Map & Compass Skills?

[tempe8]

I thought of this poll after reading the thread about survival techniques to get fire or water. Well since most of us aren't Cody Lundin or Army Rangers...how good are we at just getting ourselves back home to civilization? I know, there's a whole 'nother topic on GPS...but I'm curious how everyone is at just using a basic compass and topo map to get yourself un-lost and back to water, warmth, and food?

[evenstar]

The first time I hiked Ford Canyon Trail in the White Tanks, I wandered way off course; it was my compass and the park map that got me back to the trail. Wasn't much skill invloved.....the compass told me I was heading northwest and the park map clearly showed the trail heading southwest.....turned out I was following an old Jeep track.
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--Rudyard Kipling, from Just So Stories, 1902

[Hikngrl]

I'll take some where between "I'm a novice" and "No clue" for 100 Alix....I have a compass, even took a class on how to use it but then have never done so so didn't retain it I supose.... I often take maps but then so does most every one else so I don't usually end up using mine cause others are so much better at using them....This is all some thing I would like to become proficient at but need practice to do so....
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[matt gilbert]

I'm pretty good with a map and compass. I've taken a couple classes where orienteering had an emphasis. I don't know stars, but as long as I have a map I'm ok.
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[Shihiyea]

The Arizona Mountaineering club offers a map and compass course (my friend teaches it). He does this once a year. I think the class begins next week or the following week. It's a good course.

I do have to say, the obvious, we all have made it back......so we must be good enough to get ourselfs to a point where we aren't certain where we are, yet, know in which direction we need to go to find ourselves. Map and compass, or not. Mary

[azhiker96]

I feel very comfortable with my land navigation skills. In the service I passed a pretty intense night land navigation test. You started at a numbered white stake and then followed directions to find other stakes and record their numbers. The directions were a direction and distance such as; 150 yards on a heading of 275 degrees. Once you tromped out there you could find several stakes. If you were off more than a degree on direction or 5% on distance you'd end up at the wrong stake. It was pretty fun. All you had was a lensatic compass.

[HUM469]

I am not exactly sure about reading stars blindfolded, unless you used a clear blindfold. (Stars just are not bright enough to shine through heavy cotton fabric!) Nevertheless, just about any other navigation I can accomplish. In the Boy Scouts when I was young, we put very heavy emphasis on orienteering, as we were a "high adventure" troop that routinely traveled to the outer reaches of nowhere. Later, but still tied with the troop, I got the privilege of practicing with the Navy Seals on their base in San Diego, and have taken many other classes of various sources. Each year now I bear the responsibility of teaching the new scouts to the troop, and our troop continues to hold the records for best completion, and fastest completion of virtually all of the night navigation courses at Camp Geronimo. If anyone is interested in learning the basics of getting yourself home with map, compass, and or GPS if you have one, Papago park has a couple of navigation courses, and I would be very happy to instruct anyone from the board out there any time you like. In fact, would the board be interested in setting up a set AH orienteering day now that we have had a shooter's day? What do you all think?
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[desertgirl]

Can we set it up for a "cooler" time ? Its always great to get out test your skills & learn!
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[fairweather8588]

Doing it up in a forest during late fall would be an ideal time. (Trees to make navigation more difficult and the autumn colors would be a plus too)
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Kerouac

[HUM469]

Fairweather makes a good point, are any of you familiar with the East and West Weber trails up on the rim? Along those trails BSA has already built a multitude of navigation coarses. We could camp up there, and run them both during the day and the night. It would give everyone a feel for how the world changes when dark comes. I'll make a new post in just a few...
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-Dylan Anderson
(602) 628-4327
Consultant
Real Estate Executive to AZ
Special Projects Manager, AZCDE.com

[azhiker96]

I am not familiar with those trails but it's cool enough up there that we wouldn't have to wait until winter. I like the idea of both day and night courses although we'll have to approach the night with caution. Sometimes folks get lost.

Okay, here's a funny story. In 1979 I was in ROTC at Kansas University. That summer a group of us "3rd Leutenants" went to Fort Riley for training. Part of the training was learning and then competing in an orienteering course. This was summer in Kansas, 100 degrees with high humidity. Out of about 100 cadets there were a half dozen heat injuries. After the course was over they counted noses and found one cadet was missing. They sent out search teams, recounted us several times, and kept us at the orienteering site for about 6 hours past our scheduled departure time. Finally, we got to go to our barracks as word came back that the cadet had been found.
He was safe and in the custody of the MPs back at post. He'd decided he didn't like this Army stuff and used his compass and map to navigate 10 miles back to post. The MPs picked him up when he was trying to break into the auto storage yard to retrieve his car.

[Trishness]

I'm pretty lucky I guess because I've always been good at reading maps. So I'm really comfortable with my present ability. I taught myself how to read topo maps with the help of a website.

I'm happy with my ability right now but would love to learn more.


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~~~Trish~~~

"Eastward the dawn rose, ridge behind ridge into the morning, and vanished out of eyesight into guess; it was no more than a glimmer blending with the hem of the sky, but it spoke to them, out of the memory and old tales, of the high and distant mountains." � J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of The Rings.

[Nighthiker]

No problem finding my way. Map, compass and GPS instructor.

[tempe8]

Mary, I think we might know the same person, I took the Map & Compass class with the AMC about 2 years ago...it was really good!

All this talk of setting up an AZH orienteering course sounds good...but there already are clubs that do this thing very professionally and have organized Orienteering meets every few months. The Phoenix club has a website: http://phoenixorienteering.org/

[wanderingsoul]

I'm the newbee with no Map or Compass experience. This would be a major plus for me. I'm keeping my eye on this as I would really be interested.
Fall does sound good being able to see the Colors

Trish if you go I'll be keeping an eye on you..
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