Daytime orienteering wasn’t tricky enough for Yukon orienteers. At Friday’s season finale meet, courses were set to be challenged under the cover of darkness.

Using special night orienteering controls – PVC pipe coated in reflective tape – meet organizer Dave Hildes created four courses for participants at Wolf Creek Campground.

“This is a small map so I was trying to make it different from last year and so the novice course is in the campground and the intermediate course and the advanced course and the expert course kind of go up on to the trails along the sides,” he said.

Participants stood near a bonfire as they waited for the sun to go down.

The event notes posted on Yukon Orienteering’s website said simply: “Bring a good headlight/ flashlight.”

The night controls are easier to see when it’s dark out, said Hildes. They light up when a headlamp brushes by, illuminating the control from a great distance.

As late dusk descended on the campground, orbs of light bobbed through the forest, searching for the controls.

“With night orienteering, you can take a map that you may be familiar with and it becomes unfamiliar,” said Hildes.

“You really have to stay in contact with the map because it’s so easy to get lost.”