Map & Compass 3: Real World Practice

can i practice my map & compass skills?

Now that you’ve attended the beginner and intermediate map & compass skills courses, you’re ready to take your knowledge to the field!

We’ll bring our map and compass and traverse over land, go around hazards and obstacles, and return to our starting point. You’ll learn how to document your journey, recording direction, characteristics, time and distances.

During our journey, we’ll find our line of position, triangulate our position and use return route strategies to help us find our way back. We’ll also discuss how to get yourself “un-lost” if you find yourself in a pinch. If time permits, we’ll discuss natural wayfinding methods.

Total fun, and greatly increases your map & compass confidence. Be sure to wear proper clothing, shoes and items to keep the bugs away. Bring water, snacks, small notebook, a pen and your compass.

Learn:

Documentation Setup

• Identify details you need to track

Map & Compass

• How to set up lines of direction

• Finding your line of position

• Finding your location via triangulation

• Finding your way back

“Unlost” Strategies

• Walking squares and maze

• Tree line and mountain top

• Roundabout course

Natural Wayfinding

• Sun rise angles

• Know if the North Star is true north (answer: not always!)

• Finding east/west via shadows

• Nighttime clues

• How to use the wind, waves & snow to assist with wayfinding

Fun Fact Discussions While We Journey:

• Nautical miles in relation to longitude & latitude

• Seasonal tilt of sun

• Atmospheric refraction

• Earth Oscillations

• Sundials, GMT and your watch

• Earth mean rotation and elliptical path