How to Orienteer
Dress appropriately., Gather your supplies., Register for a course., Study your map., Orient your compass with your map., Look for your first control site., Punch your card or electronic dibber., Race to the next control site., Find the finish...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Dress appropriately.
You should be comfortable, but keep in mind that you'll probably be running for stretches of the course.
Wear hiking or trail shoes however remember that hiking boots are hard to run in.
If you are orienteering regularly, you may want to purchase special orienteering or fell running shoes from brands such as Inov8 and VJ Sport.
Long-sleeve shirts and pants will help cut down on insect bites.Check local weather conditions before you orienteer.
This will help you dress for any potential weather scenarios. -
Step 2: Gather your supplies.
You'll need to bring a compass or buy one at registration.
A whistle will come in useful if you get lost.
Most orienteering events use SI cards or EMIT cards, if you are planning to do lots of orienteering, you may want to buy one but they are normally available for hire at registration.
Bring along some water, especially if you'll be running a lot.
You'll be given a map of the course, so don't bring along any maps of the area. , You'll be asked to specify a skill level.
As a beginner, you should start with a white or yellow course.
These run about 2 to
3.5 kilometers and usually follow trails.You'll then be given a map of the course, control descriptions, and might be given an electronic punch.
More advanced courses run anywhere from
3.5 to 10 kilometers and are mainly off trail. , When you start your race, take a moment to look at the topographical map which will consist of a start, a series of control sites connected by lines and numbered in the order they are to be visited, and a finish.
Your start will be a red or pink triangle.
Control sites are circles connected by lines.
You don't have to strictly follow the lines, but you do need to visit the circles in the order given.
The finish is noted by two concentric circles., Your map will have an arrow indicating north.
It may also have north lines.
These are thin lines over your map that point north.
Line your compass arrow with the map's arrow or north lines.
Your map will be topographic.
Topographic maps show contours, which shows you the terrain of the course.
It also shows vegetation and other less important features than tracks.
For example, white is open woods, green is bushy underbrush, orange is open fields, and light brown or tan show paved areas., This is indicated on your map by a circle with a
1.
Your control descriptions sheet will also briefly describe the control.
These are sometimes called clues.
At the control site, you'll see an orange and white control flag.
If you reach the control and find that the description doesn't match the control description, you are probably at the wrong control.
For example, if the description states a control is on a post, but you're at a bench, you're at the wrong control. , When you reach a correct control, you must prove that you were there.
The control flag will have a unique plastic punch or an electronic box for you to dib.
It is important to leave the control site right away, because standing next to the control for too long will give away the position to all following runners.
You destroy their fun, and could accidentally allow them to catch up to you if you're competing. , Check your map before moving on to the next site.
Make sure your compass is aligned with your map's arrow before continuing on.
Visit all the control sites in order.
Take your time when starting out.
Running from control sites without relying on your map can cause you to get lost.
Once you've gotten the hang of finding control sites, try to increase your speed.
As you become more comfortable, you'll be able to go faster and be more competitive. , Once you've visited all the control sites in order, look for the concentric circles on your map.
Use your compass to make sure you're headed in that direction.
If you decide to abort the course, you MUST check out at the finish table.
Be aware that otherwise concerned people will spend their night searching for you in the forest! , Once you have progressed to intermediate or advanced levels, controls will not be visible or reachable from trails alone.
You need to think about how you want to find a specific control.
Attack points allow you to get close to your control site without giving the location away to your opponents.
An attack point is a point that is easily reachable and identifiable (so you will not err about where you currently are), but is as near as possible to the control you are looking for.
For example, an attack point is often on a trail, right at a distinctive bend, or where a vegetation boundary is cut by the trail.
It can also be anything else that you can easily identify. , A catching feature is something that is behind your target control, easily recognizable, and is wide enough so you can't miss it.
A typical example is the next trail, but it could be a river, power line, or high ridge.
When you hit that catch feature, you know you missed the control, so stop and plan a new attack. , Make sure you definitely know where you are before moving on.
You can travel faster to the attack point.
Your attack point should be a noticeable feature, so you shouldn't need to constantly use your compass to locate it.
For example, if a cliff face is your attack point, you should be able to run along your set path and realize when you've reached the cliff face. , Check with the map to see how far and in what direction to travel from your attack point.
At this point, you should be careful about giving your position (and the control site's position) away to nearby opponents.
Avoid simply running from the attack point to the control site. -
Step 3: Register for a course.
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Step 4: Study your map.
-
Step 5: Orient your compass with your map.
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Step 6: Look for your first control site.
