2024 program
Bib Pick Up
There will be bib pickup ​on Friday, March 1st 2 - 6pm at
The Running Shop
3055 N Campbell Ave
There will also be bib pick up at the event site each day.
Event Guide
Use the event guide for driving directions and the most comprehensive info about SWSW!
All events and recommended activities in one place. When driving, be sure to use the directions in each event's description.
Catalina State Park is a favorite of visitors to Tucson, with stunning views of the Santa Catalina Mountains and technical orienteering in varied desert terrain (elevation 2800′). White on this map may not look anything like your white forest at home–it indicates the default vegetation in our mid-elevation Upland Sonoran desert scrub area. Desert scrub consists of many desert trees, such as palo verde and mesquite, that tend to be short and bushy. There are also many types of cactus, agave, and grasses. Large saguaro cactuses with significant arms are mapped as green dots. Washes, which are usually dry, are mapped with the blue dots normally reserved for linear marshes. Leg coverings are recommended for this terrain!
Note that there is a 1km (flat) walk to the remote start for all courses, so plan your arrival time accordingly. We’ll have warmup maps that you can use along the route to the start so you can be acquainted with the mapping and vegetation style.
Course Length(km) Climb (m) Controls Map
White 2 30 10 1:7500
Yellow 2.3 35 9 1:7500
Orange 3.2 80 11 1:10000
Brown 3.9 90 9 1:10000
Green 5 100 14 1:10000
Red 6.4 180 13 1:10000
Blue 8.2 200 16 1:10000
Schedule
Registration Opens: 9am
Beginner Clinic: 9:30am
Starts: 10am-noon
Courses Close: 3pm
​
People
Course Setter: Anna Campbell (ArizOna)
Vetter: Tori Campbell
Event Directors: Betsy Lubis and Cristina Luis (ArizOna)
Directions to Catalina State Park
Please use directions in the event guide for driving directions and exact locations.
Also in the guide are course notes and other juicy information!
E-Punch: yes!
Water: Water fountains and faucets available
Restrooms: Permanent toilet blocks with running water
→ What to do after:
Hike to Romero Pools (Catalina State Park)
Music in the Mountains Concert at Catalina State Park, 3pm
Visit Tohono Chul Gardens and Galleries
Night 1 Saturday March 2, 2024
Night-O @Catalina State Park
Another chance to tackle the challenging terrain at Catalina State Park, this time in the dark! All three courses will be on the same map, you can decide how much of a challenge you're up for once you're out there!
Schedule
Check-in Opens: 6:00 pm
Briefing: 6:45 pm
Mass Start: 7:00 pm
Courses Close: 9:00 pm
​
People
Course Setter: Anna Campbell
Vetters: Tori Campbell & Marcy Beard
Event Directors: Cristina & Betsy
E-Punch: Yes
Water: water fountains and faucets available
Restrooms: modern restrooms available
Directions to Catalina State Park
Please use directions in the event guide for driving directions and exact locations.
Also in the guide are course notes and other juicy information!
Course Length(km) Climb (m) Controls
Intermediate 3.9 130 6
Short Advanced 4.4 90 7
Long Advanced 7.3 180 11
The Javelina Hustle is a long Goat style event with some twists. It will be an intermediate level orienteering event. There will also be White and Yellow courses available.
Course Length(km) Climb (m) Controls Map
White 1.5 5 8 1:5,000 Yellow 2.2 10 10 1:5,000
Hustle Short 5.3 95 11 1:10,000
Hustle Long 11.7 310 22 1:10,000
Schedule
Registration Opens: 9:00 am
Beginner Clinic: 9:30 am
Hustle Course Brief: 9:55 am
Hustle Mass Start: 10:00 am
White / Yellow Starts:
10:05 am - noon
Courses Close: 1:00 pm
​
People
Course Setters: Jeff Coker and Nancy Coker
Event Director: Peg Davis
E-Punch: yes!
Water: faucets and water fountains available
Restrooms: modern facilities
→ What to do after:
Sunday social event (edited activity): Mappy Hour & Taco Dinner at the Lubis homestead. 5pm onwards. Address on your bibs and coming to your inbox.
Directions to Catalina State Park (Day 2)
Please use directions in the event guide for driving directions and exact locations. Also in the guide are course notes and other juicy information!
Day 3 Monday March 4, 2024
Cholla Chaser @Ironwood Picnic Area in Tucson Mtn. Park
This will be a 10AM mass start to an area of the map called the "Box". You can visit the "Box" controls in any order you wish (like a score-o). The total number you are required to visit will vary depending on your age and sex. After completing the box, you transition to the "Chase", which is a regular point-to-point course to the finish. The total distance, including both the box and the chase, will range between 3.0km (W70+) and 6.0km (M21+), with 1% climb. Course closes at 1PM. There will also be a 2.5km yellow course at 10AM.
Ironwood Park is located near Old Tucson, where many western movies have been filmed. It is mostly open desert with many dry streambeds and shallow rentrants, with amazing views of the mountains on the skyline. You can recognize the skyline in several older movies. There is a small set of low hills on one edge of the Box, but only the M21+ runners will be going there.
