in reference to the competitive sport of finding one's way in the wild with the aid of a map and a compass, 1948, from orient (v.).
Entries linking to orienteering
orient v.
by 1741, "to arrange (something) so as to face east," from French s'orienter "to take one's bearings," literally "to face the east" (also the source of German orientierung), from Old French orient "east," from Latin orientum (see orient (n.)). Extended meaning "place or arrange in any definite position with reference to the points of the compass" is by 1842; the figurative sense, with reference to new situations or ideas, is by 1850. Related: Oriented; orienting.