You must login to complete season waiver, download course maps, and view other content.
10 thoughts on “Settlers Bay Coastal Park in Wasilla 9/30/20-10/18/20”
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
How did this map come to be? We’re interested in hearing the story about its genesis. Also, thanks Ian and Jen for putting on this event. It was fun to explore a new location.
The club was approached by the Great Land Trust to set up a course out here. We thought it would be a fun and potentially rewarding partnership given all of the cool places the GLT works (maybe we could have an event of Afognak Island?!).
Ian got most of the GIS data together and then I finished a few things and used aerial photos to edit the map. Ian, Jen, Springer, and I then spent a whole day doing the field checking and we finished the edits together. The map went together pretty quickly and could use a little more work, but it represents the quality of mapping that the club can do on its own, without hiring a mapper from Outside. What do you think? Is the quality high enough for you?
Dorn
Interesting – thanks! Since it was raining when we walked the “Stroll-O,” I wasn’t focused on map details, and I’m no expert, but it seemed fit-for-purpose to me. We appreciate your work.
Nancy and I did the medium course on Sunday and saw lots (well maybe another 3 or 4!) parties with maps in hand. This is a great new venue! Thanks to the Ian & Jen for setting the course, and to Dorn et al for the new map. And thanks to the Great Land Trust for reaching out to the club.
We found the building, but no control flagging at the building (#8 on medium course), and DRAT, could not find the “golfing surprise” man-made object in the depression to the east of the range, despite a 35 minute search after completing the course.
I think we found the surprise on our way from 4 to 5. If what we found was what is represented on the map, I question whether it was a size and permanence worthy of mapping, but it was fun in any case.
This was a great addition to our venues! The drive was long, but well worth it. Maybe in the future it could continue as a week long event, or weekend. Good terrain, interesting area, and great views! We met a group from Greatland Trust, and they were very interested in our meet. They had printed out maps, and were doing a “staff meeting” while doing the course. All good things to say, including working with the people from our Club!
Thanks, that was super fun to explore a beautiful new area! It is probably too late to help anyone else, but I found the flagging for #8 (long and medium), strewn along a trail, and put it back in place. But it might not stay there, since it was clearly pulled on purpose. The control was also missing at #13 on long, but the feature is pretty obvious.
Flags for 8 were still there today (10/17), but we also noticed no control at 13.
Fun course. A bit of a drive from Anchorage, but a nice area. I learned a bit of trivia regarding the cabin at #8 on the Medium course. As I emerged from the brush onto the trail, after finding that control, I met a couple walking. They were interested, so I explained what I was doing. They live in one of the houses nearby. They said their kids and friends built the cabin at #8 last summer, using only hand tools. They tried to put it in a secret place where no one would find it. I guess they didn’t count on a bunch of orienteering folks!
I convinced 4 hiking friends (my COVID pod) to go on an adventure to a new area with me today. We set out to complete the long course, but after taking a snack break at #5 and then 2 of them getting distracted by cranberries, we opted to visit the remaining controls in a loop for sake of time. Encountered 2 women from the neighborhood who had done the short and medium courses (on different days) and were beginning to conquer the long course. They said they were really grateful for the club putting on the course, so thanks to Dorn, Jen, Ian, and Springer for the effort to put a map together in short order and introduce the locals to our sport. Also encountered 4 local youth at #13 who wondered what we were doing, saying they’d seen lots of people in the woods near their tree house lately. I gave them my copy of the medium course along with the legend my friend printed out, and gave them a brief explanation. They seemed genuinely interested. This park is a true gem.