Event Details

October 9-10, 2010 — Teanaway Valley, Cle Elum, WA

Quick links to info on this page:

The Three15er is a rogaining event. About 50-60 checkpoints scattered over a large forested area will be circled on a map and marked on the ground by orange and white orienteering markers. Each checkpoint has a point value, which is equal to the checkpoint number rounded down to the tens place. For example, a checkpoint numbered 68 would be worth 60 points. The object is to score as many points as you can within the time limit by visiting checkpoints using your chosen mode(s) of transport. There are point penalties for returning late. Maps are issued before the start, so that teams have time to plan their route. At each checkpoint visited, a team must do two things to record their visit: 1. punch the team's scorecard using the plastic pin punch attached to the checkpoint marker, and 2. write the team number, time visited and next checkpoint number the team intends to visit on the log sheet.

The course area is between about 2200 and 5400 feet in elevation and consists of moderate to steep slopes, as well as some flat or rolling areas. The area consists of several ridges between river valleys, and the size of the topographic features ranges from large to small. Besides the rivers, there are few other water features, however a few marshes and small ponds can be found in the area. There are some sandstone rock formations in the area.

Some parts of the terrain have a moderately well-developed network of roads and trails, and other parts of the terrain have a sparser network. The majority of roads and trails are logging roads, and they may be either very distinct or overgrown and indistinct, depending on how long ago they were made and used. There are cattle trails in parts of the area, and these come and go with the cow traffic. They are generally not mapped, but they can be useful when they go the direction you want.

The forest is mainly dominated by pine trees and is fairly open, however there are areas of denser growth in valleys or other wet areas, on some slopes, or in areas that were harvested and are regrowing. Most of the area is managed for timber harvest, and the area includes clearcut areas, thinned areas, dense forest, and everything in between. Timber harvest, along with natural succession, have left trees and branches lying on the ground over much of the area. In some places, it is easy to go around most of this woody debris, and in other places, it is denser and must be stepped over or upon.

The main map is from the USGS 7.5' topographic series maps Cle Elum, Cle Elum Lake, Red Top Mountain, Teanaway, and Teanaway Butte. These maps have a 40 foot contour interval. Limited updates (mostly new roads) are made to the map where it is important for navigating to and between the checkpoints on the course. In addition, much of the area adjacent to the start/finish is covered by orienteering map, and this map will be supplied to participants, as well.

Here are samples of the maps, with a USGS map on the left and an orienteering map on the right. Click the maps to view a larger area.
 

The average high for Cle Elum (the nearest town) on October 9-10 is 64F, and the average low is 36F. Here are links to daily averages for October and a weather station in Cle Elum. Keep in mind that the rogaine terrain is at a higher altitude, ranging from the same elevation as Cle Elum, up to 3500 feet higher. That translates into a good chance of freezing night-time temperatures in the higher parts of the course.

October is, on average, a transition month between the fairly dry month of September and the extremely wet month of November. Early October tends to still be fairly dry. (See the monthly average precipitation totals.) According to the data from the Cle Elum weather station linked to above, over the past five years, there was one day between October 8 and 11 with 0.04 inches of rain (October 9, 2005), and there was no rain on the other 19 of the 20 days (5 years X 4 days/year). This may or may not be an accurate indication of how likely it is to be rainy. I would expect a higher chance of precipitation at the higher elevations of the event area than in the valley in which Cle Elum is situated.

There are three divisions:

• Foot: teams hiking or running
• Bike: teams mountain biking
• Duathlon: teams on mountain bikes for half of their time and on foot for half

Duathlon teams are welcome to return early from the biking and spend more than half their time on foot, but they will receive substantial point penalties for returning late on their bikes.

Teams are ranked within their division according to their total score. Among teams with identical scores, the earliest finishing team will be ranked highest.

There are four event time-limit choices:

• 3-hour: start either at 11 AM Saturday or 8:30 AM Sunday (Sunday finish at 11:30 AM)
• 6-hour
• 12-in-24-hour: Stay out for up to 12 hours over the 24-hour period from 11 AM Saturday to 11 AM Sunday. Teams can break up that time however they wish. Duathlon teams can spend up to 6 hours on bike, and it is okay to alternate biking stints with stints on foot.
• 24-hour

International rogaining rules will be in effect, but this is not a championship event, so we're modifying a few rules. Here are a few rules highlights:

