The fundamental outdoors skill! Orienteering Nothing will make you feel more confident in the out of doors like knowing how to find your way in the woods.
Orienteering Prepared by: Jeffrey Lybarger Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 467, Atlanta, GA The presentation was developed in partial completion of the Boy Scouts of America Wood badge adult leadership training, WB 92-45. This presentation is for the specific purpose of volunteer youth orienteering training and is not to be used for any commercial purpose.
Open Woods Open Forest/Woods have trees that are well spaced so that you can easily run between them. In the winter, you can usually see long distances in open woods.
Open Woods Open Forest/Woods have trees that are well spaced so that you can easily run between them. In the winter, you can usually see long distances in open woods. The map looks white for these areas.
Open Woods Open Forest/Woods have trees that are well spaced so that you can easily run between them. Some patches of thicker vegetation can be met that are not large enough to appear on the map as a dense (green) area.
Open Land Open fields typically are yellow/orange on a map. They vary from cut grass to knee high scrub growth. They can change a lot over time.
Open Land This shows the edge of an open field and dense forest. This line may appear as orange next to white (open forest) or green (dense forest), depending on the run ability.
Open Land This shows the edge of an open field and open forest. This line may appear as orange next to white (open forest).
Open Land This shows the edge of the previous open field looking from the field back into open forest.
Open Land This is edge of an open field. The vegetation has changed to taller growth with small trees. (5 years has passed since the map was made.)
Open Land This is edge of an open field. The vegetation has changed to taller growth with small trees. (5 years has passed since the map was made.)
Lakes NEVER!!! Try to wade or cross a lake as part of a hike or orienteering event. IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS.
Creeks Most creeks are small and intermittent (only have water at some times). This creek is fast and wide (about 8ft) and CAN BE DANGEROUS.
Creeks This is a convergence point of 2 creeks. A creek is coming in on the right, about where the pile of dirt is located. Further down, you can see the lake where they empty into.
Creeks This creek bed meanders a lot. You can see steep banks along this portion of this creek.
Dense Growth Dense growth will be shown as a green area. The darker the green the poorer the run-ability through it. Avoid trying to go through this growth, but it can be used as a reference point on the map.
Dense Growth Vines are commonly found in areas of dense growth that has poor run-ability.
Dense Growth This shows the edge of an open forest and a line of dense forest. Notice the wall of smaller, tightly packed trees.
Dense Growth This shows a closer view of the smaller, tightly packed trees.
Felled Areas Felled areas are where trees have been cut either as a timber operation or for other park activities. Usually, you can find trees down.
Felled Areas Felled areas are where trees have been cut either as a timber operation or for other park activities. Usually, you can find trees down.
Felled Areas This was listed by the map maker as a felled area, but few trees were found and it sometimes difficult to tell them from open field areas.
Trails Trails are usually distinctive.
Trails Trails are usually distinctive. A curve in the trail provides an exact location
Trails If trails are through the woods, they can be leaf covered and sometimes lost, especially in the fall.
Trails A junction of trails provides an exact location.
Hills Hills are usually obvious features. You may need to decide whether to go over or around a hill. (This depends on your fitness. A 20 ft elevation climb is the same as running 100yds.) If you run around the side of a hill at the same contour, it is called contouring the hill.
Hills This hill can be easily seen and easily contoured around.
Hills This hill is not as steep. If a marker is at the summit, look around you and keep going uphill.
Re-entrantentrant V-Shaped contour features. We are looking uphill at this Re-entrant.
Re-entrantentrant V-Shaped contour features. We are looking downhill near the top of this Re- Entrant
Re-entrantentrant V-Shaped contour features. We are looking up from the bottom of the same Re- Entrant. When leaves are still on the trees, land contours are much harder to see.
Re-entrantentrant Distinctive larger Re-Entrant from the top.
Saddles Saddles are the low areas that run between two hills. You can see the beginnings of hills going off in both directions.
Saddles This boulder could be easily located because it rested in a saddle. This is the westward view to a low hillside.
Saddles This boulder could be easily located because it rested in a saddle. This is the eastward view to a low hillside of the same rock.
Rocks and Boulders Most large boulders will appear on the map and small ones, if in a group, will be marked as a boulder field. This rock is about 5ft. by 3ft., but only about a foot high.
Rocks and Boulders This size boulder will typically be marked on an orienteering map. It is about 8-10 ft. in diameter and about 4ft. high.
Rocks and Boulders This is a cluster of rocks and boulders.
Rocks and Boulders This is a cluster of rocks (or rocky ground). It is usually a cluster of small black dots.
Rocks and Boulders This boulder is noted on the map and is at the edge of a clearing. A combination of two clearly obvious features makes this a great way to be absolutely sure where you are. It would make a good attack point.
Cairns Cairns are man-made rock piles and usually indicate prior activity, such as a homestead or farm.
Cairns Cairns are man-made rock piles and usually indicate prior activity, such as a homestead or farm.
Cairns Cairns are man-made rock piles and usually indicate prior activity, such as a homestead or farm.
Rootstock Rootstock are where trees have fallen and the roots of the tree are sticking up. Map makers will mark them if they are rootstocks of large trees. Usually a lot of mud is also showing.
Rootstock This is the same tree rootstock from the side where you can see the tree trunk laying on the ground.
Rootstock This is a cluster of fallen trees and rootstock. This likely occurred during a storm.
Rootstock However, not all are extremely large. This rootstock is old an dried. The map maker did put this rootstock on the map.
Man Made Objects: Road Road are easily found and can be important for relocation if you are lost.
Man Made Objects: Outlook Stand Stands, pavilions, picnic areas, and other recreation spots can be good points of reference.
Man Made Objects: Power Lines Overhead power lines are great lateral markers (handrails) and can be seen from some distance. Where these lines and the road intersect is an exact location.
Man Made Objects: Building Buildings can be good points of reference.
Man Made Objects: Ruins Ruins of old buildings can be good points of reference, but they can be harder to find. This chimney blends in with the trees. Old building foundations can be covered with leaves and foliage.
Man Made Objects: Cemetery Cemeteries are very distinctive, but sometimes map makers will plot isolated historical grave sites, and they can be difficult to locate.
Man Made Objects: Wells Wells, vents, and cisterns are distinct objects. IF ONE IS OPEN, STAY AWAY.
Bridges A bridge will appear as a black line over a river, stream, creek, or even over an inlet of a lake. This is a large foot bridge.
Bridges This bridge was marked as a single small black hash mark over a creek. It is a very small foot bridge.
My sincere thanks to the Georgia Orienteering Club for their support by allowing me to use GAOC maps for this project. (Especially Mr. Bill Farrell and Ms. Martha Carr) http://www.gaorienteering.org/
Orienteering The fundamental outdoors skill! Check your compass often; Read your map always! No matter whether you are in a competitive orienteering race, on an Sunday walk or hiking at Philmont, Have Fun Orienteering.