Permanent Courses

Introduction to Permanent Courses ….

  • 1. Rockwoods Range Courses

    There are permanent courses in St. Louis allowing you to go out and practice with real controls in the woods. The Rockwoods Range course map can be purchased through this webiste here.

    FULL PERMENANT COURSE

    For those up to the challenge, there are a total of 34 controls located on the Rockwoods Range map. To have a little fun with this, SLOC is maintaining a database for those who have completed the full course.

    If you would like to post your time, please send an email to Nathan Graves at cavemelon@hotmail.com and we will post it. Please send us a link to a GPS track, with your time, the date, distance, and the name(s) of those who completed it. You are welcome to run this as many times as you like.

    Rockwoods Range Permanent Course
    Full Course 34 Controls
    Name(s)DateTimeControlsDistance (miles)
    Nathan Graves1/10/213:00:443411.74
    Nathan Graves 10/18/203:24:253412.39
    Nathan Graves and Brian Rodenbeck2/21/153:46:393412.18
    Zdenek Palachek and Todd Dohogne1/17/213:50:273411.97
    Note – official time is the total time elapsed while on the course including any stoppages, not moving time as recorded on some devices.

    OTHER VARIATONS

    Not everyone wants to bite off the whole thing. That is OK too, we have designed a couple of shorter courses for those who want to try their hand at a shorter version. Send your final time to cavemelon@hotmail.com and feel free to run it as many times as you like. The Rockwoods Range course map can be purchased through this webiste here.

    Rockwoods Range Challenge Course #1: Start at the gate at the AP Greensfelder Monument/Dogwood trailhead off of Allenton just south of Hencken Rd, proceed to numbers: 6, 27, 31, 9, 28, 13, 29, 16, 15, then back to the gate for the finish.

    Rockwoods Range Permanent Course
    Challenge Course #1
    Name(s)Time
    Josh Borgmeyer56:13
    Eric Buckley57:00
    Nathan Graves1:00:59
    Greg Schott1:07:13
    Jeff Ryan1:07:43
    Nathan Graves1:15:02
    Bryan Niehaus1:20:00
    Mark Geldmeier1:34:04
    Gary Thompson1:43:24
    Tim Gutersloh1:48:11
    Jeff and Carrie Sona2:02:00
    Geisen Family2:22:01
    Emily and Erl2:30:00

    Rockwoods Range Challenge Course #2: Designed by Dave Frei. Start at 11, then go 10, 8, 26, 25, 24, 4, 5, 7, 34, 33, 32, and end at 13.

    We recommend parking at the south Greenrock TH gravel parking lot and walk to the start at checkpoint 11. Then once you’ve completed the course at 13 enjoy your cool down hike back to your vehicle. The Rockwoods Range course map can be purchased through this webiste here.

    Rockwoods Range Permanent Course
    Challenge Course #2
    Name(s)Time
    Nathan Graves1:17:00
    Josh Borgmeyer1:24:00
    Mark Geldmeier2:11:00

    ARE YOU A COURSE DESIGNER?

    Do you have an idea for a set of controls from the Permanent Course that would make a great segment course for others to run? Great! We welcome that. Send us your course, any instructions, and your completed time and we will add yours to another chart just like the ones on this page. We love to have new ideas and challenges.

  • 2. Greensfelder Permanent Course

    The first records of this course date to 1976 from the Orienteering Resource Agency with additional field work and drafting completed in 1985.  The control markers are iron stakes with 3D triangular iron tops.  More than one numbering mark can be found on most.  All are badly rusted, two are missing entirely as designated on map and clues key.  A couple are missing their triangular top and just the stake remains.  A few have the top dislodged, one is badly mangled, but they are still in the locations as market on the map.  Enjoy the course at your own risk.

    If you would like to post your time, please send an email to Nathan Graves at cavemelon@hotmail.com and we will post it. Please send us a link to a GPS track, with your time, the date, distance, and the name(s) of those who completed it. You are welcome to run this as many times as you would like.

    You can purchase the map and clue information for this course on our maps page here.

    Greensfelder Permanent Course
    20 Controls
    Name(s)Time
    no results reported yet
    Note – official time is the total time elapsed while on the course including any stoppages, not moving time as recorded on some devices.
  • 3. Arch Permanent Course

    This course is a little different in that you have to not only navigate to the right spot but you also have to identify the correct answer to the clue. Not all are very straightforward so pay close attention!

    Keep track of your answers on a sheet of paper and submit your time and answer to Nathan Graves at cavemelon@hotmail.com and we will “grade” and post them.

    Arch Course
    21 Controls    		Time in MinutesObtainedCorrect
    Team Freiper (Dave and Mary)49:002117
    Patrick Geldmeier and Chelsea Wantling77:002117
    Brent and Wil Suydam80:002117
    Steve Brennan82:002117
    Dave Beattie60:002116
    Mark Geldmeier49:102114
    Tena and Traci Berry93:002114
    Dario Negron105:002114
    Susan Kubinak80:002011
  • Virtual Orienteering Events

    The post explores an option for virtual orienteering events where physical controls are not deployed, but GPS enabled devices (mobile phones and Garmin devices specifically) are able to recognize when you are at the correct location – providing both a “beep” to tell you you’re there and recording the time you arrive.

    The technology chosen to test is a product called MapRun. Of the various options, this technology provided options that allowed Garmin users to wear their watch to run a course (while looking at a paper map) while also providing an option for those who don’t own Garmin devices to use a mobile phone.

    Basic Instructions

    Download and Install “MapRun5” from your app store.

    For Garmin setup

    Assuming you have Garmin Connect setup and configured. And – you have the Garmin Connect IQ installed and configure.

    Go to the Garmin Connect IQ app an search for MapRunG. Installing this app pushes it to your device. You will need to connect your device to the app after the installation. From the Connect IQ app, you can browse your installed apps and select MapRunG. There is a setting tab where you will enter the id that your watch generates to connect the devices.

    Download a test course

    From the MarRun6 app, click on the hamburger menu and select CheckSites. This will ask for a 6 digit code. Use 695904 – this code is valid until mid-Oct 2021.

    Does the course download to your phone? You should see a map of the course.

    Now … go to options and settings and go to “GPS Watch Mode” … you’ll need to again link your watch somehow – I don’t remember how. If you enable this, the courses are sent to your watch when you open MapRunG. The course above should open with title of Kirkwood Night-O

    The operation is straight forward …

    when you get to the start control, your clock starts!!!

    each control when you get close will beep and you can move to the next control

    your time will stop at the finish control (beep)

    There are some adjustments that can be made

    Radius of when the beep / punch occurs (to small may not be accurate enough. To large and you might not have to actually see it)