WPOC- Deer Lakes Park workshop

Tarentum, PA, US
Apr 12, 2015

Type: Orienteering - Local

event website

added by: sherpes

Sunday, April 12, 2015, 11:00 AM
Deer Lakes Park
Mahaffey Rd., Tarentum, PA (edit map)

meet at Pike 1 shelter (copy and paste these GPS coordinates on to Google Maps: 40.627865, -79.817164)

Orienteering is an outdoor activity using topographic maps and compass. The purpose is to locate flags in the woods, "reading" the surrounding terrain and features and matching it with what the map shows. It is an exercise that is both physical and mental. The event is hosted by the Western Pennsylvania Orienteering Club, which has about 12 events a year. In all the club events except this one, there is usually a standard participation fee, usually at around $6. This event, as part of an annual outreach and promotion program to invite people that have never tried this before, is totally FREE. There will be several courses offered, of increased difficulty, from beginner to intermediate to advanced. In addition, there will be training, tutorials, and mental exercises. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, a pack lunch to eat on the picnic table, and a sense of fun and adventure.
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Deer Lakes Workshop
12 April 2015


ALL PARTICIPANTS must wear appropriate clothing (shoes that cover the feet and long pants). There may be ticks or other biting insects. Using insect repellant is an exceptionally good idea. It is Spring, so it is likely to be somewhat wet or muddy. Beginner Instruction:

There will be two identical sessions, one starting at 11 am, the other starting at 1 pm. In each session, there will be instruction on map reading, simple use of the compass (orienting the map) and how an orienteering course works. If time allows, there may be additional instruction topics. There will also be an exercise in which participants can put what they have learned into practice. Each session will last approximately 90 minutes. Compasses will be loaned to those who do not have them. Intermediate Instruction:

There will be a single session that starts at 12 noon and will last 1 ½ to 2 hours. The focus will be on off-trail navigation (following a bearing) and keeping track of distance, combined with terrain association. Various navigational and map handling tips will be introduced. Instruction will be done through a series of exercises that go around a short orienteering course, much of it off trail. Compasses will be loaned to those who do not have them. Advanced Exercises:

There will be several types of exercises to choose from. Each involves doing a short orienteering course in one way or another. The courses are kept short to allow participants to do more than one exercise: starting on an exercise may be done between 11 am and 2:30 pm. The exercises are described below. Line-O Activity: Follow the line marked on the map and find the controls which have been placed "on" the line; the control locations are not shown on the map. Controls are on standard orienteering features; some controls from other courses are also near or on the line. To avoid hiding important information, the line is drawn next to (not on top of) the control feature and next to features like paths and streams. The control descriptions list only the control flag numbers in sequence order.
Purpose: To practice precise terrain association and navigation. Short-term Memory-O

Activity: At the start, you will be allowed to study a map showing the start and the location of your first control; you may study this map until you are ready to start. You must navigate to this control without a map. You will be allowed to take with you only a set of control descriptions and a punch card. When you reach the first control, you will find a small piece of a map showing the location where you are and the location of the next control. You must navigate to this next control without a map. This process will continue until you have reached the last control where you will find a map showing the location of the finish.

Purpose: To practice navigating without constantly looking at the map.

Memory-Vector-O

Activity: At the start, you will be allowed to study a regular orienteering map showing the entire course to be covered; you may study this map until you are ready to start. You must navigate this entire course with a map that contains only control circles and lines connecting them. The circles and lines will be drawn exactly as if they were on a normal orienteering map. You will also be given a set of control descriptions and a punch card. Purpose: To practice remembering key terrain features that will help in navigating the course and to practice using bearings and distance measurement.

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