Orienteering 2:28:33 [3] *** 10.0 km (14:51 / km) +235m 13:18 / km
spiked:15/22c
Sprague Brook Park map hike
Car -> 18: Up road, cut in at green, right to it. 4:32
18 -> 11: Up to Foote Road, in at hill, straight to it, but had trouble seeing the marker. 9:25
11 -> 15: Swamp by 11 was wetter than expected; ended up taking trail around; found depression but again had trouble finding the marker - it was on the "far side" of a tree. 6:49
15 -> 13: N to trail then around cutting in from the north - drifted east too much and had to correct. 7:55
13 -> 23: NE to trail, "trail" through the field, then when I got on the final trail, I cut in one field too soon. Instantly realized the mistake, but it was easier to continue. 6:21
23 -> 7: Through field, which turned out to be marshy so I tried the woods which were slightly better. Took the trail N down the hill and then made a bad route choice error - I went down to Sprague Brrok. A landslide had taken out the hillside and it was VERY slow going. I never got lost, but did lose all sorts of time. 10:11
7 -> 8: Down across the stream and then up the surprisingly steep spur to the trail; down the trail and right to it when the trail turned left. 5:21
8 -> 25: Foolishly delicate crossing Sprague Brook; up trail to field where trail disappeared (instead of continuing NNW) and there didn't seem to be a clearing heading NW, so I went to the woods that should have paralleled the clearing. It turned out that the clearing was there, but blocked by a blowdown at the SE end. I paralleled the field, but lost my sense of place and expected the rootstock too soon. Once I got there it was obvious. 7:50
25 -> 21: This was (I expected) the trickiest leg of the day, but I checked off the stream and the swamp stood out because it was the only clearing in the woods, so even though I was cautious, it was easy. 5:22
21 -> 24: After success on the leg before, I got careless and lost map contact and had to slow down. VERY cautious, but once I hit the trail, it took only a short amount of time to locate the boulder and the marker. 9:12
24 -> 20: Down trail, through fields and over to the trail. Got into the stream bed and ran it (and the "shore line") to the junction where I was surprised by the size of the spur. Climbed up and found it with a bit of (physical) trouble. 8:53
20 -> 19: Down the streambed which was surprisingly slow going. Across stream, up the berm and I could see the bend in the stream; marker was immediately visible when I got there. 6:46
19 -> 12: Down stream, across Sprague Brook and right to it. 1:51
12 -> 9: Slower than I should have been across the bottom, worried unnecessarily that I would miss the reentrant. The bottom part of the reentrant was very difficult and dangerous going up. I got to the top and began looking for the marker without success. I walked all the way up to the trail and then turned around going back down. On the way, I tried to confirm that this was the right reentrant, but it all fit. Then, at the very top of the tough stuff, I found the marker. I had neglected to turn around immediately upon getting out of the dangerous stuff! 8:27
9 -> 16: I "knew" this tree so I only had to climb up, get on the trail and run. Alas, I felt the beginning as I got to the trail and had to slow down. 7:08
16 -> 14: Past shed, up trail to northerly connector trail and then in. Drifted right and hit trail E of marker just as my left hamstring cramped badly. Limped back in, but am now concerned. 8:20
14 -> 10: Down to stream and across, trying to contour in. Drifted high and had to correct down. 4:47
10 -> 6: N across trail and ENE up spur, angled in, but decided that the "depression" I saw wasn't the one mapped. At last minute, saw marker. 3:33
6 -> 5: W to road, down to pond, in at trail, down at clearing. I hit the stream well below the swamp, but corrected. Got to the saddle, but couldn't find the marker. Visually relocated off road and swamp and was sure that I was there, when I turned around one last time and saw the marker about six inches from my face. 9:08
5 -> 4: Up to trail, out to road and angle in when I got to the mowed section; right to it. 7:09
4 -> 3: Out to field, across road to trail and hug the swamp right to it. 3:42
3 -> 17: One last time across Sprague Brook. Hit trail and then ended up overshooting and checking every knoll in turn - a truly stupid end to an otherwise decent day. 4:57.
17 -> Car: Wanted to break 2.5 hours AND was really annoyed, so I ran it in. :47
All in all, a well-designed map hike.