Marmot O’ Cup – June 22/23, 2024

Volunteer | Program | Terrain | Maps | Registration/Prices | Location | Timing
Start Times | Course Notes | Awards | Child Care | Refund Policy | Race Details | Accommodations

Join us for the opening weekend of the 2024 Pacific Northwest Orienteering Festival, which includes additional events in Spokane and Montana! Check out the PNWOF2024 page for details about the entire festival.

This year we’ll wrap up the Ultimate season (and start PNWOF2024) with two excellent days of orienteering at Fisk State Park near Spokane (preceded by a fun warmup event at Fishtrap Lake). To make the weekend even more special, we’ll be debuting a new map and hosting two National Ranking Events (NREs)!

Western States Championships

The Marmot Cup will also comprise the 2024 Western States Championships! To be eligible for awards, you must be a member of OUSA and be a current resident of one of the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

Ultimate Orienteer Series

The final two events in this year’s Ultimate Orienteer Series. If you want to vie for Ultimate points, please note the following exceptions to the standard Ultimate class/course allocations.

  • F50+ is assigned to the Brown course. That means if you are between 50 and 54, you must compete in one of the following NRE classes on Brown: F-Brown or Brown Rec.
  • O50+ is assigned to the Green course. That means if you are between 65 and 69, you must compete in one of the following NRE classes on Green: M50+, M55+, M60+, M Green, or Green Rec.

Volunteer

These are major events for our club and we will need a lot of volunteers to make them successful. Please take a look at the available positions and consider helping in whatever way you can. Thanks in advance for helping!

Volunteer Friday at Fishtrap Lake

Volunteer Saturday at Fisk State Park

Volunteer  Sunday at Fisk State Park

Program

Subject to change.

Date Activity Location
Fri June 21 Warmup event Fishtrap Lake
PNWOF check-in
FISK Model Fisk State Park model area
Sat June 22
Middle distance NRE 1
Western States Champs Day 1
Ultimate Series #8		 Fisk State Park
FISK Model
Awards – NRE 1
Social event The Flying Goat
This will be a casual gathering. The Flying Goat does not take reservations, so just show up and ask for a table. Estimated attendance is greater than we anticipated, so you may have to wait for a table. Day 1 awards have been moved to Fisk shortly after course closure.
Sun June 23
 Middle distance NRE 2
Western States Champs Day 2
Ultimate Series #9		 Fisk State Park
FISK Model
Awards – NRE 2, Western States, Marmot Cup, Ultimate

Terrain

Terrain is open pine forest with isolated areas of very detailed rock features.

Maps

The Fishtrap Lake map was mapped at 1:15,000 to ISOM 2017-2 standard. Printing scales are:

  • Beginner – 1:5,000
  • Intermediate – 1:7,500
  • Short Advanced – 1:7,500
  • Long Advanced – 1:10,000

The Fisk Park map is printed at 1:4,000 for all courses, mapped to ISOM 2017-2 standard.

Download a model map

Embargo

To ensure competitive fairness and in accordance with OUSA rules, the race venue is embargoed until the competition, i.e. anyone wishing to be eligible for competitive awards may not enter Fisk State Park (except the parking area, designated model area, and entry road) before the event.

Registration/Prices

Registration is open!

See who is registered.

There are package rates available if you sign up for the entire PNWOF2024.

Online pre-registration closes Sunday, June 16 at midnight Pacific Time.

We are no longer offering on-site registration.

Race Location Online pre-registration On-site registration (limited to map supply on hand)
Friday Warmup Middle Fishtrap Lake $15 $15
Saturday, June 22 – Middle NRE 1 Fisk State Park $27 – 20 and under* $37 – 20 and under*
$37 – adult* $52 – adult*
$22 – recreational or Ultimate only (no NRE points) $37 – recreational or Ultimate only (no NRE points)
$22 – groups (+ $5 for each additional adult** group member); recreational classes ONLY; group limit 4 $37 – groups (+ $5 for each additional adult** group member); recreational classes ONLY; group limit 4
Sunday, June 23 – Middle NRE 2 Fisk State Park $27 – 20 and under* $37 – 20 and under*
$37 – adult* $52 – adult*
$22 – recreational or Ultimate only (no NRE points) $37 – recreational or Ultimate only (no NRE points)
$22 – groups (+ $5 for each additional adult** group member); recreational classes ONLY; group limit 4 $37 – groups (+ $5 for each additional adult** group member); recreational classes ONLY; group limit 4
you may rent an epunch for an additional $3/day ($15 for the entire PNWOF)
*OUSA members receive a discount ($4/day for adults, $2/day for juniors) for competitive classes
**over 18; youth 18 and under are free with an adult group leader

COC Volunteer points

If you have COC volunteer points, you may use them to pay for a portion of your entry fee (for COC events ONLY). If you register for all three COC events, you can save $25 on your entry fee. If you register only for the Fisk events, you can save $10/day on entry fees. Email marmot@cascadeoc.org and ask for a discount code.

