The 40th annual Maryland Scout Orienteering Day is on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016.    Virginia troops (and Venture units) are also eligible, and a large number always attend and do well.   Self-guided instruction and courses are designed for beginners to this forest navigation map sport, plus intermediate and advanced levels, all on a clear, professional color orienteering maps (two per Scout.)  Last year a new morning instructional activity was a big hit. 

    This year we're at Patuxent River Park near Upper Marlboro in southern Prince George's County.  Field camping is within a hundred yards of our event center and parking.  Of the 900 Scouts and Scouters present for this day event last year,  350 camped Friday night  and 175 camped Saturday night.  Cost is $4.00 per participant, plus, if camping, an extra $2 per person per night.   Over 100 awards (unique patches) will be  presented.

Some of the tougher orienteering merit badge requirements can be met; this event does not focus on GPS or on the Geocaching or Search & Rescue merit badges.  

On-line or surface mail registration, Oct. 17 deadline:   

www.BaltimoreBSA.org/orienteering,

or contact event chair 

DaveLinthicum@earthlink.net.    Small troops can combine with other small troops to be eligible for the "premier" troop category (10+ youth.)  Venture units, Girl Scouts (age 10.5 or above) also welcome;  no Cubs, no Webelos.  A minimum of two scouts from every unit is required.

More local orienteering info may be found at http://qocweb.org , the public club based in the DC area.  Whether or not you can join us Oct. 29, don't forget the spring 2017 12th Annual Nat'l Cap. Area Cncl. Scout Orienteering Day, coordinated as always by Jim Chaplin (jhchaplin@comcast.net .) event chairperson