“Orienteering is a healthy activity, both mentally and physically,” he said.
For beginners, there is an easy course that is set up along established park trails and covers a distance of a mile or so. Expert courses involve extensive off-trail navigation to the more remote and rarely visited parts of the park.
“Orienteering is an outdoor adventure sport that involves finding your own way to a series of checkpoints. The New Year’s Day event will offer courses at six different lengths and difficulty levels. Participants can choose to run or walk and whether to go individually or in a group,” Minium said.
As an internationally recognized sport, orienteering is an outdoor adventure in which participants find their way using a map. It is like a treasure hunt. Participants will receive a detailed map of the park, which shows a series of checkpoints they must try to locate.
Laurie Sydzyik, an Orienteering Cincinnati member, is the course setter this year.
Last year, about 75 people participated in the New Year’s Day courses, and 18 participants did the New Year’s Eve Night Course for experienced orienteers. The New Year’s Day event is family friendly.
“It is a great adventure, an excellent way to get fit, and a healthy way to start off the New Year,” Minium said. “It is a fun, outdoor fitness activity. You’re not just walking on a treadmill; you are out in the environment. We see all kinds of wildlife. You’ll most likely see some interesting birds, deer and other wildlife.”
Orienteering Cincinnati (OCIN) has around 40 events per year in different parks throughout the area. The organization also offers various educational programs to school groups, scouts and others.
The New Year’s events are in partnership with MetroParks of Butler County, where OCIN provides several events per year, including an “Egg Orienteering” course for young kids in spring, and a “Trail of Treats” around Halloween.
MORE DETAILS
What: New Year’s Day Orienteering
Where: Governor Bebb MetroPark, 1979 Bebb Park Lane, Okeana
When: The New Year’s Eve event is 9-11 p.m. Dec. 31; The New Year’s Day event has start times between 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Event Fees: The cost is $10 for Orienteering Cincinnati members, $15 for non-members for groups of 1 to 5 doing a course together. $5 for Youth under 18.
More info: OCIN.org and yourmetroparks.net. Email Mike Minium at mikeminium@gmail.com with questions. Events are held rain, shine or snow. Participants are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather conditions.
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