Advanced Navigation and Strategy PRIORITIES: Not getting lost Fastest route Easiest terrain Minimizing risk The order of priorities depends on your situation

Advanced Navigation and StrategyAdvanced Navigation and Strategy

PRIORITIES: Not getting lost Fastest route Easiest terrain Minimizing risk

The order of priorities depends on your situation.

Frontier Adventure Racing Inc. Advanced Navigation and Strategy

Skills – RoutefindingSkills – Routefinding

Interpreting the terrain from both the map and real world around you to determine the best route to follow.

The fastest route is not always a straight line. The better your Orientation skills and pre-race

strategy the more adaptable you can be in Routefinding.


Strategy RulesStrategy Rules 1. Plan your strategy before you start 2. Only work with obvious features 3. Keep it simple - maximize your time in the “Green Zone” 4. Trust your map and compass 5. Include all team-mates with navigation duties 6. Use your watch all the time 7. Reality check often 8. Look for what you don’t want to find 9. Read the “Fine Print” 10. Navigate ALL the time 11. Read between the lines


Reading between the LinesReading between the LinesON THE MAP: How old is the map? What do you know about the region (weather patterns, season, amount of light,

type of vegetation, type of rock)? How did the CP staff get there? Why was this section chosen? What are they expecting you to experience? Who designed the course? What are the non-race uses for the area (recreation, logging, mining,

hunting/fishing, wildlife)?

ON THE COURSE: What is the forest floor like? How high are water levels? How old is a road? Are there tire tracks? How many? How old? Any signs of human presence.


Map Preparation ProcessMap Preparation Process

Mark Checkpoints and Transition Areas quickly and accurately

Create timeline and update your team-mates Discuss and review every possible route choice using

every piece of available information Commit to a route, but have back-up plans and be flexible Mark the map accordingly Write notes on instructions and possibly have another

teammate carry these Tape, cut and waterproof the maps Prepare the maps for each section of the race

Trekking ConsiderationsTrekking Considerations

Know your rate of travel rules for every conceivable type of terrain

Use prominent features and handrails to gauge your progression along the course

Use experience gained from previous races and previous sections in the same race

Identify and anticipate local anomalies Is pack-rafting a possibility? Use a bright light to move faster in the dark

Trekking Guidelines: Forested Trekking Guidelines: Forested TerrainTerrain

If you’re ever in doubt of how far you’ve traveled, chances are you haven’t gone far enough

The type of forest your traveling through will greatly impact your speed Vegetation near water will usually be thicker than vegetation found at higher

elevations north facing slopes in the Northern Hemisphere have thinner vegetation

than south facing slopes The season of the year, or recent weather activity can impact route choices Know your contour intervals! Should you follow an un-marked trail? Road vs. Trail vs. Bushwack, which will be fastest? the flatter the terrain the faster you can move following a ridge will save time in map reading as it serves as an effective

baseline to travel along

Bark Lake 2001CP3-CP4

Map Date: 1989

Advanced Navigation and Strategy

Frontier Adventure Racing Inc.

Elliot Lake 2001Advanced Trek

Map Date: 1990


Bark Lake 2001CP10-CP12

Map Date: 1989


Elliot Lake 2002CP7-CP8

Map Date: 1990Frontier Adventure Racing Inc. Advanced Navigation and Strategy

Tremblant 2001CP8-CP9

Map Date: 1977



Trekking Guidelines: Trekking Guidelines: Mountainous TerrainMountainous Terrain

The ability to interpret contour lines is of the utmost importance Be comfortable with triangulation techniques Following rivers and streams can be a slow and arduous process Counting side-streams can help confirm your location and rate

of travel Traveling parallel to the fall line can be faster than sidling

around Know your contour intervals! Use an altimeter and be aware of their short-comings Be weary of traveling up avalanche slopes

Apex 2002Final Trek

Map Date: 1996



Mountain Biking Mountain Biking ConsiderationsConsiderations

Use your odometer! Select interim checkpoints to gauge your progression

along the course Be aware of incorrect distance estimates in

hilly/mountainous terrain Don’t forget to use your compass Use multiple map bags to speed the transition from one

map to the next Use adequate lights so you can move faster at night

Paddling ConsiderationsPaddling Considerations

Know your rate of travel rules, but be flexible and able to calculate these on the fly

Paddle vs. Portage vs. Canoe-whack Use your compass and mark key bearings on the

map Be proficient at reading the shoreline, but also

note prominent geographical features Keep the map handy and visible Anticipate worst case scenarios

Documents

Advanced Navigation and Strategy PRIORITIES: Not getting lost Fastest route Easiest terrain Minimizing risk The order of priorities depends on your situation