2016 United States ARDF Championships

3.5 MHz Classic Distance Competition

Sunday, April 10, 2016

• Location: Parrie Haynes C5 Youth Ranch
  Ranch entrance: 30.999643, -97.850772
  Hilltop Complex: 30.999693, -97.861255
• Maxdale Road is a caliche/gravel road between Clear Creek Road (State Highway 201) at its northern end and Million Dollar Road (it is a paved surface from Million Dollar Road onward to the south.) Gann Branch Road is also a caliche/gravel road for its entire length between Maxdale Road and the C5 Youth Ranch Hilltop Complex. You will not need four-wheel drive to traverse the roads, but you might wish to drive slower to avoid the occasional pothole or bump. Maxdale Road is a public road with a 40 MPH speed limit on the gravel/caliche section. Gann Branch Road is a private road with a 30 MPH speed limit.
• If you are approaching the ranch from the southeast on FM 2670 from Ding Dong, the signage will indicate that Maxdale Road continues straight and North Maxdale Road is a right turn. You want to turn right on North Maxdale Road.
• Directions from Maxdale Road: Competitors should drive the length of Gann Branch Road, a gravel/caliche surface outside of the ranch (paved after the Ranch entrance gate), from Maxdale Road to the Hilltop Complex, which will be the parking area and close to the start and finish areas. The road can be traversed by any vehicle, but you should allow 10 minutes to get from Maxdale Road to the Hilltop Complex. You will cross a total of three cattle guards on your drive: one outside of the Ranch, one at the Ranch entrance gate, and one near the Hilltop Complex. Drive over these slowly, especially the first one. There are two forks/intersections on the way. Outside of the Ranch, one is signed "Ware" to the left and "PHR" to the right - head right. The other is inside the ranch, where you should turn left to go to the Hilltop Complex.

Schedule

• 7:30 AM Competitors arrive and park at the Hilltop Complex at the end of Gann Branch Road. Competitors should bring both 3.5 MHz receivers with them.
• 8:00 AM Equipment impound.
• 9:00 AM First start. There will be a 150 minute time limit for this competition.
• Start List
• List of Transmitters to Find
• 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch available in Dining Hall.
• 1:00 PM All competitors have finished. Awards for the 3.5 MHz competition will be presented in the Dining Hall as soon as possible after the competition.

Map Notes

• Safety Bearing: South to Gann Branch Road, then west to the Hilltop Complex.
• The maps will be printed on 11 x 17 inches (28 x 43.2 cm) paper at 1:10000 scale, portrait orientation. The map can be trimmed/folded to an area of 11 x 15 inches (28 x 38.1 cm) when placing on a map board. Contour intervals on the Parrie Haynes maps are five (5) meters. Exclusion areas around the start and finish will be marked on the maps.
• Most established trails on the Parrie Haynes Ranch are double-track (created by two horseback riders side-by-side.) Most are also blazed with either painted rocks or colored streamer tape tied to tree branches about 6 feet (2 meters) above ground. A few of the trails on the map are relatively new and may be easiest to follow by using the streamers. Some trails in the blocks that are predominantly grassland are mowed.
• Anywhere you are walking on trails used by horses, take care to avoid holes and ruts caused by horses walking through mud that has dried.
• There is trail access to the Lampasas River from the Hilltop Complex for those who want to wade/swim. Swimming is at your own risk.
• The map for Parrie Haynes Ranch was created in 2015-2016 by Jennifer Harker.

Course Setters Notes

• Control Transmitter Frequency: 3.579 MHz
• Homing Beacon Transmitter Frequency: 3.530 MHz
• Prior to your start, we ask that runners stay at or near the large picnic pavilion, but definitely within sight of the buildings.