Map and compass course offered

The Montana Wilderness Association, Silver Cloud Associates, and Snappy Sport Senter are happy to announce the timely offering, on October 12th, of an outdoor educational program entitled Reading Map, Compass, Tracks and Sign.  Participants will receive classroom instruction on reading and understanding topographical maps with an emphasis on practical trip planning.  Please bring a calculator, scale or ruler (1/10th of an inch scale preferred), pencils, reading glasses, and a Silva Ranger adjustable declination compass. Snappy's will have this compass available at a sale price for purchase, and a few will be available for use. Students will also be given instruction in the use of this compass.  Additional classroom time will be spent familiarizing the student with the basics of tracking, characteristics of animal families, patterns and gaits.  A field session will follow, with folks utilizing compass and pacing skills, and practicing tracking and sign recognition techniques learned in the classroom.

Please come prepared for a day in the field, with personal gear, proper layering of clothing for weather, good footwear, lunch and water. Meet at 9am at Snappy Sport Senter.  Our instructor, Brian Baxter, has degrees in both forestry and wildlife management, and supervised forest technicians in remote orienteering for the extensive forest inventory.  Baxter is also a land surveyor, and wildlife researcher, with 16 years as an outdoor education instructor. The program will wrap up at approximately 4:30 pm.  There will be an $8 lab fee that will cover the cost of one topographical map.  To register contact:  Amy Robinson at arobinson@wildmontana.org or call 406-730-2006.

Space is limited for this free, open to the public outdoor experience so please register early. Call or email Amy Robinson, MWA Field Director, at arobinson@wildmontana.org or 406-730-2006. This program is a part of a new educational series sponsored by the Flathead-Kootenai Chapter of MWA.