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Buffalo Orienteering Club Map Hikes
WHAT ARE THEY?
Each spring, the Buffalo Orienteering
Club sets up a course of 25 controls at one or more parks for the
avid
orienteer or the casual hiker to do at their leisure. This year, MAP
HIKES will be created at Chestnut
Ridge Park, Emery
Park, and the Sprague Brook Park. The courses are new every year.
Chestnut Ridge and Emery will be available in April this year. The Sprague Brook Map Hike will be available on May 17th.
WHERE CAN I PURCHASE
THEM?
Packets can be purchased at $5.00 for
each park and include a five
color map with marked control locations, a control card, instructions and a
plastic map case. They are available
at the following locations:
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At all local meets.
See the schedule on our home page.
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Online from Hyatt's
- All Things Creative.
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The Hyatt's stores in Buffalo, Clarence, and Rochester, NY.
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By mail from the club; additional Shipping & Handling required. Please use this order form.
HOW TO DO IT?
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Using the map, navigate to the locations indicated by the small purple or red circles. Use the control description as a clue to the feature nearby the control.
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At the location, you'll find a 4" x 4" red and white marker
mounted to a nearby tree or post. This is called a "control".
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The number on the control will correspond to the number by the circle on
the map. Also on the control will be a two letter "code".
Copy that code in the numbered box on the control card.
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You can visit the controls in any order you wish.
It may take a few visits to locate all of the controls.
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When finished, put proper postage on the control card and drop it in the
mail. Your name will be entered in a drawing for prizes (Minimum of 5
found controls is required). The prizes are awarded at the end of the year at the annual meeting.
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If a control is missing or damaged,
please report it to Phillip Wolfling at 832-9758.
HINTS FOR SUCCESSFUL ORIENTEERING
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"Map Hiking" is a great family or group activity.
But, if you go by yourself, tell someone where you are going.
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"Orient" the map every time you look at it.
That is, turn the map so that the map North points toward Magnetic North as shown by a compass.
This will put the map "in sync" with the terrain and will make it easier to read.
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Have a plan in mind for which features to follow to get to the control,
such as a road, trail or stream.
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Hold the map in your hand with your thumb firmly planted on your current location.
Fold it up to make this easier. When you next look at the map it will be easier to "locate" yourself.
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The controls are small, only four inches square, and flat, so you may have to look carefully to see some of them.
In general, if you are at the feature described in the "Control Descriptions" and you turn in a circle,
you'll spot it.
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Use the plastic case to carry the map. It will protect the map from moisture and tearing.
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Keep in mind that all maps are drawn by people, not by divine powers, so the mapper's decisions on what to show
and how to show it might not be the same as what your decisions would have been.
Do not be surprised if you come across new features that are not shown on the map.
Remember, everything that's on the map is out there, but everything that's out there may not be on the map.
We think you will be impressed by the accuracy of the map.
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If you enjoy
the MAP HIKES, you
may wish to consider joining the Buffalo
Orienteering Club. We sponsor Orienteering activities in other parks and forests throughout
the year including Ski-Orienteering in the winter.
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