Rim Country Navigation Games

Saturday, August 17, 2024:
6-/12-Hour Adventure Race
6-/12-Hour Rogaine

Note: Pre-registration and pre-payment is required for the Rim Country Navigation Games

We're excited to open up yet another new event site in Arizona for your navigation enjoyment. On Saturday, August 17, we'll take you to Fool Hollow State Park, a popular park in Show Low, AZ, approximately 3 hours east of Downtown Phoenix. During the day, we're offering the following events:

• 6-Hour and 12-Hour Adventure Race

  During the adventure race, teams of 1-4 members navigate to as many destinations as they can on foot and optionally by mountain bike or packraft. We'll start the day with a mass start on a trek where participants navigate on foot to 1-5 destinations marked on a map. All destinations on the trek map are optional, but once teams complete the trek portion, they are not allowed to return to get credit for any of the trek destinations.

  Next, participants will navigate to 1 or more controls on a watercraft map. All destinations on the watercraft map are optional, but once teams complete the watercraft portion, they are not allowed to return to get credit for any of the watercraft destinations. The watercraft must be inflatable and human propelled. No sails or motors of any type are allowed. One or more portages are likely, so we suggest you find yourself a lightweight inflatable packraft. Using a watercraft is optional, but the most efficient route between points will definitely include using your watercraft. Those traveling on foot will cover at least twice the distance. Traveling the watercraft section on bike is not allowed.

  • Packraft Rental
    We have partnered with CD Outdoors for packraft rental. If you wish to rent packrafts from CD Outdoors, you need to reserve and pay for the rental by Monday, August 12. Our friends at CD Outdoors will transport the packrafts to the event.

  After the first two warm-up sections of the race, we'll provide participants with two or more additional maps. At least one of the maps will include destinations more suited to travel on foot, with controls located within 500 meters of each other. The other map(s) will include points more suited to travel by mountain bike, with controls located 2-5 km apart. Participants can travel to any points on any of the maps by any means they choose - foot, bike, or even packraft. Those traveling by bike must use obvious roads or trails. Cross country bike travel (not on a road or trail) is not allowed.

  Participants have 6 or 12 hours to visit as many destinations as they can. For all destinations, all members of a team are required to travel to the destination marker together. Teammates must never be separated by more than 50 meters.

• 6-Hour and 12-Hour Rogaine

  The Rogaines are a special category of the adventure race. Participants in the 6- and 12-hour Rogaines use the same maps as the adventure racers. The main difference is that participants in the 6- and 12-hour Rogaines only travel on foot. All destinations on all maps are optional; there are no required destinations to visit. All watercraft destinations are accessible on foot, but adventure racers visiting these destinations using a watercraft will have an advantage. Many of the bike controls are placed at distances more easily reached by bike. Participants in the Rogaine visit as many of the destinations as they can in the 6- and 12-hour limits.

  Note: If you're curious, at our recent event at Alamo Lake, third place overall was a Rogaine participant who traveled only on foot to visit destinations. There is some advantage to traveling straight between points and not having to follow the route of a road or trail.

• Pre-Race Briefing
  Each of these events includes a pre-race briefing. The briefing for the 12-hour events is at 6:30 AM. The briefing for the 6-hour events is at 7:30 AM. Please be on time for the briefings. We'll hand out maps and provide last-minute details at the briefings.
• For all events, team members must remain within 50 meters of each other at all times. Team members must arrive at each checkpoint together. There is no sending one person off to punch the control card while the rest of the team takes a break.
• All checkpoints are optional. You're welcome to visit as many or as few of the controls as you like.
• For all events, checkpoints are worth 1 point apiece.
• Penalties apply for late arrivals. We will subtract 1 point for every 5 minutes you are late. For example, for the 6-hour adventure race, arriving one second over the 6-hour limit, we'll subtract 1 point. Arriving at 6:04:59, we'll subtract one point. Arriving at 6:05:00, we'll subtract two points.
• The events start and finish at Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area. Park entrance fees are required to participate in the Rim Country Navigation Games. The entrance fees are not part of the event registration.

