My son Bevan and I decided to try this new format for an O-event.
Mats Jansson at TrackMe360 makes it possible to orienteer in
breathtaking Sierra environments by staging the event over a month
or two (no permits required). A team can sign up to run (in our
case, walk) the course on any day. Coordinates are emailed the
night before and the map is standard USGS 1:24,000 scale. It’s all
enabled by a GPS tracking device that records where you’ve been
without any user interface to indicate where you are on the
course… At the end of the run, you simply send in the tracking
device to TrackMe360 which is used to verify that you actually
visited the controls (streamers). The tracking device also uses GPS
time to record your time (maybe even split time, although this
doesn’t seem to get posted on the results website).

The control placements are essentially Orange level on a BAOC map.
But coupled with the relative imprecision of a USGS map, a couple of
the controls had some surprising challenges. In particular, since
anything other than forest vegetation is not mapped, route choice
can lead to surprises in the area of Silver Lake (near Kirkwood ski
area). Large granite boulders and cliffs resulted in an unexpected
effort to get to one of the controls. And sometimes waist-high
brush (obviously not on the map) got in the way of taking the most
optimal route to the control.

We chose to do the Long course (27K), which had 8 controls and a
1000 meter climb (optimal). Probably 60-70% is off-trail. We walked
most of it, with a few downhill runs, and a few more slow rock
scrambles. We did not do the optional peak climb because we didn’t
think the additional time would be less than the reduction of 90
minutes from our overall time on the course (if we’d done the
optional climb). Maybe for those of you in better shape, it would
be worth it. In fact we averaged a little less than 3K/hour over the
whole course.

We were pleasantly surprised that two of the controls had some very
interesting route choice options. Again, because of the poor map
quality, there is a little more luck involved than I’d prefer. But
in retrospect, on the two controls that we bobbled due to poor route
choice, a closer inspection of the map would have resulted in a
better approach.

If you decide to do this Mountain-O, be sure to carry a water
filter. We each started with 2 liter CamelBaks, which we finished
by lunch and the 1/2 way point. We then refilled (pumped 4 litres)
from a well marked spring but at a lower than optimal location. The
water was a bit contaminated from previous high altitude cattle
grazing, but we survived. The last third of the course has
plentiful water from streams and lakes.

Bottom line, if you like to hike in the Sierra, then you should try
this O-event. It will help you to sharpen your large scale
navigation skills, and give you plenty of great views.

For more information, click here.

Jim and Bevan Waite

At TrackMe360, we believe a SPOT should be “mandatory gear” for adventure racers and others spending lots of time in the rugged outdoors, often solo.  Big Blue Adventure recognizes this and is helping its newsletter subscribers get their hands on one for less cash.  Right now, you can buy a SPOT from TrackMe360 by the end of September, 2008, and get free shipping and $10 off the already low price of $149.95 – this is $30 less than if you buy it directly from SPOT, Inc. (subscription service, starting at $99.99 not included)

Learn more about this revolutionary device and to take advantage of this special offer NOW! When ordering, enter “BIGBLUE” in the order comments when placing the order. Discount and shipping is refunded after placing the order. Offer expires September 30, 2008.

FOLLOW THE EXPEDITION REAL-TIME WITH TRACKME360! SEE EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE – CLICK HERE! (LIVE AUGUST 24-29, 2008)

Off Roving, an off road after market company for Land Rover owners, is donating the proceeds from this year’s third annual Great Divide trek to a 12 year old from Big Bear who is slated to be the youngest ever to successfully make the summits of the tallest mountain on each continent. These are called the “Seven Summits”.

Beyond this, Off Roving is making this year’s GDIII a pledge drive to its sponsors and community to
raise $30,000 for Jordan’s next ascent in Antarctica which will cost nearly $100,000. Supporters in this
effort pledge for a day, multiple days or for all five days of the trek. Pledges are $0.10 per vertical foot one truck ascends each day. To pledge your support, go here.

The Great Divide is a well known annually sold out trek following the legendary Great Continental Divide Expedition led by Tom Collins with the launch of the Range Rover. Land Rover owners drive their own vehicles in the tracks of legends. This year’s trip is designed to raise money for Jordan Romero so he can complete his last two ascents. Two legendary ascents. One legendary goal. We climb so he can climb.

The trip will be “published” online complete with real-time GPS tracking maps, using GPS gear provided by TrackMe360.com. Between August 24 and 29, you can see exactly where the expedition is here.

Registration is open! To register your team, click here.

Event Sponsors: TrackMe360 and SleepMonsters

August 1, 2008 – Folsom, California. TrackMe360 today announced the fourth Mountain-O event in its quasi-series of “virtual races”. Previous events have taken us from Mount Diablo into the Sierra. In the fourth installment, we are taking you to a magnificent, alpine area – Mokelumne Wilderness and El Dorado National Forest, near Silver Lake. The elevations are not quite as dramatic as Desolation, but it is all pretty high altitude (between 7,200 and 8,800). The terrain is pristine, on and off the trail – very easy to travel off trail – very little bush whack. “It’s like butta”.

What is a TrackMe360 Training Race anyway?

