Do You Want to Do Something Different for Your Fall 2012 Vacation? Introduction to Orienteering!

Last night my family watched the movie “The Way”, which takes place on the across the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain.  (Great movie – no plot spoilers from me.)  In the beginning of the movie the main character Tom is unpacking his son’s back back and there it is – a compass just like the one I have that was my Dad’s when he was in the Army.  When I got home I went and got my compass – I know exactly where it is on my window shelf.  I have no idea how it used and I have always wondered. Maybe you have had one passed down to you.

“Intro to Orienteering” 1 Day Course given by UT Knoxville and Smoky Mountain Field School will take place in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

Introduction to Orienteering

On October 20th, 2012 the Smoky Mountain Field School will be giving a one day course in “INTRODUCTION TO ORIENTEERING”.   This is their class description: In the simplest terms, orienteering is the process of using a map and compass to travel from one place to another. Traditionally, orienteering has been associated with competitive events where participants race cross country with map and compass to find targets in the shortest period of time. Through lectures, classroom activities and field exercises, you’ll learn the fundamental skills of both competitive and wilderness orienteering.

Every time I go hiking or driving through the park I wonder what it was like to cross the Smokies 200years ago.  How did the pioneers get from here to there… and back again?  What would I do if my smart phone died and I no longer had GPS???

The Smoky Mountain Field School is a non-credit extension of the University of Tennessee here in Knoxville.  The offer 1 and 2 day classes from Spring through the Fall each year and there are still about 15 classes left for this year.   Here is a sampling of classes – Orienteering, Edible and Poisonous Fungi, Mountain Cooking, Bringing Them Back: Elk, Otters, Falcons Wolves, A Day with a Naturalist.

All of these classes take place in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and there are classes geared to all age levels and experience.  Some last a couple of hours and some all day or even 2 days. Everyone in your group could take one of these classes  and wow the folks back home with what you know.  Joining one of these classes this fall would be so much fun and really outside the ordinary “t-shirt and go-cart” experience – maybe I will see you there!  You might like it so much you’ll want to take the Advanced Orienteering class next year.