Simsbury Troop 175 is learning about orienteering this month. Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they use to find control points.
Control points are placed on features on the map that can be clearly identified on the ground. Control points are marked in the terrain by white and orange "flags". Competitors receive a "control description sheet" or "clue sheet" which gives a precise description of the feature and the location of the kite, e.g., boulder, 5m, north side. For experienced orienteers the descriptions use symbols (pictorial), in accordance with the IOF Control descriptions.
Here is a great resource to see what the symbols are and how they would look both on a map and in real life. Go to Control Descriptions and Map Symbols Explained.
Here is a great quiz to see how well you know your control descriptions for orienteering.Go to International Control Descriptions for Orienteering--2010
If you are interested in earning the Orienteering MErit Badge, here are the requirements.
