I aspire to be them, because they’re getting out in nature and getting exercise.” (Plus, she adds, sometimes the older people beat the high-school kids, “because they know exactly where they’re going.

Local naturalist Mary Ann Schlegel can't coax her 12-year-old daughter, Hyla, into taking a hike with her. But when mom suggests they do an orienteering course, the girl scrambles for her sneakers. "I ...