Does urban rogaining improve one's nav skills?

[Wollemi]

There is a 5hour/3hour Rogaine next Saturday night in the centre of Sydney.
I felt my map-and-compass skill increased at the annual Paddy Pallin rogaine in Marrangaroo NP at Rydal (between Lithgow and Bathurst) a few weeks back.

The 3h event can be entered solo - but as the Hash House (start/finish place) is very near busy Epping rail and Metro station, it may not serve to practice navigation skills.

Thoughts?

https://nswrogaining.org/2024-nightgaine/

[Allchin09]

I think any map and compass work improves navigation. Urban probably not quite as much as those in the bush, but the skill of closely reading a map, keeping track of where you are at all times and working out the best way to approach a checkpoint still apply.

If you want a real boost to your skills - try NavShield! Held each year, they have a 27 hr event in places that are very much bushland. The 2024 event was held on the weekend.

[johnw]

I think the urban/metrogaine events probably provide a good opportunity for those just getting into bushwalking, and not yet confident with navigation skills. I'm assuming the event mentioned has a mix of streets and urban fringe bushland. Sure, close to stations and so on will have heaps of man made navigation aids. But being able to gain some confidence with those and starting to venture into the bush fringe to learn how to follow a creek, go off track between two "safe" points - fire trails, walking tracks, trigs etc might be a good way to start and maybe avoid potential rescues due to lost/panicked and so on when going on independent walks. I haven't done a rogaine since well before Covid but have completed a number of the PP events in the past and felt they do help with nav skills. My son did the recent Rydal event with one of uni bushwalking clubs. He said it was relatively straightforward nav for their chosen course and seemed to enjoy it. I doubt his team were trying to win, finished around middle of the field from memory. I might eventually do another, not sure if I'd consider an urban event other than for convenience/ease of access to getting there. Still get the rogaining association newsletters but various surgeries/health issues have kept me partially grounded in recent times.

[Bill P]

Rogaines certainly hone navigation skills. The Victorian Rogaining Association has a permanent course set up in regional Victoria. Map is available on line, so people print that out and then do their own thing. Perhaps NSW has a similar thing?

[johnw]

Rogaines certainly hone navigation skills. The Victorian Rogaining Association has a permanent course set up in regional Victoria. Map is available on line, so people print that out and then do their own thing. Perhaps NSW has a similar thing?

NSW Rogaining doesn't have a permanent course to my knowledge. But they have set this up, which seems based on a similar idea using previous rogaines, and the Map Run app.
https://nswrogaining.org/map-run/
I haven't tried the app but the overall concept looks interesting. Software originally designed for orienteering by the look of it. Might give it a go at some point.