General GCO Meet Details - how most meets work
Registration for most GCO events opens at 8:30 a.m. and closes at 10:30 a.m. Starting times are assigned from 9 to 11 a.m. Beginner Instruction is offered as requested. Courses close at 1.00 p.m.
Our fees: $10 for each adult and $5 for each child or youth (ages 7-18) for non-members and $8 for adults and $4 for children or youths for members of GCO or other Orienteering clubs.
A second course is $2 per person. You can also rent a compass for $1.
You can save time, particularly for groups, by filling out a Registration Form (left). Use ONE form for each individual or team going out together.
All upcoming GCO events
(and BAOC, Terraloco and Nav-X events of local interest)
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November 15th (Sunday): GCO - Sacramento Bar
Classic orienteering event with 5 courses centered on the Sacramento bar north of the American River.
Course Setter Notes Sac Bar 2026
Aside from the incoming rain, the Sac Bar area seems unseasonably dry. Off-trail areas still have lots of stickers and dry vegetation. Due to this, I’ve tried to minimize the amount of remote checkpoints, and added more route choice complexity. Also, due to the higher level of path choices, I’ve made the courses on the longer side of their color categories. Courses White, Yellow, and Orange are different from each other so participants can “level-up” on a second course for a different experience. Green is a shorter version of Red, each having unique route choices to challenge map reading skills; run one or the other.
Overall, be prepared for the cobble. Even the established paths in Sacramento Bar are tough on the ankles with the rolling cobble underneath. Climbing/descending any incline is tricky with the cobble. Wetness will add to this; wear appropriate shoes.
In setting the course, I’ve come across coyote and deer, and smelled skunk. I’m sure there are other critters out there; be watchful. Even with the cooler temperatures be sure to stay hydrated.
Sacramento Bar is mostly trapped by the American River, but it can be disorienting out there, for newer orienteers, bring your phone.
Courses may vary slightly before event day, but here are the preliminary details.
White - 2.0 km - 9 controls Yellow - 2.4 km - 11 controls Orange - 4.0 km - 15 controls Green - 4.2 km - 17 controls Red - 6.8 km - 21 controls
The start and finish is on the NORTH side of the river this year. Coordinates: 38.63310 N, 121.27524 W
From Hwy 50, follow Sunrise Ave. north across the American river, turn left/west on Fair Oaks Blvd 1/4 mile after the river, after 400 ft, turn left (south) on Pennsylvania Ave, follow this all the way down the hill into the park. Pay at the entrance (unless you have a Sac County permit), go to the end of the parking lot (west).
Getting there, About Sacramento Bar Park.
Any updates will be available at the start. Check the weather before and dress appropriately. Event is on if it is raining. Only extreme weather (ie lightning storm) would cancel.
8:30 - 10:30 Registration open 9:00 - 11:00 Start is open, 2 minute intervalls 13:00 Courses closed and control pick up begins
You can run individually or as a team. Classic pin punches and punch cards are used. All check point have to be visited in the order they are marked. Max time is 2 hours. There are bathrooms and water at the start / finish area
Event director and course setter is Danny Lulla and Dan Rathbun
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Nov 22 (Sun): BAOC - Golden Goat, Golden Kid and more, Black Diamond Mines, Antioch, CA.
Extra long "Goat"-courses, and shorter alternatives, no beginner courses. Link to: BAOC
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Dec 19th (Sat): Terraloco - Holiday Hustle 5K & 10K, Sacramento, CA.
5k, 10k map adventure courses, link to: Terraloco .
.December 27st (Sunday): GCO's X-mas O-Scramble in Old Town Fair Oaks, CA
This year's X-mas scramble is in lovely toony Old Town Fair Oaks!
Start location: Plaza Park, 7003 Parks Dr. Fair Oaks, CA 95628.
This is on the west side of the Village Park where we started last year, There is limited parking right there, but plenty around the park and on the streets to the south east.
10:00 Registration starts 10:30 Score-O mass start 12:00 Score-O finish (Scramble style = find as many checkpoints as you can and return to the start/finish before the 90 min time limit runs out.)
Event Director and Course Setter: Jonas Libell
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Come and have fun with us!
More scheduled events:
Abbreviations: W = White, Y = Yellow, O = Orange, Br = Brown, Gr = Green, R = Red, B = Blue,
ED = Event Director. CS = Course Setter.
White and Yellow are beginner courses. Orange is intermediate. Brown, Green, Red and Blue are all advanced courses with varying lengths and physical difficulty.
Scrambles (also known as Score-O) are mass-start events in which you find as many controls as possible, in any order, within the time limit.
All meets are tentative, subject to park approval!! Dates might be changed for various reasons, so always check here! Look for more details on the meets closer to the date.