ORIENTEERING

LAND  NAVIGATION IN SEVEN EASY STEPS

1.     FIND YOUR LOCATION ON MAP

 -Identify major nearby features that are obvious on both the map and the ground.

 -Match what you see on the map with the terrain and vice versa. 

 -The start of an orienteering course is marked with a triangle on the map

2.     ORIENT THE MAP

-Rotate  map to correspond with the terrain. 

-For example, a path or road will be parallel with the feature on the map.

-Features to your right or left will be right or left of your location on the map.       

-Note that your compass needle is in line with the magnetic north lines on the map.

-Keep map oriented at all times

3.     IDENTIFY YOUR DESTINATION

-Find its location on the map.

-The next control point of an orienteering course.

4.     FACE DIRECTION OF DESTINATION

-Rotate body but keep map oriented.  (Map does not rotate.)

-Face  the general direction keeping in mind you may not depart in exactly that direction.

5.     CHOOSE ROUTE

-Adjust direction of travel if necessary

-Follow line features (paths, streams, fences, utility lines, etc.)

-The straightest route is not often the best

6.     PICK OUT PROMINENT FEATURES                                AHEAD

-First on the map

-Then in the terrain (if in sight)

-Select prominent features along your route as intermediate objectives

7.     PROCEED TO THOSE FEATURES

-Follow the chosen route

-Use the terrain features to keep map oriented.

-As you change direction, rotate the map to keep it oriented with the terrain

-Navigate using the map.  The compass is only a secondary tool.

-Keep track of your location at all times.

THAT'S IT -- YOU ARE ORIENTEERING

CONTINUE FROM FEATURE TO FEATURE AND FROM CONTROL TO CONTROL REPEATING THE SEVEN STEPS AS APPROPRIATE