Discussion: Good spots for an O tourist between New York and Arnprior

I'll be spending three days making my way from New York to Arnprior in the lead-up to the North American Championships.

Naturally, one of the influences on my route choice will be finding somewhere interesting to go for a run (recognising that there probably isn't any terrain which is actually relevant to the Championships - will save that for the model event). I've heard a lot about Pawtuckaway - are there any other must-visits? (I've already been on the Harriman maps, through being a team reserve and running the spectator races in 1993). Would also be good to find out how to go about getting maps.

Moreau Lake, less than an hour north of Albany, NY (about 4 hours or less from NYC) might be a good choice. We should be able to provide you with a map or two from either the Billygoat or one of the championships held there, or just a blank map. One of PG's favorite maps, if I recall correctly. :-) Woods are gloriously open for the most part and detailed, and fall colors should be appearing or well on their way.

Maps from Wolrd of O, though I think we could send you a PDF.

Yeah, Moreau seems like a really good choice on that route. Maybe Letchworth too (south of Rochester)?

Letchworth ain't exactly on the way from NY to Arnprior.

I would pick Moreau and the 2011 US champs map (by CNYO): http://www.vmeyer.net/gadget/cgi-bin/reitti.cgi?ac...
though I'd email Mark Dominie to ask him which of several similar glaciated CNYO maps might be in the best condition right now.

And of course there are a bunch of great maps, not just Harriman, within striking distance of New York. For example, you could get in contact with the HVO/WCOC team organizing the A meet in Mountain Lakes Park in Westchester on Oct 25-26 and see if you can offer to pre-run a course. If not, there are other maps in the area (for example, in Kent, CT).

Don't forget that bowhunting season will have started at least in NY by then. Wear orange.

To go between Rochester and Ottawa/ Arnprior there are two route choices around Lake Ontario. One is west through Niagara Falls , Hamilton and Toronto. That is 2-3 hours longer but it does have the Dundas Valley and Niagara Escarpment terrain, many times used for Canadian and North American Championships. There is also so-so ice hockey team in Toronto.
The other is east through Syracuse, location of a number of interesting maps.

Option 3 is to head directly to Ottawa where we could outfit you with a different map for every day of the week (and I would have to clear it with the organizer but I'm sure if you could be sworn to secrecy you could test run (ribbons only for controls) the OOC's famous Fall Rogaine which comes up two weeks after the NAOC. The Rogaine will have 2,4 and 8 hour options. I think this terrain would he hillier but the vegetation would be similar to NAOC terrain.

Another option if planning on arriving early to the Ottawa area is to ask for the March Highlands map. It is in the same geologic formation with the same mapper as the NAOC terrain.

Sorry. I thought he was going from Rochester, New York to Ottawa.
Anyway if anyone else happens to be making that trip the advice is for you.
And in any case arriving earlier in the Ottawa area is the best advice.
We have a not-so so-so hockey team but unfortunately they will be on the road during the NAOC activities.

3 days. start in NYC.
day1- 2 hour drive to Harriman/West Point, personally I like the ridge run on Turkey 'Mt.
day2- 4 hour drive to Pawtuckaway.
day3- 3 hour drive to Moreau.
day4- 4? hour drive to Ottawa.

Could probably do days 3 and 4 in one long day.

Blair, one thing to be aware of is that it may be hunting season for deer and other large game. Ask the local orienteers or park managers about any hunting seasons on maps you are given, and bring a bright orange shirt or vest you can wear if you choose to run more remote trails or off trail in areas where hunting may be in progress.

Thanks for all the advice (especially that pertaining to what an earlier rogaine thread referred to as "Second Amendment activities"). Turns out I tracked an old school friend I haven't seen for many years down in Rhode Island, so will head in that direction and then north from there (which means via New Hampshire).

(By the way, on the attire question, in an autumn forest, wouldn't fluoro green or similar be better for standing out than orange?).

This would require retraining the neural pathways of tired, inebriated American deer hunters. We look forward to reports of your experiment. :-)
[Other than that, it makes perfect sense.]

Also, some American deer hunters are not tired and inebriated.

Orange is the accepted color. In some circumstances, failure to wear orange has put the blame on the victim. Some hunters are also ignorant of basic safety practices.

(And don't waste your time looking for any good orienteering maps in Rhode Island, just visit your friend, take in the state's other highlights, and then move along.)

Going up through NH there is Pawtuckaway a little east of Manchester, NH. Not too far from Pawtuckaway there is Bear Brook and than right near Concord, NH, Nottingcook Forest. Pawtuckaway would lead the list.

A little further north but still on your way to Ottawa is Hanover, NH and Dartmouth College. There is a new map there at Oak Hill/Storrs Pond. If you have interest in that area, let me know and I can email a map.

There are other good areas in NH too but a bit further from your travel path I expect.

In Vermont there is Beaver Brook Farm in Marshfield, VT which is privately owned but has a very nice map. It is a bit out of your way but I can provide a link to the owners if you are interested in that.

It's good to be cautious about the hunters but there a whole lot fewer than there was 40-50 years ago and they are all responsible folks. Also, at that time I expect most of the hunting will be turkey or bow and arrow. The turkey hunters are usually out of the woods quite early in the morning and the bow and arrow folks don't shoot until the target is close so they usually don't mistake people for deer.

Please note the word - usually

The main hunting should be dawn and dusk on weekends. Midday during midweek should be quiet.

I went to a lovely area in Rhode Island a little while ago. Map wasn't great, but area was lovely. If you might be interested I can go back through my log and actually figure out what it was.

A good orange suit?

Note that the orange clothing warning applies only during firearm season. Bowhunters dress in full camouflage and I've never heard of them shooting each other by mistake.

(I wouldn't say that the hunters are all responsible folks, although the vast majority are. That said, I will not go in the woods on the opening weekend of deer season.)

@ JJ: read this. Now you have.
http://www.wlos.com/news/features/top-stories/stor...

That remains that the best place between New York , any part of New York, and Arnprior for quality orienteering that is hunter-free, not may I say Hunter-free, is the Ottawa- Kanata area. Come early to NAOC and enjoy some of the many maps of the Gatineau Park, Lac Beauchamp and/ or the March Highlands.
An added bonus is that the US$ is now at about a 10% premium over the Canadian $ but still fill up your gas tank before crossing the border.

Yes, most of us close to Canada know this but if you are driving into Canada, fill up before leaving the US.

Overshadowed by deer hunting season accidents are accident that happen during Turkey season in the fall and spring.
A hunter or a bird lover will hear a turkey calling and will try to sneak up on the bird.
Unfortunately the call may actually turn out to be a hunter trying to lure in a bird. The resulting encounter can be very serious. Never try to track down a turkey you hear calling during turkey season. Assume it's a hunter.
Here is a link to the various hunting seasons in New York..
http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/65231.html