KOLAPORE OLD SCHOOL ORIENTEERING

Sat. October 18, 2025

10 am Start

Kolapore Uplands

 

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Past Event Results

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The Kolapore Uplands area has a rich orienteering heritage. The first-ever World Masters Games in 1985 included orienteering in Kolapore and the Ontario Orienteering Championships were held here in 1983 and 1998. After a long break, the 2023 Kolapore Old School Orienteering race was the first traditional orienteering event in this area in 25 years!

We're back for our third annual Kolapore Old School Orienteering race and we're excited to welcome people of all ages, runners and hikers, novices and experienced navigators. There will be something for all of you.

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SO... WHAT EXACTLY IS OLD SCHOOL ORIENTEERING?

• Participants will receive a detailed orienteering map of the Kolapore forest with checkpoint locations marked. Using only the map - and a compass if needed - participants will make their way on foot to these locations.

• For the Novice course, these locations will be on or near trails, and some checkpoints will be optional. For the Regular course, checkpoint locations are mostly off-trail but travel between checkpoints often involves hiking or running on trails.

• Each checkpoint will be marked with an orange and white orienteering flag. Participants will record their visit to the checkpoint using a control punch (like a stapler) hanging from the flag. This makes a unique pattern of holes in a Tyvek card that each participant will carry. This is an "old school" way to record checkpoint visits, as most orienteering races now use electronic timing.

• The other "old school" feature is our map, which was made for the 1998 Ontario Orienteering Championships. It is quite useable but shows its age in a few ways - especially vegetation differences because the forest just keeps on growing! We've made minor updates so you can rely on the trail network, although small trail bends and wiggles are not always shown on the map.

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MEETING LOCATION

 

A private landowner has given us permission to start in a brand new location this year. Details will be provided to registered participants.

Location is a few minutes away from the main Kolapore parking lot on Grey Rd. 2 where we started last year.

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TERRAIN

Kolapore is a rugged, semi-wilderness area along the Niagara Escarpment in The Blue Mountains, about 20 km southwest of Collingwood. It is hilly, rocky terrain with a well-established trail network. There are large areas of mature deciduous forest, wetlands with coniferous forest, reclaimed farmland and cliffs popular with rock climbers.

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The Kolapore Wilderness Trails network consists of approximately 50 kilometres of marked trails that are managed for backcountry cross-country skiing in winter and biking and hiking in summer. Trails are blazed with orange triangles but the network is complex and a map is recommended - even for trail users who aren't orienteering.

 

The trails are managed and maintained by volunteers with the Kolapore Wilderness Trails Association. KWTA receives no government support so the cost of managing this vast trail network is covered by memberships, donations and proceeds of map sales. Dontgetlost South Georgian Bay will make a donation from our event proceeds and we encourage orienteers to support the Trail Association too. If you live locally, please consider buying an inexpensive membership, which will support the trails and give you access to member-only events.​

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COURSES AND CATEGORIES:

The Regular course will be point-to-point with an optional extension to complete the Advanced Long course. There will also be a Novice course aimed at adult novices or children accompanied by adults. For safety, participants are required to return within a time limit, whether or not they have completed their course. This is an individual event but participants with less experience are welcome to go out together if they register on the same course.

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REGULAR COURSE - 2 Hr Maximum Time Limit, 2.5 Hrs for participants choosing the Advanced Long option

Participants will be given a map with numbered checkpoints to visit in sequence. Participants will be asked to do a time check at a checkpoint partway through. If they arrive before the prescribed time, they can choose to continue on the Advanced Long course. If they arrive after that time or if they prefer to stay on the Regular course, the map will direct them onto a route that skips part of the Advanced Long course. These courses are suitable for adults who are comfortable using a map and compass off-trail in rugged terrain and for juniors with a strong navigation background.

 

Categories: Junior Women (18 and Under), Junior Open (18 and Under), Adult Women, Adult Open, Masters Women (50+), Masters Open (50+), SuperMasters Women (70+), SuperMasters Open (70+), Additional Kids' age categories based on entries.

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NOVICE COURSE - 90 Min Maximum Time Limit

Participants will be given a map with checkpoints marked. All checkpoints are along trails or close to trails, and you can choose which ones you want to look for. Participants will receive credit for the number of checkpoints they visit. Please bring a compass if you can (we have loaners) but you may not need it. This course is suitable for hikers of all ages, adult and teenaged novices, adults with time constraints or children accompanied by parents. 

 

Categories: Juniors (18 and Under), Adults (18+), Additional Kids' age categories based on entries

 

Notes:

• A Participant's age for this event is their age on December 31, 2025.

• Participants aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. A parent accompanying a participating child does not need to register for the race separately unless they are also competing themselves. They will need to complete participant waivers for both themselves and their child.

• Children aged 6 and under may accompany a participating parent on the Novice course at no charge. The parent will need to sign a waiver on their child's behalf. 

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Newer orienteers may find the Learn Orienteering website useful. Start with the Orienteering Basics and Orienteering Maps pages, including the section on Orienteering Map Colours. Your map will have a legend and the Control/Checkpoint Descriptions will be provided in English so you don't need to memorize any symbols.

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REGISTRATION

Please register online in advance to reserve a map for your desired event. We won't be able to accept entries on the day of the event. **Note that registration closes on Thursday, October 16 at 11:59 pm.** 

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Confirmed Participants

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PARTICIPATION WAIVER

Before you participate in your first Dontgetlost Adventure Running event in a calendar year, you'll need to sign our online Waiver. A Parent or Guardian must sign the online Waiver for any participant who will be under the age of 18 on the day of an event. Thank you!

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Sign the Adult Waiver

Sign the Minor Waiver (Parent or Guardian)

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ENTRY FEES