Upcoming Events
11/8/25
E.P. Sawyer State Park - Shelter #1
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. SORRY, WALK-INS ON-SITE ARE NOT ALLOWED.
The Night Owl is a night orienteering Score O at EP Sawyer State Park! We are offering a 2-hour Score-O and a beginner friendly White Course that is good for families and Scout groups. All controls will have a reflector on them that will illuminate 75'-150' away when shined on by a headlamp or flashlight.
COURSES OFFERED:
2-HOUR SCORE-O - find as many controls as you can in 2 hours. Harder to find controls are worth more points. There is a penalty for coming back after the 2-hours that is a deduction of points per minute late.
FINGERSTICK NOTE: If you own a fingerstick, it needs to be model SI-9 (#1000000-1999999) or higher that can store 50 controls. If you have a model SI-8 (#2000000 - 2999999) or lower (stores 30 controls), please indicate that you need a loaner fingerstick in the registration.
TIMES (all EST):
5:30 PM - 6:00 PM - Free Beginners Clinic - Limited availability - please register for the clinic on the registration page.
6:00 PM - Night Owl Check-In/Map Pickup - Check in with meet directors and pick up your map. Start planning your route.
6:30 PM - Night Owl Mass Start - All participants start at once and have 2 hours to complete as many controls as they can before the time limit.
8:30 PM - Courses Close - Everyone must return and check-in by this time.
COST:
$15.00 and includes one map and one loaner fingerstick (if needed).
$3.00 for an extra map.
OLOU Club members who are current on their dues will receive a coupon code via email for $3.00 off. Become a member here.
All must be paid through the registration page. No money will be collected on-site.
If you are orienteering with someone else in a "team" - please note it in the TEAM SECTION of the registration to help the registrar match you with the other person(s).
WHAT TO BRING:
- Headlamp or flashlight with fresh batteries
- Back-up light highly recommended
- Compass
- Watch
- Emergency whistle (use three long blasts to indicate you are injured)
- Water (there won't be any water or food provided)
- Comfortable outdoor shoes and clothing that can get potentially dirty
- A change of clothes, socks and shoes are recommended for after the event as the evening dew will probably set-in
For the adventurous of all ages...
What exactly is Orienteering?
Orienteering is an activity that involves navigating terrain through a sequence of locations using a very detailed topographic map and compass.
The route between locations is not marked, it's up to the orienteer to analyze the map and determine how to get there. If your are racing, thinking quick can save you a lot of time.
Events generally have multiple courses, with one designed for beginners and 1 or more courses for more experienced orienteers. If you are able to hike trails through some degree of hilly terrain then you are physically capable of completing a course.
Why would I do something like this?
There are a lot of reasons why you might like orienteering...
Competition
Casual Exercise
Scout Badges
It's a sport! People race against each other to see who can navigate the course(s) the fastest. If this is you thing, we have people to push you.
Running not your thing? No problem! We have members that walk the courses with their families.
Both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America have badges for orienteering. We can help your kiddo or troop get them!
Exploration
Fascination for Maps
Disconnecting
Many courses take you off the beaten path, away from pavement and dirt trails to those areas you likely wouldn't see if you just went hiking.
Orienteering maps are about as detailed as a map gets. They show just about anything that could reasonably be used to help navigate terrain. From man made features like fences, buildings and stone ruins to natural ones like hills, cliffs and steams, to things like how thick forest vegetation is.
Perhaps you just need a reason to disconnect from the information overload of all the smart things in your life.
You've got me hooked, now what?
I have more questions.
I need to try this ASAP!
How can I follow you guys?
Check out our FAQ's page. If your question isn't answer there you can reach out to us.
Our Events page is where we keep a list of all of our upcoming activities. We also list orienteering events from some of our neighboring clubs.
You can follow us on Facebook. We post upcoming local upcoming events and results there. It's also a good place to reach out to us.
