Our Philosophy

We put on events we would want to attend.

Cost

We are a non-profit organization: making money is not one of our concerns.  We keep costs down by keeping things simple.  Spend your money getting to our remote locations.  Or make a donation (shameless plug) as we are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.  We also do not require a large amount of mandatory and expensive equipment.

Maps

Our maps are rogaining, not orienteering, maps, but they have much more detail than standard USGS maps.  Scales range from 1:10,000 to 1:16,000 with 2.5 or 5 meter contours from 2018 or later released LIDAR data and recent fieldwork.

Non-Collective Orienteering

One of our criteria for a successful rogaine is, after the first and before the last control, that we never see another competitor (and not just because we are off the map).  A parade of participants from one control to another defeats the whole purpose of navigating with a map and compass only.  We embrace staggered starts.  And we allow solos.

Flexibility (Within the Event Window)

You arrive when you want.  You study the map for as long as you want.  You go when you are ready.  You stay out for as long as you want (up to the maximum).  We have to be there the entire time anyway.

Challenge

Controls are generally hung between knee and eye level (depending on available vegetation).  The challenge is:

• Event venues with minimal trails, abundant parallel features, and/or technical terrain
• Control arrangements without an obvious route selection
• Control locations generally not within sight from trails
• Control locations that may slow you down due to terrain and/or poor route choice
• Emphasis on orienteering over endurance

St. Lawrence State Forests have large portions that are generally not runnable.  That means straight-line attack points may not be the fastest routes.  Can you adapt?

Scenic

While we strive for challenging control placement, our main goal is to show you parts of the North Country you would not normally see on a hike.  The area has some great scenic state forests.  We’ll be your guides.

Themes

Granted, themes can take away from basic orienteering, but they do allow us to indulge our odd sense of humor.

Thinking

Orienteering is a thinking sport.  Thinking does not stop once you have studied the map.  We strive to challenge you by providing you multiple opportunities to think during your adventure, whether because the vegetation just got thicker or the beaver dam you were counting on is not crossable or some other new information (provided by us or by nature) presented itself.

We believe there is something perversely pleasurable in getting penalized for not constantly thinking.

Enjoyment

As Sartre wrote, “The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart.  One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”  Damn, more thinking.