Locations

Friday

Fishtrap Lake, 30 miles southwest of Spokane

Saturday/Sunday

Fisk State Park, 25 miles northwest of Spokane

Parking

Discover Pass Required

You need a Discover Pass to park at Fisk. There is no on-site purchase option, so be sure you purchase the pass in advance. The Discover Pass is good for all state-operated recreation facilities.

You can purchase a Discover Pass ($35 annual or $11.50/day) online or in person at many hunting/fishing license vendors or at several retail locations. Check the Discover Pass website for details.

You can also purchase a Discover Pass at one of the following nearby state facilities ($30 annual or $10/day):

  • Riverside State Park, Bowl & Pitcher campground, 4427 N Aubrey L White Parkway, Spokane, WA 99205
  • Riverside State Park main office, 9711 W. Charles Road, Nine Mile Falls, WA 99026

Carpooling

There are about 40 designated parking spots at Fisk, as well as parking along the entrance road. We encourage carpooling, which will not only save on parking fees but alleviate traffic congestion.

Timing system

We will use the SPORTident electronic timing and punching system for all events. All competitors are required to use an SI-Card to participate. If you don’t own your own, sign up to rent one when you register. Contactless (Air+) punching will NOT be used.

Malfunction

If the SI unit fails (you don’t hear a beep or see a flash), use the manual pin punch to punch your map. Before downloading, let the volunteer know what happened.

Start times

All events will have individual pre-assigned start times. Times will be posted on the registration site by Thursday, June 20 at midnight. Recreational classes will start after all competitive participants on that course have started.

Awards

  • Day 1 NRE (Middle distance) – 3 deep in age classes; 1st place in other competitive classes
  • Day 2 NRE (Middle distance) – 3 deep in age classes; 1st place in other competitive classes
  • Marmot Cup (2-day total time; must participate in both events in the same class) – 1st place in all competitive classes
  • Western States Championships (highest combined point total for both days, 1000-point method) – 1st place in all competitive classes
  • Ultimate Series – results are based on 5 of 9 season events

Child Care

No child care will be provided. However, we will make every effort to accommodate parents who are participating. If you require early, late, or split start times, please request this when you register.

Refund Policy

You may receive a full refund (minus fees) if you cancel by June 10. No refunds will be given after this date.

Tourist activities

The Spokane area has activities for just about everyone. From hiking, biking, and water sports to art galleries, shopping, golf, and more. Below are just a few suggestions. Get details and more ideas at VisitSpokane.com.

Race details

Marmot Volunteers

Ultimate Orienteer Series Directors: Debbie Newell, Ing Uhlin
Marmot Event Directors: Ing Uhlin, Debbie Newell
Fisk Course Designer: Dave Tallent
Fishtrap Course Designer: Debbie Newell
Mapping: John Brady, Dave Tallent
Marmot Registrar: Debbie Newell
Epunch: Debbie Newell, Bethany Rentz
Vetters: Eileen Breseman, Chris Cooper

Fisk Model

The model area will be available at the following times. Pin flags only will be set out on Friday (no SI units). Saturday and Sunday may not have flags but you will have an opportunity to check out the terrain.

Maps will be available online for you to print. You may pick up a paper map at packet pickup. Packet pickup is available at Friday’s Warmup Event at Fishtrap Lake as well as Saturday and Sunday morning.

  • Friday, June 21 – 10:00a-7:00p, Fisk State Park
  • Saturday, June 22 – 8:30am-1:30pm, Fisk State Park
  • Sunday, June 23 – 8:30-11:00am, Fisk State Park

Friday, June 21 – Warmup Middle, Fishtrap Lake

Get more information about the scabland terrain at Fishtrap Lake.

Schedule (preliminary)

  • 9:00a-2:00p – Packet pickup and late registration for Fisk events (while map supplies last)
  • 9:30am-noon – starts
  • 2:00pm – courses close

Courses

  • Beginner – 1.9k, 5 controls
  • Intermediate – 2.9k, 7 controls
  • Short Advanced – 3.8k, 10 controls
  • Long Advanced – 4.7k, 9 controls

Water

Water will NOT be provided on any course. If you think you will need water on the course, please be prepared to take your own.

Start

  • Intermediate, Short Advanced, and Long Advanced: approximately 500m walk from the parking area
  • Beginner: adjacent to the parking area

Saturday, June 22 – Middle NRE 1, Fisk State Park

   Event #8/9 in the Ultimate Orienteer Series!

