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Tahoe 4-Day 2026

Day 2: Lake Tahoe Community College

Date: (Sat.) Aug. 1, 2026
Location: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Event Director: - 904.210.1813
Course Setter: Rex Winterbottom
Type: B; Day 2 of the Tahoe 4-Day events will provide a standard, 7-course, point-to-point event. Beginners and non-members are welcome; beginner instruction will be offered. Attendance at other Tahoe 4-Day events is not required.

Related Event Information

Event Results Main Tahoe 4-Day Page Volunteer Sign-up (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ti-APHMFdFA6D3WSsLDOx7LHmaBjt8cHCEFibgWLfI4/edit) Day-1 Event Information Day-2 Event Information Day-2 Course Setter's Notes Day-3 Event Information Day-4 Event Information Attackpoint Event Page (http://attackpoint.org/eventdetail.jsp/event_60560)

Please note that fees and time limits apply. Events are typically not canceled due to bad weather.


July 29th Reminders — Two days until the Tahoe 4-Day begins:


For this second day of the Tahoe 4-Day event, we will have a regular 7-course event on a new map of the forest lands near Lake Tahoe Community College.

Everyone is welcome to participate in this event, including beginners and non-members. Free beginner instruction will be available during the time shown below.

Overview

Courses available: White (Beginner), Yellow (Advanced Beginner), Orange (Intermediate), Brown, Green, Red, Blue (the last four are Advanced).

Budget about 10 minutes to get to the remote Start/Finish.

Schedule

The following non-standard event schedule will be followed:

   9:00 AM – 11:00 AM: Registration is open
   9:30 AM – 11:00 AM: Beginner instruction is available (free)
 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM: Starts are open for all the courses
                   2:00 PM: Everyone must have returned to the Finish
Note: Participants under age 18 who register at the event must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, or bring with them a waiver signed by their parent or legal guardian. (The standard registration form is available here [12KB PDF]. Note, however, that some of the fees for this event are different than those on the form.)

Note that you can register and start on the courses anytime during the open times above. Thus, for example, you do not need to be "punctual" at 9:00. (You can if you want, but please don't show up earlier and expect to be served.)

Beginner instruction is 15–20 minute, repeating sessions ("clinics") that introduce the sport of orienteering, and provide enough instruction to be able to complete a beginner (White or Yellow) course.

Note: Beginners are given their course maps at registration. You should get your map before joining a beginner clinic.

Everyone must return to the Finish by 2:00 PM, and then promptly go to the download tent, even if they have not completed their course. Please do not leave without checking in! If there are unaccounted people after 2:00, we must initiate a search for them.

Costs & Registration

Since this is a "special" event, the standard BAOC registration fees do not apply.

The prices for the Tahoe 4-Day Package and for individual events are shown on the main Tahoe 4-Day event webpage. (Be sure to read the notes below the prices table.)

Online registration closed on July 28th. However, registration for individual events (but not the Tahoe 4-day Package) will be available at all the events.

The list of current registrations is available here (https://eventreg.orienteeringusa.org/reglist/tahoe4day2026).

Location of the Event

The Assembly Area (e.g., Registration and E-punch) will be located in the Aspen Room inside the main college building. The driving directions and parking information are below.

Venue Facilities

There are restrooms in the college building, close to the Assembly Area.

Water will be available near the Assembly Area.

What to Bring

Due to the dry air and altitude, consider taking water on your course even if you normally wouldn't. Don't forget sunscreen and possibly a hat!

For Beginner (White and Yellow) courses, comfortable outdoors attire and shoes are fine.

For the Intermediate (Orange) and Advanced (Brown, Green, Red, and Blue) courses, the steeper hillsides can be a bit slippery due to dry leaves and loose dirt, so shoes with good grip are highly recommended. Long pants and/or gaiters might be desirable because of undergrowth.

A compass is not required, but can be very helpful — and can improve safety — so is recommended. We have compasses available for a $1 rental fee.

We time the courses with the SPORTident system, so each entry/team needs to have a SPORTident E-punch fingerstick. If you don't have your own, you can rent one at Registration for $5. (Use of the "E-punch" system is easy. You can learn how at the event, or read about it here.)

Courses

The course details are below. Be sure to read the Course Setter's Notes for more information. 

     Course    Length   Climb   Controls   Navigation
     White     1.7 km    20 m       8      Beginner, on trails  
     Yellow    2.4 km    20 m       7      Advanced Beginner
     Orange    4.5 km    50 m       7      Intermediate  
     Brown     3.1 km    20 m       9      Advanced  
     Green     5.1 km    50 m      12      Advanced
     Red       6.4 km    60 m      17      Advanced
     Blue      7.9 km    70 m      20      Advanced

Beginners should be aware that the distances shown are the cumulative straight-line distances between controls. The climb numbers represent the amount of ascending that would be done on the "optimum route" (in the Course Setters' opinion), without regard for any descending. Because you won't travel in straight lines, and might not follow the optimum routes, your actual distance and climb will be somewhat more than what is shown above, and will depend on your route choices (and any errors you make).

Maps will be printed at 1:7500 scale for all courses (yes, Red and Blue, too), 5 m contours, 2.5 m form lines. Red and Blue have a "map flip". There are large areas of the map without contours. South Lake Tahoe Flats, baby!

Course Setter's Notes

By Rex Winterbottom

This event will use a new map.

The forest southwest of Lake Tahoe Community College is fairly expansive, and has some devilishly-flat sections, a robust trail network for beginner courses, quite a few meadows (both huge and pocket-sized), and is fringed by some hillier slopes (but not deathly steep). It will be, overall, the flattest of the four days of the Tahoe 4-Day. Interestingly, there's a dearth (lack) of rocky features, but not a complete absence. The forest is fairly runnable, but open areas are often not as runnable due to the low, scratchy vegetation that's common in the Tahoe basin. There are a few rides (kinda like linear clearings or passages, but not trails) that Lidar revealed, and the ones that looked good on the ground I kept on the map. I would probably still wear shorts, but most people would question me on that decision.

Hazards

Fortunately, there is no poison oak in the Sierras! 😊

However, deer ticks are found in this area, and they might carry Lyme disease. So, please be sure to check yourself carefully after the event.

You should be mindful of dehydration because the high-altitude air will be dry. That concern will be even greater if the weather is hot. So, you should consider carrying water while on your course.

Also because of the altitude, there will be increased risk of sunburn, so be sure to use plenty of quality sunscreen.

Volunteers Needed

As always, we need volunteers for this event.

Please consider volunteering to help — even part of a shift will help! Previous experience is not needed (except for Beginner Clinics), and easy training will be provided as needed, so please don't hesitate to sign up.

The shifts and current assignments are shown in this form (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ti-APHMFdFA6D3WSsLDOx7LHmaBjt8cHCEFibgWLfI4/edit). You can check the form to see what's available, then put your name on the form. If you want, you can send email to , the Event Director, to indicate your interest or ask where he would like help. Jerry will respond back to you.

Driving Directions

Traffic can be heavy, so leave plenty of time to get to the venue.

Lake Tahoe Community College is located in South Lake Tahoe (1 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150). The approximate coordinates are 38.9260,-119.9714.

From U.S. Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe, turn east onto Al Tahoe Blvd. Soon (0.4 mile) after that, turn right onto College Drive, which will take you to the campus.

Parking

Parking at the college is free on weekends (except for a few specially-designated reserved spots).