Eastern Washington Orienteering Club

Palisades Course Notes

Driving directions:
From I-90 take exit 277 “Spokane Airport” onto Hwy 2, then take first exit “Spokane Airport, Sunset Hwy” then exit “Sunset Hwy” to stop sign. Cross Hwy. Onto Grove St. for 0.9 miles, then right on Greenwood down the hill for 0.9 miles, then right into parking area. After check-in use the left side of Greenwood for a 600m. Uphill walk to the start.

Course lengths and climb:
• Beginner: 1.5 km., 25 m., 9 controls
• Intermediate: 3.0 km., 60 m., 10 controls
• Shorter advanced: 3.7 km., 80 m., 13 controls
• Medium advanced: 5.4 km., 120 m., 16 controls
• Longer advanced: 6.9 km., 150 m., 21 controls

Notes:
The courses start on a plateau that is almost flat, dotted sparsely with subtle rock features and many knolls. The subtility of these features has made rootstalks >1 m. (green x'es) a feature of choice for many controls. Descending from this plateau into the palisades should be done via your choice of THREE trails. Spaces between the uncrossible cliffs should not be attempted, as they're steep, rocky, brushy, dangerous.

There are patches of poison ivy in the area, and there are definitely ticks in the area, so you should check yourselves after running.

In-progress mappers: Tracy Schoenleber, Kim and Alan Pincus, John Harbuck
Course designers: Kim Pincus, John Harbuck

Parking and check-in:
Woodward Lane, on the north side of Eastern's football stadium will bring you to the parking lot where the relay will start. Parking in this lot is free (during the day).

Relay format:
Teams will be 3-person. Each person on a team will run a different leg, but the legs do not differ substantially in length or difficulty (2.5 Km with 35 M climb). There are no separate classes — it's all ages and genders against all others. All teams will have their first member start at 10:30 to compete head to head in real time.

The Map:
The map is 1:5000 with a 2.5 m contour interval. The symbols are in the sprint format.

Notes:
You will cross the same public road twice. With Eastern students mostly gone for summer, the population in town is down about 2/3, but the road is open. To keep the races real-time, no provision for a timeout control has been made. The courses will give you an opportunity run parallel to the road for a bit and choose an opportunity to cross when it's safe (or even go to a crosswalk, since it's not the Olympics.)
You will pass close by a few construction projects. They are marked in purple on the map, corresponding to the temporary fencing around them.

- Tracy Schoenleber, Course Designer

Course Notes

Parking and check-in:
A Discover Pass must be displayed on your vehicle in the Columbia Plateau Trail parking lot. If you do not have a Discover Pass, event staff will direct you to alternative parking nearby.

Check-in/packet pickup and finish are a short distance from the gate at the north edge of the Columbia Plateau Trail parking lot. The start is 600 m north along the Columbia Plateau Trail.

Course lengths and climb:

• Novice 2.6 km, 35 m, 9 controls
• Intermediate 3.1 km, 45 m, 12 controls
• Short Advanced 3.6 km, 75m , 10 controls
• Medium Advanced 4.5 km, 90m, 16 controls
• Long Advanced 5.6 km, 115m, 18 controls

The Map:
The map scale is 1:10,000. In order to show more subtle terrain features, the contour interval is 2.5 m. Course descriptions are printed on the map, but separate descriptions will also be available at the start area.

Seasonal change has affected how features appear in the terrain compared to how they appear on the map. In particular spring grass and pine needles and other debris have covered some small paths. As a result, some (but not all) paths mapped as “indistinct paths” are very indistinct, and some (but not all) paths mapped as “small paths” look more like “indistinct paths.” Some small marshes on the map are not very wet.

Features shown as “ruined fences” on the map are just fence posts with no wire on them. All other fences are mapped as “impassable fences” and should not be crossed (except for the gate at the north end of the parking lot). Also, do not attempt to cross any of the large water features (“open water” or “marshes”) or impassable cliffs. Consider these impassable features when planning route choices, especially on the intermediate and advanced courses!

- John Beck, Course Designer