Consider it an opportunity for a fun and challenging work-out in an amazingly scenic place – a place where you’d normally never get a permit approved for a race. The course will bring out the best this area has to offer. It’s a race, but not in the traditional sense. The main difference is teams don’t race simultaneously, and that’s what allows us to race without permits, but a nice side benefit is that people can decide when they want to race (within the race month), to fit their busy schedules. CP markers will be minimal, just a small piece of flagging. No pre-race meeting, no finish banner – just you and the mountain. Could it be any more authentic?

How it works

• -Register for the “race” online at TrackMe360.com
• -Receive the map and a GPS recording device before your chosen “race day”. For safety and redundancy in CP marking, you also get a SPOT satellite tracker.
• -Receive CP coordinates by 5 PM the day before “race day” via e-mail – plot your map.
• -On race day, go race, and the GPS device records your route.
• -Next day, mail back the GPS device and SPOT to TrackMe360.com
• -As soon as the GPS device is received, your results will be posted on the SleepMonsters leader board, “ladder style”, meaning as other people race, the leader board will reflect the order from fastest to slowest teams.
• -After the last day the race is “active”, the winning team is crowned, and all teams’ routes will be posted online in Google Maps, for “post race analysis”.
• -This is all done under the “honor system”, and is considered a training race “with benefits”.

Race #4: Silver Lake Mountain-O

Our fourth TrackMe360 Training Race takes place in the Mokelumne Wilderness and El Dorado National Forest, near Silver Lake, off Hwy 88 just West of Kirkwood. Three courses of varying degrees of challenge (Recreational, Sport, and Pro) have been designed to showcase the best the area has to offer, with moderate vertical gain, a lot of trail choices, and fairly easy cross country terrain. We are introducing a third course option this time – “Recreational”. This shorter course will have CPs very close to trail, and teams can choose to do 90%+ of the course by using trails. This is a great introduction to Mountain-O. No one should feel intimidated by this course. We are extremely excited about this venue – it will definitely put a smile on your face. The courses takes you through coniferous forest lands, through sparsely tree covered granite slab slopes and also along spectacular ridge lines with weird volcanic features and volcanic gravel. On the long course, an optional ascent of Thimble Peak offers amazing views into the more alpine area to the East. The area is somewhat dry at this time of year, and a few lakes is the only replenishment option, and treating the water essential.

• General Location: Plasse’s Camping Resort at Silver Lake, off Hwy 88 just West of Kirkwood, CA
• Race is active: Months of August and September, 2008
• Disciplines: Foot only. Some trail (90%+ on the Rec. course), some cross country, some exposed rock scrambling at optional CP on the long course
• Topo navigation on tear and water proof MyTopo maps – 1:24,000
• Rec Course: 8 mi. with 1,650 ft gain
• Sport Course: 12 mi. with 2,900 ft gain (plus optional CP)
  
• Pro Course: 17 mi with 3,200 ft gain (plus optional CP)
  
• Courses designed and pre-run by: Mats Jansson (Aquan/RWG)
• Divisions: Mixed open (any combination of gender and age), team size 1-4
• Registration: $49/team ($39/team if you have your own SPOT)

A couple of pictures from the course:

To register your team, click here. If you have any questions, please e-mail mats@trackme360.com

Monday August 4th, 2008 – Folsom, California. We are pleased to report that TrackMe360.com is the price leader for rental of SPOT GPS Trackers. An internet search yielded 3 companies offering short term rentals of SPOT GPS Trackers, and TrackMe360 was on average 18% less expensive than the other services, comparing 3 Day, 1 Week, 2 Week and 1 Month rental periods. In addition, TrackMe360’s prices INCLUDE return shipping (by USPS 2-3 Day Priority Mail), something which does not appear to be included with the other offers (at least we could not see any mention of it).

The biggest difference in price was for the 1 Month rental, where one company charges $140. In comparison, TrackMe360 charges only $69.95 for a months use, including return shipping. Says Jansson, owner of TrackMe360: “A lot of the cost is in the setup and administration. SPOTs are life saving devices, and quality control is of the utmost importance. Extending the rental period doesn’t add that much cost to us, since it is still only one setup activity – therefore we can be very aggressive on the longer rental periods.”

TrackMe360 rental pricing is:

• 3 Days – $29.95
• 1 Week – $39.95
• 2 Weeks – $49.95
• 1 Month – $69.95

Dear TrackMe360:

We made it to the summit! Using the Spot while climbing Mount Shasta in northern California, provided the peace-of-mind that help is on the way if we needed it. The OK feature provided our friends and family with timely information about our location and that we were “OK”. The tracking feature was a fun way for friends and supporters to follow our progress. Your service was excellent. For someone like me, who might do one or two epic trips a year, being able to rent the SPOT is perfect. Thanks for being there!

Randy Mintz – Folsom, California

Shorting the time by almost 3 hrs from the previous lead team, team Tim & Karl (Tim Kuenster and Karl Royer) got through the course in just over 8.5 hrs, AND pocketed the 75 minute time bonus with a speed climb to the summit of Mt. Price. 20 minutes from CP3 to the summit – Yuji and Hans, look out!

The optional CP4 is a bit exposed – people with a fear of heights, and limited climbing experience might opt out, OR, go for a less direct ascent than team Tim & Karl. Full leader board at SleepMonsters here.

There is still time to bump Tim and Karl off their perch – the Desolation course is open through August. Register here.

Adventure On!