Look for the NGA Foreign Maps button (includes domestic NGA maps). In the “Filter by Country” box, select USA and the appropriate state. Click on “+VIEW FILTERS” to toggle on additional filters. Under “Other Filters”, use the dropdown menu in the “Map Scale” box to select 1:50,000 (it’s near the top of the list).

An elevation map shows the height of physical parts of the Earth, relative to sea level.

You can figure out the elevation of any point by finding the nearest labeled line, counting the number of lines above or below it, multiplying by the contour interval, and adding or subtracting the result from the nearest marked contour line. The more closely spaced the contour lines, the steeper the slope.

7.5 Minute refers to the fact the map covers an area 7 minutes and 30 seconds of longitude by 7 minutes and 30 seconds of latitude. The title of the map is indicated in the upper right hand corner. In other words, and inch of the map equals 24,000 inches in the field.

A “quadrangle” is a topographic map produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) covering the United States. A 7.5 minute quadrangle map covers an area of 49 to 70 square miles (130 to 180 km2).

The scale on a map is the ratio between real life sizes and how many times it has been shrunk to fit it on the map. On a 1:50,000 scale map, 1 cm on the map represents 50,000 cm on the ground (= 500 m or 0.5 km).

Printing the scale on the map means the reader can work out the accurate distance between two points. The first number is the unit on the map and the second number is the distance in real life of the same unit so 1: 25,000 means that 1cm on the map corresponds to 25,000 cm on the ground.

Scale help in calculating the area on the map. This is because it helps the map reader to measure various dimensions in the map such as width and length. The scale is used in map enlargement and reduction. Scale help to determine the amount of content/feature that a map will contain.

On the map 1 inch is equal to 0.4 miles. Example 3a – The map distance between two points is 6 inches. The map scale is 1:24,000 (in/in).

There are three Components of Maps – distance, direction and symbol. Maps are drawings, which reduce the entire world or a part of it to fit on a sheet of paper. Or we can say maps are drawn to reduced scales.

Colors Used on a Military Map

Basic Orienteering Skills

• Folding the map.
• Thumbing the map.
• Orientating the map to north (with ground or compass)
• Reading features on the map.
• Taking a compass bearing.
• Following a compass bearing.
• Pacing.
• Judging Distance.

The golden rule of orienteering is you must report to the download tent whether or not you complete your course. If you don’t, the organisers will spend hours out in the forest looking for you after the event has ended.

orienting the map

Good skills needed for orienteering

• Planning.
• Pacing.
• Directional Awareness.
• Reflexes.
• Common Sense.
• Planning.

Compass. A compass is the main gadget (after map), that you need for orienteering. It’s important for a correct navigation. Some people participate in orienteering events without a compass, but likelihood of going in the wrong direction is high, especially for the beginner, who does not have a good map reading skills.

Orienteering is a sport in which competitors navigate independently through the terrain. Competitors must visit a number of control points marked on the ground, usually in the shortest possible time, aided in navigation by map and compass only. person who successfully completes the set course in the fastest time.

Safety tips on the track

• Keep in mind that the most direct route is often the hardest.
• Wear a long-sleeved top and long trousers to reduce the risk of cuts and grazes, if you should fall.
• Apply SPF 30+ sunscreen to all exposed skin areas.
• Wear a watch to keep track of time.
• Keep your map inside a waterproof bag.