Many Cochranites are looking for more reasons to get outside and today at Cochrane Ranche, you can get out, grab a map, and learn all about orienteering!

What is orienteering? Participants get a map of an area and navigate to a series of checkpoints marked on that map. The goal is to reach and find each point, and if you are competitive, to do so as fast as you can.

Bogi Gyorfi, Executive Director of the Alberta Orienteering Association says that orienteering is popular all over the world "Orienteering as a sport is very popular in Europe, here in North America people use it as a recreational activity and we have some competitive events too. Basically what you do is explore parks. When you get better you get outside in the mountains and we have a very specific map created for the area. On the map, you have certain checkpoints you need to find. "

"When you're competitive, you try to complete your course as fast as you can to see who is the fastest runner and navigator.”

Gyorfi says that their orienteering programs are no stranger to Cochrane. "This is our outreach programming for Cochrane. We started, I believe, two or three years ago and we actually have youth programs in the fall and spring. Unfortunately, this spring was cut short but we are hoping that maybe this fall we can get back into it."

Today (Wednesday, July 22, 2020) at the Cochrane Ranche is a free, try orienteering event that is for everyone from families and individuals who want to enjoy outside, to someone looking for a fun, competitive challenge. "We're going to have three stations, two of them is going to be for exploring and learning to read the map and figuring out how this whole thing works. Three courses are set up, from a very easy one-kilometer course all the way to an intermediate level course which is about four kilometers long, so you can choose your course and explore the park."

The event runs this afternoon between three and seven and all supplies are provided. Dress for the weather and be prepared to go exploring. To find out even more about orienteering, go here.