MVT Rifleman challenge

[Lowdown3]

yeah. contour lines can suck if your not used to them. id prolly end up in ohio if i tried land nav up that way lol i tried using them to nav in canada few years back ..i was stumped lol
got a lil hilly section out in the place we hike. got to get a topo downloaded for it and try some stuff.

Well here is part of my issue- during the pre event briefing, he mentions that most people when they can't find a point, continue to "blunder on" thinking the point is "over the next hill."

So I started off with an aversion to try to go too far based on this.

Shot my azimuths on the map just fine, added 10 for declination. Did all the map layout fine. Stand at the starting point, shoot your azimuth, find something on that angle, walk to it. Pace count wasn't totally possible due to the fact that their is almost no flat ground your working on. Take a check of the time when starting. Run the azimuths, get into the general area and start terrain association- or in my case terrain DISassociation.... LOL. So in EVERY CASE I looked at the terrain, tried to relate the squiggly lines to the ground, move around a little bit, double checked features and really thought I was "right there." Leave a piece of tree tape on my last known trajectory, then made concentric circles out looking for the T- post with the marker on it.

In pretty much every case, had I actually went another 100 to 200 yards further, I was right on track- just reading the damn terrain wrong. Then I frittered away a lot of my time searching the area I "thought" was the correct territory for the T post.

Oddly enough, doing a land nav course here in the swamp the week or so before I left, I ran into all the points within a few yards.

I wonder how well those pedometers (? Foot step counters), would work in this situation? It wouldn't be cheating, it's not a GPS. But it would be easier than trying to pace count while climbing on your belly up the damn hills.

[Dennis W]

Both times I only got 3 points, always in the C area. I actually found the one I could not find last time. Both times I spent about 45 min. getting there and looking around before giving up and going on to find the others. Both time I got back with the 3 points with about an hour to time to spare, which is a passing score. Didn't feel there would be enough time to go back over to the C area and try to find it again, and get back in time. A couple of times when I could not find the point, I would go to the top and find a corresponding valley on the other side to make sure I was in the right area. I sucked going up hill more than necessary but it helped a couple of times.

[Lowdown3]

I did a lot of hill climbing, with the same idea- I'll see it from elevation.

On the 2nd iteration the one I had trouble with was due to the "false valley/double valley" deal behind the CTT ranges he spoke of. I stood at that thumb and climbed the top twice, went through each valley looking up towards it, etc. I know every darn rock in that draw and spur LOL.

Then with about 20 min left I figured why TH not and continued forward on my azimuth. I got a little further and was in that meadow on "Death Mt." or "MF'er hill" that was part of the run. I checked the terrain there and it matched the last thumb perfectly- draw on each side, jutted out the right direction, etc. I turned and looked for about 5 seconds and there was the last point. I didn't want to fail over getting in 20 seconds late so I clipped my map stuffed it in my pocket and ran the last of the 2 mile track in.

[1Admin]

My best time yet on the 2 miler at home- 18:27 although I did take a few things out of my pack so I'm sure it's a tad bit less than 30 lbs. now. Weather is cooler also.

[Dennis W]

I started back last week after taking a full week off. I'm going to focus on indurance more right now by upping the distance and not so much on the time. I also decreased the weight to about 25lbs. by using a light belt, the versa rig and a patrol pack. It sure does feel better with weight on both sides.

[protus]

I started back last week after taking a full week off. I'm going to focus on indurance more right now by upping the distance and not so much on the time. I also decreased the weight to about 25lbs. by using a light belt, the versa rig and a patrol pack. It sure does feel better with weight on both sides.

I went away from heavy rigs. One mostly cuz of injury. But.
Its similar to your belt rig(battle belt)..UW gear 4cell minute man and a patrol pack. Helps balance things out vs all the weight in one area.
Id suck for me to run with all the weight on my back..