-
Step 7: Punch your card or electronic dibber.
-
Step 8: Race to the next control site.
-
Step 9: Find the finish.
-
Step 10: Decide on an attack point.
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Step 11: Check the map for any catching features.
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Step 12: Get to the attack point.
-
Step 13: Use your compass to locate the control site.
Detailed Guide
You should be comfortable, but keep in mind that you'll probably be running for stretches of the course.
Wear hiking or trail shoes however remember that hiking boots are hard to run in.
If you are orienteering regularly, you may want to purchase special orienteering or fell running shoes from brands such as Inov8 and VJ Sport.
Long-sleeve shirts and pants will help cut down on insect bites.Check local weather conditions before you orienteer.
This will help you dress for any potential weather scenarios.
You'll need to bring a compass or buy one at registration.
A whistle will come in useful if you get lost.
Most orienteering events use SI cards or EMIT cards, if you are planning to do lots of orienteering, you may want to buy one but they are normally available for hire at registration.
Bring along some water, especially if you'll be running a lot.
You'll be given a map of the course, so don't bring along any maps of the area. , You'll be asked to specify a skill level.
As a beginner, you should start with a white or yellow course.
These run about 2 to
3.5 kilometers and usually follow trails.You'll then be given a map of the course, control descriptions, and might be given an electronic punch.
More advanced courses run anywhere from
3.5 to 10 kilometers and are mainly off trail. , When you start your race, take a moment to look at the topographical map which will consist of a start, a series of control sites connected by lines and numbered in the order they are to be visited, and a finish.
Your start will be a red or pink triangle.
Control sites are circles connected by lines.
You don't have to strictly follow the lines, but you do need to visit the circles in the order given.
The finish is noted by two concentric circles., Your map will have an arrow indicating north.
It may also have north lines.
These are thin lines over your map that point north.
Line your compass arrow with the map's arrow or north lines.
Your map will be topographic.
Topographic maps show contours, which shows you the terrain of the course.
It also shows vegetation and other less important features than tracks.
For example, white is open woods, green is bushy underbrush, orange is open fields, and light brown or tan show paved areas., This is indicated on your map by a circle with a
1.
Your control descriptions sheet will also briefly describe the control.
These are sometimes called clues.
At the control site, you'll see an orange and white control flag.
If you reach the control and find that the description doesn't match the control description, you are probably at the wrong control.
For example, if the description states a control is on a post, but you're at a bench, you're at the wrong control. , When you reach a correct control, you must prove that you were there.
The control flag will have a unique plastic punch or an electronic box for you to dib.
It is important to leave the control site right away, because standing next to the control for too long will give away the position to all following runners.
You destroy their fun, and could accidentally allow them to catch up to you if you're competing. , Check your map before moving on to the next site.
Make sure your compass is aligned with your map's arrow before continuing on.
Visit all the control sites in order.
Take your time when starting out.
Running from control sites without relying on your map can cause you to get lost.
Once you've gotten the hang of finding control sites, try to increase your speed.
As you become more comfortable, you'll be able to go faster and be more competitive. , Once you've visited all the control sites in order, look for the concentric circles on your map.
Use your compass to make sure you're headed in that direction.
If you decide to abort the course, you MUST check out at the finish table.
Be aware that otherwise concerned people will spend their night searching for you in the forest! , Once you have progressed to intermediate or advanced levels, controls will not be visible or reachable from trails alone.
You need to think about how you want to find a specific control.
Attack points allow you to get close to your control site without giving the location away to your opponents.
An attack point is a point that is easily reachable and identifiable (so you will not err about where you currently are), but is as near as possible to the control you are looking for.
For example, an attack point is often on a trail, right at a distinctive bend, or where a vegetation boundary is cut by the trail.
It can also be anything else that you can easily identify. , A catching feature is something that is behind your target control, easily recognizable, and is wide enough so you can't miss it.
A typical example is the next trail, but it could be a river, power line, or high ridge.
When you hit that catch feature, you know you missed the control, so stop and plan a new attack. , Make sure you definitely know where you are before moving on.
You can travel faster to the attack point.
Your attack point should be a noticeable feature, so you shouldn't need to constantly use your compass to locate it.
For example, if a cliff face is your attack point, you should be able to run along your set path and realize when you've reached the cliff face. , Check with the map to see how far and in what direction to travel from your attack point.
At this point, you should be careful about giving your position (and the control site's position) away to nearby opponents.
Avoid simply running from the attack point to the control site.
About the Author
Thomas James
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow practical skills tutorials.
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