WPOC worked with Stackhouse Park and Adrienne Oldham, a local girl scout, to set up permanent orienteering courses in Stackhouse Park .  The purpose of a permanent orienteering course is to provide a continuous opportunity for the public to experience orienteering whenever they desire.  Regular orienteering meets are still held in Stackhouse Park; but the permanent courses are always there.

The courses have been available since 31 July 2006.  All 20 control points for the courses should be in place;  if you discover that any are missing, please report that to Jim Wolfe at jlwolfe@atlanticbb.net    You may be able to pick up the map at the Ranger Station, Luzerne Street entrance to the park.  You can always get a copy of the map online at the following link: Stackhouse Permanent Courses  When you print this map, you should use 8 1/2" x 14" (legal size) paper and set the scaling to "None" or "Actual Size" to preserve the map scale.

The  Driving Directions  to Stackhouse Park lead you to the Luzerne Street entrance.  Maps are free; but it is requested that you enter your name in the log book if you take one.  We want to get an idea of how much use is being made of the courses.  You should also make a log entry if you download and print your own map.

The maps are preprinted with the location of the controls and the control descriptions for each control.  Each control location has a metal pole 2-3 feet high with an red and white orienteering marker on the top.  The marker is about 4 inches square.  There are three suggested courses on the map:  short, about 1.6 km (7 controls); medium, about 3.3 km (12 controls); and long about 5.9 km (19 controls).  However, there is no requirement that the controls be visited in the order specified.  So, anyone can improvise his/her own course out of the 20 controls.  Controls do not have punches; so, you are on your honor regarding whether or not you find each one.

Each suggested course has several "easy" controls so that novice orienteers can find them.  But, each course also has at least a few "difficult" controls so that advanced orienteers can enjoy practicing on them as well.  The courses were designed for their various lengths and are not to be associated with any particular skill level or course color scheme.

What You Should Do:
1.  Go to the Ranger Station and sign in on the log book.
2.  Pick up a map from the map box if there are any.  Both the log book and the map box are located on the front of the Ranger Station.
3.  If the ranger is there, say, "Hello."  If there are no maps in the box, ask the ranger for more; however, he may not have any; you may have to print the online map yourself to get one.
4. Go out there and enjoy the courses.