Backwoods Orienteering Klub, founded November 15, 1978 sponsors events and teaches orienteering in the North Carolina piedmont, around Raleigh, NC.
We invite you to try orienteering with us. Everyone is welcome at all our events. We always offer beginning, intermediate, advanced and expert courses (routes through the woods) at every Regular event.
We are well into the peak of pollen season here in North Carolina, so clouds of the yellow stuff were blowing out of the trees and many runners emerged from the largely pine forest covered in it. But the temperatures were perfect for running, the forecasted rain held off, and the woods were still open […]
Read MoreLearn Radio Orienteering (aka, ARDF) as the pros learned it. Nadia Scharlau, KO4ADV, got her start in radio-O at age 13 and went on to become a world champion. Later, she taught classes to beginners who became world champions themselves. She still uses the same no-frustration step-by-step approach by which she learned the sport 40+ years ago. Now you can learn that way, too.
Beginner classes are for those new to the sport who want to learn how it is played. Emphasis will be placed on learning to use a radio receiver. Those who have attended previous beginner class sessions and would like a refresher course are also welcome.
Classes are free, but you need to register in our store. Class size is limited to 12 participants.
A short 80m classic practice course will be set up each week, which experienced radio orienteers can use for practice. Everyone needs to register.
All necessary equipment will be provided at no charge. New concepts will be introduced in sequence at each session, but if you can’t attend all sessions, just come when you can. Previously covered concepts will be reviewed at each session so that you can jump right in.
Class 1: A short beginner course will be set with constantly-operating transmitters. You will learn how to use your receiver.
Class 2: A longer beginner course will be set with “cycling” transmitters. You will learn how to locate radio orienteering “foxes” efficiently.
Class 3: Go solo on a “cycling” beginner course to practice your skills.
We will be hiking the courses together as a group, so please arrive on time to avoid getting left behind!
Those who complete both class sessions may want to try radio orienteering on the weekend of May 10-11 in Asheboro, NC!
On Sunday, April 6, BOK will hold an advanced Reveal-O and open “Explorer” course at a new venue in Durham: West Point on the Eno Park. Advance registration is required.
Advanced orienteers (those who have completed an orange, brown, green, or red course in the past) are welcome to participate in the Reveal-O. Beginners and those who prefer a slower pace can instead do the Explorer course. There is a 2-hour time limit for the Reveal-O with 30 points possible in about 13 km. Reveal-O competitors lose 1 point for every minute over 2 hours. Start anytime between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm. Course(s) close at 2 pm. Help with control pick-up appreciated.
For the Reveal-O: the map you will receive at the start will contain only 14 controls (out of 28 total placed in the woods). The rest of the controls will be revealed to you during the race. 8 out of 14 initial controls will be so called “reveal controls”. When you arrive at one of these controls you will find a small map which will reveal locations of 1-2 additional controls. You will be able to take this new small map with you or copy locations of the revealed controls on your master map and continue the race. (Note: if there is only one map left at the control, you should copy its information onto your map.)
The Explorer course map has all 28 controls on it and will be open from 10 am to 2 pm. There is no time limit other than to be finished by 2 pm. This is to encourage participants to explore this new venue and visit as many controls as they would like within the 4 hours. Explorers are asked to not show their map to reveal-o competitors! Also, please do not take any of the small maps at the reveal controls.
There are only two bridges on either end of the park. The Eno River can be difficult and dangerous to ford. It isn’t necessary to do so for either course. Cross at your own risk! Note: park gates are open daily, year-round, from 8 a.m. to dark. Park at 5101 N Roxboro St, Durham, NC 27704 (GPS = 36.068421, -78.908407). Check-in and start/finish will be at the shelter (GPS = 36.067974, -78.909121). There are restrooms and potable water nearby.
I will start the comments with the usual: We had fantastic weather. But then I diverge because the preparations were particularly unusual. To start things off, we had the wrong map – we had an orienteering map instead of a Marauder Map. We needed real time map updates. The Dreamville Festival was closing most of […]
Read MoreHalf-Life Score-O
Join us for a Score-O event at the New Hope Overlook section of Jordan Lake on Sunday March 30. In this event, your goal is to collect as many points as possible within the allotted time. There is no set route—you can visit the controls in any order you choose.
REGISTRATION IS CLOSED
Special Twist: “Half-Life” Controls
Some controls on the course will be designated as “half-life” controls, meaning their point values will decrease over time. To maximize your score, visit these controls as quickly as possible. These will be denoted as “1/2” on the control description
Event Timing and Rules
Late Penalty
If you return after your 2-hour limit or after 2:00 PM, you will be penalized 3 points per minute, beginning immediately after the deadline.
Control pickup will begin promptly at 2:00, and help with pickup would be appreciated.
Registration will close at 5pm Friday, March 28. 10am Saturday March 29
There is no entrance fee required at the park.
Alongside the regular score orienteering course, BOK is offering a 2m Classic radio orienteering course. This course is meant for experienced radio orienteers and beginner instruction will not be available.
The courses will open soon after 10am to keep time with the score-O and we need you to be done by 2pm so that pickup can begin.
This is a classic 2m course with the goal of making it as much like a championship course as the narrowness of New Hope Overlook allows. The exclusion zone will be 600m instead of the normal 750m, but all controls will be at least 450m from each other.
The courses as designed are
REGISTRATION IS CLOSED
