About

Looking for a Challenge?

Then navigate this … Halifax Regional Search & Rescue’s “Eco-Endurance Challenge”. There are four exciting Navigational Competitions available, offering eight and twenty-four hour options. All challenges have the same full course open to them and use the same competition map.

The Eco-Endurance Challenge 2012 will be an exciting and challenging eco-adventure hosted just outside Halifax, Nova Scotia.  The E2C will be physically and mentally demanding with an event area of more than 200 km2 of thick forests, extremely wet bogs, fast flowing streams and miles of backwoods trails and cart tracks. It will challenge your navigational abilities as well as endurance in the backcountry of Eastern Canada.  This fundraising event promises to be equally fun and challenging for the seasoned adventure racer or the first time participant.

The E2C is a hybrid of classical orienteering, ultra-distance running and the navigational training practices of Search and Rescue Emergency Responders. Good physical conditioning is necessary to push one through the tough terrain, but accurate navigation skills are key to finding controls and minimizing the distance traveled. The 24 hour challenge is mentally exhausting as team members must always be aware of their surroundings. Teams of two or more have a fixed time (8 or 24 hours) to visit as many of the 60 checkpoints as possible. The winner of the event is the team that obtains the highest point total within the specified time, or is the fastest to return to the start after visiting all the markers on the course.

All profits from the Eco-Endurance Challenge are used to support the life-saving activities of Halifax Regional Search and Rescue and provide assistance to the Orienteering Association of Nova Scotia.  Revenues are used to support:

  • Search and Rescue Operations
  • Children’s Hug-A-Tree Program
  • Training and Educational Programs
  • Medical Equipment and Supplies
  • Capital Asset Purchases

Challenge I – Emergency Responders & SAR – 8 or 24 hour events
Challenge II – Public Competitive – 8 or 24 hour events
Challenge III – Recreational – 8 or 24 hour events
Challenge IV – Armed Forces – 8 or 24 hour events

ENTRY OPTIONS: The Pledge Challenge: Registration waived with a minimum of $150 in pledges per person per team. Charitable receipts available. Contact Jenny Cartwright or Chris Richards for further details.  The team that finds a minimum of 10 points and raises the most donations will win the grand prize – a shopping spree at the Trail Shop. There are also individual draw prizes for pledge participants.

OR

Registration Fee:  $80 per Person CAD (24hr event) / $65 per person CAD (8hr event)
Search and Rescue Training Discount: $25 per person

Join the challenge and live the adventure!

When?

Start Date: May 5th, 2012 – Start Time: 06:30 AM

End Date: May 6th, 2012 – End Time: 12:00 PM

Preliminary Schedule

Saturday –

  • 0630 hours – Registration begins  (8hr participants have priority for 1st hour of registration).
  • 0745 hours – 8 hour participants should depart registration hall for start/finish (please ensure you have 45 min. to travel to the start/finish)
  • 0845 hours – Mandatory equipment check begins (8hr race)
  • 0915 hours – Mandatory pre-challenge briefing & distribution of punch cards (8hr race)
  • 0945 hours – 24 hour participants should depart registration hall for start/finish (please ensure you have 45 min. to travel to the start/finish)
  • 1000 hours – Start of 8-hour event
  • 1045 hours – Mandatory equipment check begins (24hr race)
  • 1115 hours – Mandatory pre-challenge briefing & distribution of punch cards (24hr race)
  • 1200 hours – Start of 24-hour event
  • 1800 hours – Official end of 8-hour event – post-race dinner and awards
  • Continuing – 24-hour event continues all night

Sunday –

  • 1200 hours – Official end of 24-hour event – post-race dinner and awards

Where?

Registration for all teams on Saturday May 5th will be held at St. Luke’s United Church, Tantallon. The church is located on Hwy #3 at 5374 St. Margaret’s Bay Road, approximately 1/2 km west of the intersection with Hwy #333 (to Peggy’s Cove) and directly across the road from the Bike & Bean coffee shop/bike shop which used to be the old train station. The building has a large parking lot and there should be lots of room for competitors – however please remember that there may be other groups using other areas of the church while registration is taking place, so park with regard to others and be vigilant when entering and leaving the site from the road. GPS coordinates are 20T 429810  4949233.

Coming from Halifax: head west on Hwy #103 towards Bridgewater/the south shore and take exit #5 (Hubley/Tantallon). Turn left off the highway onto Hammonds Plains Rd/route #213 towards St Margaret’s Bay. Continue for just over 2km until you reach the set of traffic lights with Atlantic Superstore ahead of you; turn right at the lights onto Route #3. Continue to stay in the right hand lane and go past the turn off to Peggy’s Cove/hwy #333. The church is on your left, approximately 1km down St Margaret’s Bay Rd.

Coming from the south shore: head east on Hwy #103 towards Halifax and take exit #5 (Hubley/Tantallon). Turn right off the highway onto Hammonds Plains Rd/route #213 towards St Margaret’s Bay. Continue for almost 2km until you reach the set of traffic lights with Atlantic Superstore ahead of you; turn right at the lights onto Route #3. Continue to stay in the right hand lane and go past the turn off to Peggy’s Cove/hwy #333. The church is on your left, approximately 1km down St Margaret’s Bay Rd.

You will receive your maps and directions to the event site once your team has registered at the church.

Participant Notes

The Meet Director/Course Designer/Participant notes are available here: E2C 2012 – Participant Notes.

What?

Event organizers require every person going into the woods to carry: matches, a knife, compass, whistle, water bottle, and watch.

You will be given a competition map (1:50 000), a punch card and a set of control descriptions. An emergency cell number will be issued for participants who will be carrying cell phones. Safety points with radios will be established prior to the challenge. We strongly recommend that you also have: food, insect repellent, first aid kit, tissue paper, extra socks and shoes, extra clothes, flashlight or headlamp, sunscreen, and a sturdy pack. If you are planning to stay out overnight, you may wish to carry anything from a groundsheet: for those wanting minimum protection and encumbrance, to a tent and sleeping bag: for the less competitively inclined.

Any other gear you carry is up to you. Please note that extra socks are recommended. The area will be wet.

Rough camping may be permitted at the site. If planning to arrive Friday night please contact the Meet Director.

How?

All participants will require personal transportation between the Registration centre and the competition area. We encourage car-pooling as parking is limited. The parking area is on a dirt road.