Advance online registration is required for this event.
Quick info
Date: February 28, 2026
Location: Lucky Lab Pub, Multnomah Village, SW Portland 7675 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, 97219
Times:
4:30 - Check in begins (Lucky Lab upstairs)
4:45 and 5:00 - Beginner Clinics
5:15 - Map Handout & Strategy Planning
6:00 - MASS START
7:30 - Course Closes/Social Hour Begins
Course Options:
Beginners: Score-O format. Find as many checkpoints as you can, in any order, within 90 minutes.
Advanced: Even-Odds Score-O format. Find as many checkpoints as you can, following the Evens-Odds Rule, within 90 minutes.
Cost: $12 individuals, $17 teams, ($5 discount for club members)
Event Director: Helene and Jaime Wren
Event overview
Come out to Multnomah Village for CROC's annual urban night orienteering! Run or stroll the back streets, alleys, and trails of this SW Portland neighborhood on a night-time urban navigation adventure. This urban course is perfect for those new to orienteering. Both individuals and teams are welcome. We will have a mass start together at sunset and then you will have 90 minutes to run your course, finishing in the dark! After the event, stay for social hour! Share your route with others and hang out. We've been doing this event for 15+ years, it's always a lot of fun!
This is a good event to do as a team as well as individually, so feel free to bring a friend. Beginners and families are welcome! Maximum team size is six people.
MapRun - Orienteering using your Smartphone
Using your phone, the MapRun phone app will have the controls/checkpoints for the course. Learn About MapRun
MapRun is a smartphone app that can let you download an orienteering event and run it. To participate, you need to have downloaded the MapRun app (available from Google Play or the App Store) to your GPS-enabled smartphone. For best results, you should use the latest MapRunF version. There is even a MapRunG version intended for Garmin fitness watch users.
Unlike traditional orienteering courses where you find orange and white flags set the day of the event, this course uses permanent objects such as fire hydrants, yard art, and signs. You get a map with about 40 marked checkpoints and with the MapRun app, you will locate checkpoints and the app will log your find.
New for 2026: Advanced Course Option, Evens and Odds!
In addition to the original Score-O format, we are introducing a new scoring format for the 2026 Multnomah Night-O, Evens and Odds! Runners punch even numbered controls first and then odd numbered controls (or vice versa).
Think of it as two separate "blocks" of points. Once you commit to your second block (by punching two in a row of the opposite parity), you can't go back to the first for points!
We also have the traditional Score-O for those who want a simpler option.
More Info
We're starting at dusk, so you’ll have some twilight before it gets fully dark.
Bring headlights and reflective gear. We want everyone to be seen and stay safe!
Be very careful crossing busy streets! Always give cars the right-of-way, they can’t see you.
The finish (at 7:30 on the dot!) is back at the Lucky Lab. After the run, next comes the fun! Join everyone upstairs from 7:30 to 9:00 for social hour. Come and share your routes with others and socialize with CROC. The space is reserved just for us, so no one will judge if you are a little sweaty! Food (Pizza!) and drink will be available for purchase.
Event Rules
Mass start at 6:00 pm sharp. Pub upstairs opens at 4:30, map handout is at 5:15. Please arrive early to check in and plan your route.
You have 90 minutes to find as many checkpoints as you can and return to the finish.
You do NOT have to find all the checkpoints.
The scoring is as follows:
Controls 10-19 are each worth 10 point
Controls 20-29 are each worth 20 points
Controls 30-39 are each worth 30 points
Controls 40-49 are each worth 40 points
Controls 50-59 are each worth 50 points
Beginner Score-O
Plan your route to find as many checkpoints as you can in any order in the 90 minutes. Pay attention to the scoring for each control, some are worth more than others!
New for 2026: Advanced Course Option: Even-Odd Scoring
The runner’s first block is determined by whether two odds or two evens are punched before two of the other (or stated another way, of the first three non-duplicated controls visited, two are even or two are odd).
The flip to the second block is signalled by visiting two controls in the second block in succession. (ie two odds after an initial block of evens or vice versa)
Runners don’t need to visit all evens or all odds and could just visit one block of controls.
Controls of the wrong parity in a block (ie odds visited in an even block and vice versa) do not count towards the points score but can be visited in the correct block for points.
30 points will be deducted for each minute over the time limit (don't be late!)
If you’re on a team, stay together - no splitting up.
No GPS enabled devices (phones or watches ) are allowed for navigation assistance. The MapRun app is allowed.
Only ONE MapRun app per team/group.
Participants under age 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
What to bring
A quality flashlight or headlamp with fresh batteries, one for each person on your team. Please keep your light on at all times during the event to increase your visibility.
Clothing appropriate for the weather. Reflective / high visibility clothing is highly recommended.
A watch/phone to be sure you don't take longer than 90 minutes on the course. (Setting an alarm on your phone for 7:15 PM can be helpful)
A highlighter pen is handy for marking your intended route, hint hint.
New to Orienteering? Welcome!
Our events are open to both members and non-members. Beginners and families are welcome.
We will offer a beginner clinic at 4:45 pm & 5:00 pm at this event, however, please take a close look at the “Event Overview”, and “Event Rules” sections above for all the details.
No compass is needed (but could help if you get turned around!), just decent map reading skills.
If you'd like to get reminders about upcoming events, sign up at our newsletter page. (No more than a couple of emails per month, we promise!)
Thanks for coming out and trying something new, we think you'll like it!
Registration
Advance online registration is required. There is no event day registration.
Registration deadline: February 26th, 6:00pm
Refund policy: full refund if requested more than 48 hours before the start time of the event. Email us to request a refund and we’ll work it out.
Event Cost
$12 base price - individuals
$17 base price, teams of 2 or more. (Maximum team size is six people.)
- Subtract $5 if you’re a member or CROC or other orienteering club (Join CROC)
Results
Results will be posted on the Events & Results page a few days after the event.
Practice/Training
CROC has a permanent training course established in this area. If you try it before the night-O, you may have an unfair advantage, hint hint! See complete details here.
Here’s an example of a map from a previous event.
