The CROC member training series offers an opportunity to practice and improve orienteering skills and learn with others.  Each event will focus on particular orienteering aspects. The training series is for club members only. There is no cost for members for these informal events. 

Compass Bearing and Pace Count Practice in Advanced Terrain

Old Maid Flat Advanced Training
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Course Starts 11 a.m. to noon
Intermediate-to-Advanced Workshop at 10:30 a.m.


Old Maid Flat (near Zigzag, off Hwy 26 on the way to Mt. Hood) offers the opportunity to practice open forest orienteering relatively close to Portland. This year we will venture into new terrain on a new map. This area is technical and challenging. The focus of the training is to practice compass bearings and pace counting. 

There will be one advanced course, a Green Middle course, using small flags. For those who need to learn the skills of pace counting, bearings and navigating through undeveloped woods, there is a group workshop starting at 10:30 a.m. Workshop participants will practice the skills and then work together to do the course.

Terrain is essentially all white forest, with lichen and moss-covered sand and rocks. Given the technical terrain, this training event is limited to advanced club members for the course, and to members who have completed Intermediate courses for the Workshop. This is a no-frills training event, and we are not set up for search and rescue. The course is about 5 km with 50 m climb. Map scale is 1:10,000 with 10 ft contours. The map is new (meaning: imperfect).

Bring water (and food). There are pit toilets in the closed campground. Northwest Forest passes and permits are not required at this time of year.

It is important that you contact me by May 10 so that 1) I can make enough maps, 2) I know whether you plan to take the workshop or complete the course solo, and 3) you can find out where we are meeting. We are not using the usual meeting place. Carpooling is a very good idea. Also, if anybody would like to go up a couple of hours early, I would like to carpool, too.

If you have any questions, let me know.
Mike Poulsen
mike.poulsen@comcast.net
503 639-3532 (home)
503 277-0380 (cell, available only on Saturday)