Get more information about the unique terrain at Fisk State Park

Schedule

  • 8:30-10:45am – Check-in open
  • 9:00-noon – starts
  • 2:00pm – courses close
  • 2:30pm (approx) – Middle 1 awards

Courses/Classes

All courses are Middle format.

  • White – 1.4k, 15 controls, 15m climb
  • Yellow – 1.6k, 16 controls, 25m climb
  • Orange – 1.6k, 13 controls, 35m climb
  • Brown – 2.3k, 17 controls, 45m climb
  • Green – 2.4k, 17 controls, 50m climb
  • Red – 2.6k, 18 controls, 60m climb
  • Blue – 2.8k, 20 controls, 70m climb
Course Navigational
experience		 Map Scale* NRE Class Ultimate Class**
White Beginner 1:4000 F-10, F-12, M-10, M-12
M/F White
White Rec		 N/A
Yellow Adv Beginner 1:4000 F-14, M-14
F Yellow, M Yellow
Yellow Rec		 N/A
Orange Intermediate 1:4000 F-16, M-16
F Orange, M Orange
Orange Rec		 F-16, O-16
Brown Advanced 1:4000 F-18, F55+, F60+, F65+, F70+, F75+, F80+, F85+, F90+
M65+, M70+, M75+, M80+, M85+, M90+
F Brown, M Brown
Brown Rec		 F50+**, F70+
Green Advanced 1:4,000 F-20, F35+, F40+, F45+, F50+
M-18, M50+, M55+, M60+
F Green, M Green
Green Rec		 F-20, O50+***
Red Advanced 1:4,000 F-21+
M-20, M35+, M40+, M45+
M Red
Red Rec		 O-20, F-21+
Blue Advanced 1:4,000 M-21+
Blue Rec		 O-21+

*The Sanctioning Committee has approved a larger-than-standard map scale because of the detailed terrain

**For Ultimate Series points, F50+ is on Brown. That means if you are between 50 and 54, you must compete in one of the following NRE classes on Brown: F-Brown or Brown Rec.

***For Ultimate Series points, O50+ is on Green. That means if you are between 65 and 69, you must compete in any of the following NRE classes on Green: M50+, M55+, M60+, M Green, or Green Rec.

Course Notes

CLIFF NOTES

Last year Fisk SP underwent a massive fire-prevention tree thinning (clearcutting would be a better term). To avoid using the stump-ridden and clear-cut areas, I re-worked all courses and staged them within a small, tight complex area “littered” with cliffs, boulders,  small meadows, and slot canyons. A 6k course with 14 controls became a 3K with 20 controls. So do not be alarmed by the short distance of your course. During the test runs all the advanced courses were completed in under 40 min. However, the area is complex and challenging, and a few mistakes will greatly add to one’s time. Regardless, enjoy this incredibly unique terrain and have fun even if you find yourself taking an hour. Note, you are never far from the Parking area.

Important points

  1. There are 60+ controls concentrated in a small area. Please do check control numbers. Let’s not mispunch!
  2. To render the map readable, cliff tick marks have been left off. Impassable cliffs are thick black lines.
  3. If you find your forward route flanked by black lines (cliffs), your safest route is most likely behind you. Don’t take chances! Enjoy the scenery and turn around and find a safer route.
  4. Between most cliffs are small “slot canyons” and “finger” clearings offering viable route choices. Look for them and use them. Don’t scale cliffs.
  5. Some slot canyons have been marked “Out-of-Bounds.” They are potentially dangerous.
  6. Do take the opportunity to do the Model event. This will show you what to expect.
  7. Finally, due to so many Sporting Events in the Spokane area, no Portapoties were available. There is a bathroom in the parking area and another near the river close to the Model Event. In addition, we will have two field toilets near the start.
  8. Walk to Start, Run-out-Starts and Marked Routes (white course), are flagged with both Orange and Blue pin flags. Pin flags are 10 m apart.

Start details

Day Walk to Start Run-out-Start Safety Bearing
Sat Basically 0 m 80 m S, SW to main road into park
Sun 225 m 30 m E, NE to dirt road, which leads to parking area

Mapping notes

There are many  areas where the forest thinning has resulted in unintentional roads in the forest. There are so many of these and they are so random and dominant, that it was decided not to include the tracks left behind by these machines, even if they are in some places significant. Why? This is because the map would have been nothing more than a blur of black lines everywhere and dominated the map. These tracks should not be used to navigate off. Instead, yellow stripes indicating rough open areas are placed on the map in these locations.

  • Bare Rock is often covered by moss or trees. There are very few trails, which may be obscured by tall grass.
  • Old jeep roads are represented by narrow rides with light yellow under-color.
  • Rough Open with scattered trees or other vegetation used to depict ways up and through rocky cliff areas.
  • The gigantic cliff / black area symbol was used to highlight particularly large cliffs.
  • Stony ground, boulder clusters, and boulder fields are often used to depict things that are similar.

