Ski orienteering event at Strathcona Wilderness Centre.
This event is being run as an independent event where participants do the event at a time/date to suit themselves.
Orienteering involves using a map with control locations (checkpoints) marked. The easiest way to carry your ski orienteering map is in a Ziploc bag with a length of elastic; attach the other end by tying it to a zipper pull or safety pin it to your shirt or jacket.
In the centre of the circle there will be an orange and white flag with a number attached; the number matches the number next to the circle on the map. There is nothing to prove you have been there, unless you are using the MapRun app.
Special Notes for this event:
Skiing only – no snowshoes, no pedestrians.
All participants must have a SWC trail pass (on site day pass $7 adult, discounts for seniors, children, families), or buy a season pass on-line.
Event available 9am to 4:30pm
Using the OPTIONAL app:
Download MapRun6 from your preferred app store (eg Google Play or the APP store).
Click on Select Event: Canada | Alberta | Edmonton | Snow events |Strathcona Wilderness Centre |
Press go to start, Map and course will appear.
Check that it is the right map/course before you leave home!
If you get a list of changing numbers, tap the waving flag symbol.
Close the app. The icon for the app is a green square with a large M and a small 6.
When you get to SWC, open the app. Click on Go to start.
Before you go to the start triangle, it might be good to give your phone time to find some satellites. A green bar at the bottom of the screen will tell you when you have found some!
The app. does NOT use data while you are on the course. You can turn off data (many phones work better without data on). Turn off Bluetooth, too.
Approach and ski through the start triangle. The phone will beep/tone at the start, at each control, and at the finish. Each will turn green on the phone map as you reach them. If you are doing a scatter O or Score O, avoid going back through the finish until you HAVE finished.
If you have a printed copy of the map, you can put your phone in your pocket with the sound turned ON. (You will hear the phone beep, but it will be easier to read the paper map.) This will save your battery, too.
Results
After you have gone through the finish, you will be able to see your track. When you get back home to WiFi, open the app and click on ‘show results’. Select the event you just did, click ‘all results for this event’.
If your name is there, you are good. If your name is not there, go back one page. Choose menu (three bars, top right corner) Select Upload (Manual).
If you do this, we will know how many people have done the course (and the organizers will know whether it is worth doing more of them!).
Click on show details for your split times.
GPS
The app works on GPS, which is not super accurate. Sometimes you will get the notification when you are approaching a control location; sometimes you might have to wait up to 30 seconds. Try turning round or holding your phone up in the air. If nothing happens, just go on to the next control. GPS has problems in the trees and on steep slopes.
GPS seems to work better on a sunny clear day.
For improved performance, try turning off data (as the app does not use it); try waiting a few minutes after clicking Go to Start, and before actually going through the triangle.