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When GPS and smartphone navigation fails or is otherwise impractical, map and compass navigation can save the day. Add this critical skill to your outdoor toolkit.
Mastery of map and compass navigation can reduce your reliance on smartphone and GPS use. This saves batteries, makes you safer, helps you understand the fundamentals of navigation, and in many cases, is faster.
Keynote: An Introduction to Map & Compass Use (~40 minutes)
- Terrain association
- Fixing your position on a map without a compass using Lines of Position (LOPs)
- The compass
- Magnetic declination
- Orienting a map
- Using a compass to identify lines of position
- Fixing your location on a map
Q&A (~ 20 minutes)
- How to wander off-trail with and without a map and compass?
- Best way to find your current map location on a trail while hiking?
- How to account for constant changes in magnetic declination?
- Differences between backcountry wilderness navigation for backpacking vs. competitive orienteering?
- Resources for learning and practicing map and compass skills?
- Best practices for learning map and compass skills near home?
About the Event & Access Info
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Live Event Info:
- Event Description: An Introduction to Map & Compass Use
- Livestream Date and Time: July 2, 2022 9 AM US Mountain Daylight Time (MDT)
Backpacking Light Member Q&A Sessions are Hour-Long Members-Only Live Events – they are recorded, and the recorded session will be made available below after the live event has ended.
Members-Only: Watch the Recorded Video & Access Additional Resources
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Discussion
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Companion forum thread to: An Introduction to Map & Compass Navigation
An online live (and recorded) webinar introduction to map and compass use for hiking and backpacking.
I always hike with a paper map and use orienteering skills to keep track of my position.  An properly calibrated altimeter is also an extremely useful tool and can be used in low visibility conditions.  Most altimeters don’t require frequent recharging.
the few times I have hiked with a gps I have still relied on basic orienteering to locate my position.
Maybe I’m too old school to rely on centuries old technology for locating my position.
^Yes. It’s surprising how often you can find where you are knowing nothing but your general vicinity and your elevation. Much faster and easier than triangulating when you only need rough precision. I’ve never become addicted to a piece of gear faster than my first altimeter.
So, to be clear, where I live right now is -1 degree 26 minutes. So, when I adjust my compass, the orienteering arrow will be a little to the west of the index point (direction of travel/true North)? I used to know this by heart, but I haven’t used a map and compass in decades, so I’m relearning it all.
Have a great day. :)
Patrick.
That’s right, though it might be more accurate to say the orienting arrow will be a little to the west of North on the dial. What you said is right if North on the dial is aligned with the index pointer.
What happened to the masterclass?
I believe it’s all still there. I am able to access everything.
Just looked and I can’t find the master class either.
I use GaiaGPS all the time for planning and for backcountry navigation. But, as good as it is, it can’t give you the “big picture” in detail as good as a quad. In the field, I, too, think you need both.
Matthew (or anyone else who has a direct link to the masterclass) Can you post the link? I can’t find the masterclass anywhere either :(
I’m not able to see a master class either.
The Member Q&A “An Introduction to Map & Compass Navigation” is still there, article, video, and resources. However, in the video, around 2:50, Ryan mentions that he’s putting together a master class which really goes in depth. I would like to take that master class when it’s available.
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