Schedule
Registration Opens: 9:00am
Course Briefing: 9:30am
Group Walk to Start: 9:40am
Mass Start: 10am
Yellow Start: 10:10am
Courses Close: 12pm
​
People
Course Setter: Jeff Brucker
Vetters: Gregg Townsend and John Beard
Event Director: Peg Davis
Course Length (km) Climb Controls Map
Yellow 2.4 1% 10 1/7500
Chaser 3 - 6 1% 10-20 1/10000
Directions to Ironwood (Day 3)
Please use directions in the event guide for driving directions and exact locations. Also in the guide are course notes and other juicy information!
E-Punch: yes
Water: No water on the course, only at parking and finish.
Restrooms: Portable toilet at parking area only. If you only need to pee, be a sport and use a tree.
Photos are stills from video by Carol Smythe. To watch the complete video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdNafKdxyc8
→ What to do after:
-
Visit the Desert Museum
-
Evening Social Activity: Meet Me At Maynards - Social Walk/Run
Day 4 Tuesday March 5, 2024
Mini-Rogaine @Oak Tree Canyon
Join us in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains for a 3-hour Score-O!
The course features sweeping vistas of the Santa Rita, Santa Catalina, Rincon and Whetstone mountain ranges. There are controls set for all ability levels, from beginner to experienced.
Course (km) Climb (m) Controls Map Scale
13 660 31 1:10000
Schedule
Check In Opens: 8:30am
Start Window: 9-11am
Course Closes: 2pm
Late Penalty: 20 points/minute
People
Course Setter: Brad Poe
Meet Director: Yvonne Poe
Vetters: Jim Holmes and Gerry Bach
Volunteers: Always Welcome!
E-Punch: yes
Water: no water on course. Please bring own water and/or snacks
Restrooms: tent setup
Directions to Oak Tree Canyon (Day 4)
Please use directions in the event guide for driving directions and exact locations. Also in the guide are course notes and other juicy information!
→ What to do after:
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Post-Race Meal: Copper Brothel Brewery in Sonoita
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Head to Sonoita and Elgin and visit some wineries
-
Visit the historic Empire Ranch Headquarters
Day 5 Wednesday March 6, 2024
Sprints @University of Arizona
Welcome to the University of Arizona! This is a fun, fast map with flat terrain and great runnability. There will be 2 Sprint Courses that will test route choice and keeping map contact while running at fast speeds. There will also be a shorter, beginner-friendly course available.
Map: 1:4000
E-Punch: yes!
Water: water fountains in buildings on campus
Restrooms: available in buildings on campus
Schedule
Starts: 10am - noon
Courses Close: 2pm
​
People
Course Setter: Isaac Pimienta
Event Director: Cristina Luis
Directions to University of Arizona (Day 5)
Please use directions in the event guide for driving directions and exact locations.
Also in the guide are course notes and other juicy information!
→ What to do after:
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Visit the Desert Museum
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Go for a hike and (possibly) a swim in Sabino Canyon
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Visit the Arizona State Museum
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Take the (free!) street car to 4th Avenue, downtown Tucson, or the Mercado
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Drive up the Catalina Highway and visit Tucson’s downhill ski resort
For the first time in almost a decade we're venturing out into Reddington Pass, on the northeast side of Tucson. You'll be treated to a large area of transitional terrain at about 4000', sitting between the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Rincon Mountains. The landscape here is closer to our Rt 83 areas (rolling grassland) than the desert valley, but with more rocks and intricate details.
Course Length (km) Climb (m) Controls Map
Yellow 2.4 85 10 1:7500
Short Advanced 5.3 200 11 1:10000
Long Advanced 9.3 275 19 1:10000
Schedule
Registration Opens: 9:30 am
Starts: 10 - 11:30 am
Courses Close: 2 pm
​
People
Course Setter: Alan Craig
Vetter: John Beard
Event Director: Billie Lubis
Map:
E-Punch: yes!
Water: No water, bring water!
Restrooms: Tent setup
Directions to Chimney Rock
(Day 6)
​
Please use directions in the event guide for driving directions and exact locations. Also in the guide are course notes and other juicy information!
​
→ What to do after:
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Hike (and swim?) Lower Tanque Verde Falls
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Check out Agua Caliente Park
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Social Dinner, arrival from 5:00 pm @ Three Canyon Beer and Wine Garden (kids welcome, no cover charge this year)
Tour time: 10-11:30am
Cost: FREE!
Come along for a broad spectrum introduction to the Tucson Basin’s prehistory (and maybe a skosh of history as well) at the Los Morteros Archaeological Preserve in Marana, an area inhabited for tens of thousands of years and a focal point of humanity and survival within the Basin for much of that time. This walk-and-talk is approximately one mile long on manicured dirt paths, so there will be plenty of time to gab about all things prehistoric (and maybe historic too)!
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Sign up:
Please fill your name in here (if you didn't sign up in EventReg) so we know how many copies of the print outs to make. You can also show up spontaneously - no one will be turned away.
Directions to Marana (Day 7)
Please use directions in the event guide for driving directions and exact locations. Also in the guide are course notes and other juicy information!
→ What to do after:
Please see the Greater Phoenix Orienteering Club SWSW homepage or the event guide for info regarding Phoenix events.
Please see the Greater Phoenix Orienteering Club SWSW homepage or the event guide for info regarding Phoenix events.
Please see the Greater Phoenix Orienteering Club SWSW homepage or the event guide for info regarding Phoenix events.