So you want to go rogaining!   Rogaining is a mix of navigation, adventure, strategy and fun.   They can be done on foot, MTB, kayaks or skis, depending on where the venue is.

In a rogaine you’ll be given a map with marked checkpoints/controls which are given different scores and your challenge is to get the highest score within a set time by visiting as many controls as possible. But note you will have points deducted if you are late.   Everyone finishes around the same time so the event centre is always a social spot.

The shortest rogaines or orienteering score events are one hour, and the national and world Championship events are 24 hours, but any set time limit can be used.   Longer events will often have a shorter duration option available.  In the longer events there will also be a dark component to add to the navigation challenge.

In a rogaine you are given the map before you start, and everyone has the same amount of planning time – around 5 minutes for a one hour event and 3 hours for a 24 hour event.  This means that you and your teammate need to put your cunning strategies into place as to the most efficient method to collect maximum points versus minimum distance travelled within the competition time.

In a rogaine you can return to the event centre any number of times, and can finish whenever you like. Recording your visits to control sites is done with an electronic punch (NAVLIGHT or SPORTident), a clipcard and punch, or by writing down the answer to a question or copying a short code. At the finish your score is counted, points deducted if you are late, and the winning team is announced.

For an event near you have a look at the Events section.