Time Control Plans
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Time Control Plans
Besides their planning and communication function, TCP’s are valuable for enhancing your students’ map reading skills. A well–developed time control plan not only gets the students to camp on time, but also provides them with a useful tool for executing their own post-course adventures responsibly.
Educational Goals
A principal aim of this instruction is to use TCP’s to promote student planning and navigation skills and to develop confidence in their ability to travel on their own. All students should leave their course understanding the importance of making accurate time/distance calculations, and recognizing how this practice relates to efficient wilderness travel.
Key points
Uses for time control plans:
• As a planning tool that allows you to calculate the energy and time required to travel and surmount obstacles along a chosen route.
• As a navigational learning tool.
• As a means to track overdue parties.
TCP Format A written TCP should include:
• The names of the participants (duties and equipment)
• Travel plans
-Origins, destinations, dates
-Route descriptions (using named map features and cardinal directions)
• Time-distances calculations
• Contingency plans
-Alternate campsites / rendezvous points
-Anticipated obstacles / hazards
-Causes for delay
Estimating Travel time
The final part of the TCP is a multistep calculation to determine the total time required to travel a given route.
• Start by measuring the linear distance or the mileage measured on the map from point A to point B
• Next determine the adjusted distance. This equals the linear distance + elevation gain adjustment (see conversion table below).
• Travel Time (hours) equals the adjusted mileage (miles) divided by the rate of travel, measured in miles per hour.
• Total time of travel equals travel time + delays
• ETA = ETD + total time of travel.
Teaching Considerations
Students do not need to be expert map-readers prior to this class, but they should be able to recognize obvious map symbols, count contour lines, and make distance calculations using the map’s scale. Having a long travel day under their belts can help them realize the importance of having a travel plan.
TCP instruction should be geared towards successful navigation, rudimentary time / energy management, and the development of an anticipatory mind set towards route-finding hazards and obstacles.
Varied math backgrounds and visual learning habits of some students can influence their ability to assimilate elaborate ETA calculations. Keep it simple. If in doubt try your explanation on your coworkers the evening before. Involve the students in the instruction by providing them with simple calculations that help you complete your sample TCP.
Subsequent TCP assignments must be followed up and critiqued. Students tend to devaluate the unity of these plans if they do not receive timely feedback. Plan enough time so all the students can do one on their own. Consider having students navigate solely by a well-written TCP. This exercise helps them focus on navigating with in “the big picture” and sharpens their ability to judge distances and elevation changes more accurately. The exercise works best when terrain features are easy to see.
Leadership Opportunities
TCP’s are about planning, self-discipline, communication, and preparation. These habits are much more important than any specific format. Early in the course, having your students follow your format, later ask them to add anything they would include if they were leaving the itinerary with friends.
Resources NOLS Wilderness Educator Notebook P3.11-3.12 Kale, W.s. Land Navigation Handbook, Sierra Club. 1983 pp 47-52.
