Grizzly Orienteering Essentials: Learn to Orienteer!

This six-week learning experience consists of 3 classroom sessions and 3 sessions of applied

outdoor practice on basic orienteering courses. The course is designed for those new to orienteering and for those who want to hone their basic skills to increase their comfort and confidence in map reading, route finding, compass skills, and more.

All sessions will be held Monday evenings from 5:30-7:00pm March 24-April 28, 2025.

Outdoor locations provide a variety of terrain and challenge.

Session I–March 24, 2025–Classroom

• Welcome to Orienteering

  • Description of course

  • Location for Outdoor Practices

• Basic Map Reading

  • Colors

  • Symbols

  • Basic Route Finding

  • Rules and Etiquette

• Comparison between Maps and Actual Terrain

• Basic Compass Use

  • What it is and isn’t used for

  • How to Navigate without a Compass

Session II–March 31, 2024

Group Score-O at University of Montana or Silver Park

Meet at:

• Map Reading on Location

• Using Compasses to Identify Direction

• Building Observation Skills

• Strategies for Route Finding

Session III–April 7, 2025–Classroom

• Examining a Course Map–Blue Mountain

• Comparison between Map and Actual Terrain

• Route Finding Exercises

• LiveLox Examples

• Next Level Compass Skills Practice

Session IV–April 14, 2025

Guided Advanced Beginner Course–Blue Mountain

Meet at:

• Guided Course Completion

• Modeled Thinking on Route Selection

• Observation of Terrain vs. Map

• Participant Strategy Sessions

• Compass Use with a Map

Session V–April 21, 2025–Classroom

• Individual Route-Finding Practice

• Increased Compass Information

• Orienteering Bigger Picture

  • Resources for Gear and Information

  • Event Information

Session VI–April 28, 2025

Choose Your Own Advanced Beginner Foot-O–Pattee Canyon

Meet at:

• Compass, Map, and Strategy Review

• Choose Your Own:

  • Guided Foot-O Course with assistance from Instructors OR

  • Wing It! On Your Own

• Debrief and Final Questions/Answers