Although there are many boulders depicted, an attempt was made to depict large stones that are embedded in the ground as bare rock rather than as individual boulders. Individual boulders are depicted as >1m and as stand-alone items in the forest and not part of the land itself.

I hope you enjoy running through this unique and beautiful terrain.

Dave Tallent, Course Designer

Water

Water and cups will be provided at one location that is easily accessible from all courses. Its location is marked on the map but is NOT at a control.

Time Limit

In accordance with OUSA rules, the time limit for the Middle is two hours.

Sunday, June 23 – Middle NRE 2, Fisk State Park

   Event #9/9 in the Ultimate Orienteer Series!

Get more information about the unique terrain at Fisk State Park

Schedule (preliminary)

  • 8:30-10:45am – Check-in open
  • 9:00-noon – starts
  • 2:00pm – courses close
  • 3:00p (approx) – Middle 2, Marmot Cup, Western States, and Ultimate Series awards

Courses/Classes

All courses are Middle format.

  • White – 1.4k, 16 controls, 10m climb
  • Yellow – 1.4k, 14 controls, 10m climb
  • Orange – 1.8k, 17 controls, 25m climb
  • Brown – 2.4k, 19 controls, 85m climb
  • Green – 2.6k, 19 controls, 90m climb
  • Red – 3.0k, 25 controls, 100m climb
  • Blue – 3.4k, 25 controls, 120m climb
Course Navigational
experience		 Map Scale* NRE Class Ultimate Class**
White Beginner 1:4000 F-10, F-12, M-10, M-12
M/F White
White Rec		 N/A
Yellow Adv Beginner 1:4000 F-14, M-14
F Yellow, M Yellow
Yellow Rec		 N/A
Orange Intermediate 1:4000 F-16, M-16
F Orange, M Orange
Orange Rec		 F-16, O-16
Brown Advanced 1:4000 F-18, F55+, F60+, F65+, F70+, F75+, F80+, F85+, F90+
M65+, M70+, M75+, M80+, M85+, M90+
F Brown, M Brown
Brown Rec		 F50+**, F70+
Green Advanced 1:4,000 F-20, F35+, F40+, F45+, F50+
M-18, M50+, M55+, M60+
F Green, M Green
Green Rec		 F-20, O50+***
Red Advanced 1:4,000 F-21+
M-20, M35+, M40+, M45+
M Red
Red Rec		 O-20, F-21+
Blue Advanced 1:4,000 M-21+
Blue Rec		 O-21+

*The Sanctioning Committee has approved a larger-than-standard map scale because of the detailed terrain

**For Ultimate Series points, F50+ is on Brown. That means if you are between 50 and 54, you must compete in one of the following NRE classes on Brown: F-Brown or Brown Rec.

***For Ultimate Series points, O50+ is on Green. That means if you are between 65 and 69, you must compete in any of the following NRE classes on Green: M50+, M55+, M60+, M Green, or Green Rec.

Course Notes

See course notes above.

Water

Water and cups will be provided at two locations, at least one of which is easily accessible from each course. The locations are marked on the map but are NOT at a control.

Time Limit

In accordance with OUSA rules, the time limit for the Middle is 2 hours.

Accommodations

Lodging

The closest hotels and motels are in Airway Heights, or Spokane International Airport, approximately 30 miles south of Fisk. Some examples are listed below (inclusion on the list is not a recommendation). There are also multiple smaller motels. AirBnb and Vrbo are also possible options.

  • Best Western Plus Peppertree Airport Inn
  • Days Inn & Suites Airway Heights
  • Hampton Inn Spokane
  • Hilton Garden Inn Spokane Airport
  • MainStay Suites Spokane Airport
  • Ramada by Wyndham (Spokane Airport)
  • Sleep Inn Spokane Airport
  • SpringHill Suites by Marriott (Spokane Airport)
  • Wyngate by Wyndham (Spokane Airport)

Camping

Group camping

We have booked Group Campsite #1 at Riverside State Park’s Bowl & Pitcher for 4 nights (June 21 through June 24). No RVs or trailers are allowed in the group site. If you want to sleep in a vehicle, it must fit in a standard parking space.

If you are camping in the group site, please check in with Rick Breseman before setting up.

  • 20 miles, approx. 35 minutes from Fisk
  • $10/night/tent or vehicle; no RVs or trailers
  • Showers
  • 20 spots available, sign up when you register

Riverside State Park

Bowl & Pitcher Campground
  • 20 miles, approx. 35 minutes from Fisk
  • Reservations (select Riverside – Bowl & Pitcher)
  • RVs, tents, showers
Lake Spokane Campground
  • 29 miles, approx. 45 minutes from Fisk
  • Reservations (select Lake Spokane)
  • RVs, tents, showers