• Team members must stay together (within unaided verbal contact) the whole time they are on the course (IRF rule B10)
• All team members must go to each checkpoint visited by the team, meaning all must simultaneously approach within 20 meters (IRF rule B15)
• All participants are required to respond to a distress signal and to assist a competitor who is injured and needs assistance (elaboration on IRF rule B30)
• All participants are responsible for their own safety while they participate, and participants should make themselves aware of the hazards associated with traffic, weather, rugged terrain, health risks of extreme exertion, equipment malfunction, and remoteness from emergency assistance
• Except in case of emergency, all participants must check in with event staff before leaving the area; in case of emergency, an evacuated participant or his/her team members should notify event staff of the situation as soon as possible after attending to the emergency
• Teams in the Bike or Duathlon divisions may travel only on bicycles (non-motorized) or on foot (exception to IRF rule B9)
• Participants traveling on bicycles may leave their bicycles on the course and come back to them later, as long as the bicycles are out of the way of others, and the participants have the bicycles with them whenever they return to the start/finish (elaboration of IRF rule B13)
• Points will be deducted from the scores of late returning teams, and the per-minute point penalty will be announced at the event; teams finishing more than 40 minutes late will receive a score of zero (exception to IRF rule B27)
• Points may be deducted from the scores of teams that repeatedly fail to record their visits on the checkpoint log sheets (up to 10 point deduction per checkpoint is possible)
• A team may be assessed point penalties or be disqualified, at the discretion of the organizer, for infringing these rules (modification of IRF rule B23)
• Solo participants are allowed in the 6-hour and 3-hour events (exception to IRF rule B1)
• Minimum age for a participant not accompanied by an adult is 16 in the 6-hour and longer events, and 13 in the 3-hour event (exception to IRF rule B2)
• Dogs may accompany a team on the course, but they must be under close control and not be allowed to harass wildlife or people (exception to IRF rule B5h)
• GPS devices and altimeters (such as GPS tracking watches) may be carried on the course (to allow tracking analysis afterward) but not used for navigation by teams competing for an official result and awards. If carried, any such devices that have a display must be presented to race officals to be sealed (after tracking is activated, if desired) before the start. Without going into the details of the sealing method, we can say that participants with GPS watches should plan to carry them, not wear them. (exception to IRF rule B7)
• Teams that wish to use additional navigation aids are welcome to do so if they notify the organizer, but their results will be listed separately and they may not be considered for awards (exception to IRF rule B7)
• Following another team is allowed if consent is secured from the followed team (exception to IRF rule B12)

• Participants will be responsible for their own safety while taking part. Of course event staff will try to help you if we learn that you are seriously injured or otherwise need assistance, but there is a good chance you would be waiting a long time for help, and we don't have the level of staffing or expertise necessary to quickly and expertly handle many emergency situations that might arise, so your best bet is to be very careful to avoid serious injury. If you are not comfortable assuming the risks involved in prolonged exertion while traveling through rugged terrain under various and possibly unexpected conditions, then you should not take part in the event.
• Hunting season for grouse, quail, cougar, and bear will be open during the event, however the event takes place outside the busier deer and elk seasons, so there should be few hunters in the area. However, if you hear shooting or see hunters, then it is still a good idea to present yourself as a human, for example by talking, announcing your presence, or wearing brightly-colored clothing.
• Parts of the terrain are steep and have cliff and steep and possibly unstable slopes. These potentially dangerous areas are not explicitly delineated on the maps, so you will need to determine the safety of traversing a prospective route for yourself.
• Each person will be required to sign a liability waiver upon checking in for the event. A parent or guardian must sign for each participating minor.

• Each team must have bottles or other containers able to carry at least 0.5 liters of water per team member
• Each participant must carry a whistle for signaling in case of emergency (three short blasts)
• Each team must have a compass
• Each team must have a watch (or other time-telling device)
• Each team must carry a writing utensil (pencil works best) to mark the checkpoint intention sheets
• Each team must carry enough emergency blankets (mylar or tyvek wrap or similar) to provide emergency shelter for the entire team
• Each individual should have clothing appropriate to the weather, accounting for the possibility of injury or exhaustion
• Each bike or duathlon team should have the tools and supplies needed to make basic repairs on the course: e.g., spare tube or patch kit, tire levers, tire pump or cartridges, multi-tool, chain tool, extra derailleur hanger

The above list is not meant to be comprehensive. Participants will want to carry other gear (for example, a headlamp, additional water carrying capacity, food), as they determine necessary.

• awards may be given in the following categories: women, men, mixed, child team (teams with members 12 & under), junior team (teams with all members 13-21), masters (avg. age 45+), and supervet (avg. age 60+)
• logical combinations of some of the above classifications will constitute categories, for example, "Supervet Women" or "Junior Mixed"
• categories with few teams may be consolidated for the purposes of awards, at the discretion of the organizer
• because there are two starts and finishes for the 3-hour event, there will most likely not be awards given for the 3-hour

Allow a bit over 2 hours from SeaTac Airport, a bit less from Seattle or the Eastside, 2.5 hours at heavy traffic times (e.g., Friday afternoon), or longer in case of poor driving conditions. Here are links to weather conditions along I-90, the Snoqualmie Pass (on I-90) report, and Seattle-area traffic.

From the Seattle area, including SeaTac Airport and the Eastside, take I-90 East to Cle Elum, WA
Take exit 85 and go left across the freeway to the T junction
Turn right at the T junction to get onto State Route 970 Eastbound
After 6.5 miles, turn left onto Teanaway Road
After 7.3 miles, turn left onto W Fork Teanaway Road
After 0.8 miles and just after the junction with Middle Fork Teanaway Road but before the bridge, turn left into Teanaway campground (gravel road)
Follow signs to the rogaine check-in

Parking, check-in, start, and finish will be at Teanaway Campground. Here is a link to a map centered on the campground. (It's the area with trees, not the adjacent open field.) There are pit toilets but no running water, so please bring your own for before and after the event.

Camping

There is free primitive camping (pit toilets; bring your own water) at Teanaway Campground, the start/finish location.

Hotels

There are numerous lodging options in the city of Cle Elum. Please see the excellent list at this website (but disregard camping and other options near Salmon La Sac, because that's a long drive from Teanaway Campground.)