*Note - to teach or guide any backcountry hikes, you must have an ACMG Guide Certification, or hire a guide for your class - insurance policy depending.
For more information, click Association of Canadian Mountain Guiding

Land Navigation Scavenger Hunt

Teaching students how to use a compass is a key factor to orienteering.

• Where to find North.
• How to alter your compass bearing and understanding your physical positioning to ensure you are going in the correct direction.
• How to use landmarks to your advantage.
• How to communicate to group members to point them in the right direction.
• How to leap frog with a partner.

Activity:

• Before students arrive, print 5-6 different riddles and hide them within a 100 square yard area.
• Teachers will provide 5-6 designated degrees in which students have to travel/maintain in order to find these riddles.
• Using their compass, students will work in groups to find the riddles and discover their secret message.
• To achieve this is:
  • 1) Have one student direct their group members where to go,
  • 2) Have everyone use the compass at the same time (or everyone in a group has a compass in an ideal world).
• In the winter, set up a fire. For every clue students find, they can receive one s'more.