Walk, Look and Learn Hike: Map and Compass Training and Practice at Pratt’s Falls NOW SUNDAY
Sunday 05/21/2023 9:30 am
Hike rating:
Event/Trailhead location:
From Ithaca, take Rt 13 to Rt 81 north. Take exit 15 toward US-11/US-20/Lafayette. Initially you’ll be on US-11; turn left onto Rt 20 for 6.1 miles and turn left onto Rt 182/Henneberry Road for 2.0 miles. Make a right onto Rt 218/Pratt’s Falls Road for half a mile before turning left on Pratt’s Falls Drive into Pratt’s Falls Park. In about 0.2 miles you’ll reach a toll booth for the park ($2 per car).
Bear right for about 0.1 miles and the parking lot will be on the left. (click for map).
Hike Leader: Allen Quirk
Contact:
Hike leader contact information will be sent in the email acknowledging that you have registered for this hike.
Hike Details:
Outing Description
Due to the RAIN in the forcast for Saturday this hike has moved to SUNDAY!
Today’s event will be a map and compass training and practice session at Pratt’s Falls County Park, Manlius, NY
Note: Because of the distance to this outing, we are encouraging carpooling. Please indicate when you register whether you’ll be carpooling.
This outing is intended for people who either want to learn map and compass skills or practice/refine skills that you already have. Central New York Orienteering Club (CNYO) maintains a permanent orienteering course ay Pratt’s Falls Park in Onondaga County. Participants will be provided with an orienteering map, a punch card, a description of the controls that we will try to find. CNYO is providing volunteers to train us in orienteering skills. There will be no pressure to find a certain number of controls. We’ll be out there recreationally, each of us deciding the level of challenge that we’re comfortable with.
If you have an orienteering compass -identifiable because the compass is mounted on a rectangular piece of clear plastic that will have various markings on it (usually in red) – please bring it. CNYO will provide a limited number of loaner compasses, so don’t let the lack of a compass dissuade you from joining us.
Bring clothing appropriate for the weather and footwear suitable to a variety of surfaces. Bring a whistle if you have one. Since Pratt’s Falls Park is over an hour away from Ithaca, bring enough food to last you into the mid-afternoon. The event itself will be from 11:00am – 1:00pm.
On June 17, CNYO will be hosting its major orienteering event of the year. Known as a Rogaine, the minimum time that participants can register for is six hours. This event is widely known and always draws a number of international participants. I am hopeful that there will be some people from CTC who will be confident enough in their skills and intrigued enough by the challenge that you’ll sign up. Any CTC entrants will have a home field advantage since the event is being held in the Finger Lakes National Forest this year. Registrants must be in a group of at least two people.