Pre-registration and pre-payment is required for our Rim Country events.
Pre-Registration (Required)
See who is registered

Regular registration continues until Friday, August 8 at 11:59 PM. Regular prices are valid during this time.

Late registration begins Saturday, August 10 at midnight. Prices increase 50% for late registration.

Registration closes Tuesday, April 13 at 11:59 PM.

There is no on-site registration for the events.

Parental Consent Now Required (Click here for more information)
Parental Consent Form

All participants under age 18 are now required to have a signed parental consent form on file with the club. You can complete the form before the event and either scan it and send it to us by e-mail or bring it with you to the event.

The Fees for the Rim Country events are as follows (per person):

• Regular Registration (closes Friday, August 9 at 11:59 PM)
  • 12-Hour Adventure Race: $60
  • 6-Hour Adventure Race: $30
  • 12-Hour Rogaine: $40
  • 6-Hour Rogaine: $25
• Late Registration (closes Tuesday, August 13 at 11:59 PM)
  • 12-Hour Adventure Race: $90
  • 6-Hour Adventure Race: $45
  • 12-Hour Rogaine: $60
  • 6-Hour Rogaine: $40

Please note that due to increases in insurance costs and pre-conditions for our permit with the land administrators, we are forced to require pre-registration and pre-payment for our Rim Country events. We're sorry for the inconvenience, but we have to reach a participation threshold to break even on the event.

Mandatory Race Gear

• Whistle
• Compass
• Water carrying capacity for 2 liters. Water is available at the start/finish. We will also have at least one additional water station on the course. You are strongly encouraged to bring your own water bottles or a camelback.
• Space blanket. (For emergencies. 12-hour events only.)
• Cell phone. (For pictures or emergency calls. One per team. Not for navigation. Use for navigation will result in disqualification.)
• First aid kit. (Mandatory for 12-hour events only. One per team.)
• Water purification tablets or filter. (Mandatory for 12-hour events only. One per team.)
• Waterproof map holder. (Maps are not waterproof.)
• Headlamp or flashlight with fresh batteries. (12-hour events only)
  The 12-hour events will finish near dusk.
  Participants must carry a light source for safety.

Bicycle Gear

• Mountain bike. You will find it easier to hit cutoff times if you use a bicycle to travel to the bike controls. (You are not required to use a mountain bike.)
• Helmet
• Bike tool kit (At least one per team.)
• Spare tube. (One for each bike.)

Water Gear

The gear listed below is required for those choosing to travel on water.

• Personal floatation device (PFD). Each participant must have their own PFD. This is in addition to whatever boat, canoe, etc. they bring. Mountain bike. We find it easier to hit cutoff times if you use a bicycle to travel to the bike controls.
• Any type of non-motorized watercraft, including an inflatable kayak, packraft, paddleboard, etc.
• Waterproof bag. For transporting any gear you decide to bring with you on the water.

Recommended Gear

• Sun screen. There is little to no shade on all the courses. We encourage you to protect yourself from sunburn.
• Leg gaiters, especially for off-trail travel. While the vegetation in the forests around Fool Hollow Lake is less prickly than desert vegetation, there are still areas with prickly plants, especially in some of the deeper washes. Leg gaiters could help.
• Duct tape.
• Lightweight rain jacket, just in case it's rainy.
• Extra clothing layers. It could be in the mid 40's at the start of the 12-hour events.

Not Allowed

• Any device that uses a satellite connection for navigation, distance, or elevation. This includes standalone GPS units and GPS watches. You are allowed to use a GPS unit for recording your track, but you must not use any of the navigation functions of the unit during the race. We will disqualify any racer using a GPS unit for navigation during the race.
• Motorized bicycles (electric, gas, etc.) (Do we really have to tell you?)

There are campsites at Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Ara, but these sites are often reserved a year in advance. The campsites have toilets, showers, and potable water. You need to reserve a spot if you want to stay at one of the campsites. See the Fool Hollow State Park website for details. Another option for camping is at Show Lake

A number of hotels are available in Show Low and the surrounding area. We can't guarantee there will be rooms available in mid-August. The area also has restaurants, grocery, and other stores normally found in a medium-sized community.