​​WCOC and HVO are pleased to host the ninth annual Winter Series, a collection of BYOM (bring your own map) orienteering training events. Most events offer Brown, Green and Red courses, and participants download the course maps from the HVO event website. The courses have standard orienteering flags unless otherwise noted, but no boxes/punches on the controls. Run whenever you want while the flags are out. In case of major snowfalls, revised dates may be considered and posted.

Course maps and event info, including directions, can be downloaded from HVO's website.

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Event schedule (Updated 3/11/26):
#1 Dec 20 – Jan 18 – Saxon Woods, White Plains, NY – Stefan Slutsky (course designer)
#2 Jan 3 – Jan 25 - Huntington SP, Redding, CT – Joe Brautigam
#3 Jan 11 – Mar 8 – Ward Pound Ridge, Cross River, NY – Geof Connor--OPEN
#4 Mar 11 – Mar 29 – Five Ponds, Litchfield, CT – Tim Grogean--OPEN
#5 Mar 11 – Mar 29 – Brooksvale Park, Hamden, CT – Niels (compass training+R/Gr/Br courses)--OPEN
#6 Mar 21 – Apr 19 – Surebridge North, Harriman, NY – Greg Balter

 

As of March 11, we have good running conditions with virtually no snow at Ward Pound Ridge and Brooksvale Park (but plenty of water in streams and marshes).

Five Ponds continue to have quite a bit of snow. This past weekend, Tim, the course designer, recommended snowshoe orienteering for now. Those conditions will change quickly with the milder weather.

Flags are in the woods and maps are posted for all three events.

Note that the Brooksvale Park courses are designed to be compass training. Maps are available with both 5,000 and 7,500 scales to prepare for the upcoming Nationals middle distance races.

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Tim Grogean has designed some fun, interesting courses at Five Ponds in Litchfield, CT.  The courses utilize the rarely used western part of the map.  This is a great opportunity to combine orienteering with an exploration of scenic Litchfield.  

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The final event of the Winter Series is planned to be at the northern section of the Surebridge map in Harriman SP.  This should be excellent training for the upcoming West Point NRE.

A big thank you to our course designers who make the Winter Series possible: Stefan, Joe, Geof, Tim, Brian, Niels, and David.

Important note.
These are training courses and not organized events.
Each participant in any or all of the Winter Series events assumes full responsibility for any and all injuries, losses and damages that he or she incurs while attending or participating in the Winter Series events. Please observe all County, State and Federal regulations that may be in place.

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Spring Schedule

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Here's a preview of our spring schedule:

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April 4, Tarrywile Park, Danbury, CT

April 26, Rocky Neck State Park, Niantic, CT

May 9, Middle distance event, Mashamoquet State Park, Pomfret Center, CT

May 10, Billygoat (long event with following allowed, everyone starts at same time),
       shorter and beginner courses, Bigelow Hollow State Park, Union, CT

May 16, Beginner/intermediate event at Deer Lake, Killingworth, CT

May 31, Mini-Rogaine at Pond Mtn, Kent, CT

June 6, Summer courses and BBQ at Ratlum Mtn, Canton, CT

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Check back for further updates!!

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