trails "vine-ier" than before. Fortunately, despite the good weather for growth the "white" forests are open and a pleasure to run through and even the rough open is not too bad to get through.

There are numerous pits and small depressions that aren't on the map...sorry but they are really hard to get right. I recommend navigating by trails, contours, rock walls, vegetation, the sun and your innate sense of direction rather than the pits.

Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of poison ivy, best to wear lower leg covering if you are allergic. Fortunately, the blackberry vines are mostly in the dark green area (to be avoided to save on scratches) but the berries are getting ripe...try not to spend a lot of time snacking.