Contours in orienteering maps

Contours in Orienteering Maps

Barbara Bryant

New England Orienteering Club

Cambridge Sports Union

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Contours are brown lines on an orienteering map.

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Sea level

http://raider.muc.edu/~mcnaugma/Topographic%20Maps/contour.htm

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10 feet

5

20 feet

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30 feet

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Elevation

Which is higher: C or E? B or A? D or C?

When contour lines are close together, the land is

• Flat

• Gently sloping

• Steep

When contour lines are close together, the land is

• Flat

• Gently sloping

• Steep

A hill

A map of the hill

ReentrantsThe word “re-entrant” is a strange orienteering word.It is similar to a valley that runs down a hill, or a gully.It is located on the side of a hill.Water runs down a re-entrant.If you are standing in the middle of a re-entrant, the land goes up on three sides and down on one.

A deep re-entrant has many contour lines close together

This hill has two re-entrants

This hill has a re-entrant that starts halfway up the hill.

If you were standing at the bottom of the hill, you might not be able to see the re-entrant, especially if the trees and foliage were thick.

Re-entrants in the White Mountains of New Hampshire

Spur: An extension of a hill

Depression: a low area of land

The “hatch” marks or “tags” point downhill. This helps distinguish a depression from a hilltop.

Saddle: In between two high points and two re-entrants

Pick the correct map


b



a



b



b



a



c



b



b

Pick the correct hill


c



a



b



a



b



c



a



a



b

Now let’s work with the map we’ll use on the field trip

Go to the next slide and pick out a hilltop.

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Find some hilltopsTake a minute to pick out a hilltop.

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HilltopsDid I find your hilltop?

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Find saddlesTake a minute to pick out a saddle!

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SaddlesDid I find your saddle?

Thanks for learning about contours!

• Excerpts were from “Armchair Orienteering” by Winifred Stott