Outdoor Navigation Tips
Hiking, and in particular hiking in remote areas, is a
great experience if approached with due regard for fitness,
safety and skill.
One of the major skill categories, is the ability to navigate
with or without compass and map. Ideally, no one should head
off the beaten track without map or compass, but what if you
find yourself in that situation, or you lose or damage your
compass?
Here are a few basic 'skills' that could one day be of use.
Finding direction by using your watch...
If you have a watch that is working correctly, you can always
quickly determine the points of the compass as long as the
position of the sun is visible.
The method used varies depending upon which hemisphere
(northern or southern) that you happen to be living in. The
following methods are described using an analog watch, (that's
a watch with an hour and a minute hand) but they can be applied
just as well if you own a digital watch - just use your
imagination to superimpose the 12 hourly numerals and the
relevant position of the 'hour hand' on the face of your
digital watch.
Northern Hemisphere
Holding your watch horizontally, point the 'hour hand' of your
watch at the sun.
Note the direction that lies exactly midway between the 'hour
hand' and the numeral twelve on your watch.
This will be South. 
Once you have established this, it will be easy to determine
the other points of the compass.
Southern Hemisphere
Holding your watch horizontally, point the numeral twelve on
your watch at the sun.
Note the direction that lies exactly midway between the twelve
and the 'hour hand'.
This will be North.
These methods will give you a good approximation of compass
direction.
If your watch happens to be adjusted for daylight saving at the
time, then 'remove' the daylight saving for greater
accuracy.
Another method of determining compass points can be used if you
do not have a watch. This method takes longer and also requires
enough sunlight to cast a shadow...
To find North without a watch
Before noon, on level terrain, position a stick of about 3ft
upright into the ground.
Mark the tip of its shadow with a peg or stone.
Using the tip of the shadow as a radius, draw an arc around the
stick.
The shadow will shorten as it approaches noon, pulling back
from the arc. It will then lengthen again - where the afternoon
shadow once again touches the arc, place another peg or
stone.
Now draw a straight line between the two
pegs/stones - this will be an East/West line, with the first
peg being in the westerly direction.
You can now draw a North/South line at right angles to the
East/West line.
The following (less accurate) method can also be used at any
time of the day without drawing an arc...
Peg the tip of the first shadow, then about 20min later peg the
tip of the moved shadow. Draw a straight line between the two
pegs, and this will be an approximately East/West line, with
the first peg again being the westerly one.
A typical error when lost, is a tendency to wander off what you
may think is a straight line bearing, sometimes even slowly
circling back on yourself.
To prevent this, note an object (tree, rock, terrain feature)
that lies directly ahead of you in the direction you wish to
travel, then aim for it. When you reach it, take another
bearing on the direction you wish to head, sight another object
directly ahead of you and repeat the process.
In areas of restricted distance visibility, you may have to
repeat this quite often over short 'legs' to ensure that you
are remaining on course.
Keeping a course by the clouds...
What if it's a cloudy day with no sun visible to get a bearing
on, or the bush canopy prevents you getting a clear "shot" at
the sun?
Well, if you're lucky, it may be windy with the clouds moving
in a constant direction - note the directional flow of the
clouds, and adjust your course relevant to their direction.
e.g., If the clouds are moving from your front from right to
left over your shoulders, keep them there, at the same time,
sight an object straight ahead of you and head for it.
To retrace your steps in the same general direction, just do an
about turn, then keep the clouds moving from behind and now
left to right over your shoulders, and repeat the process.
As another example of 'cloud navigation', once, when moving
inland through dense bush away from a coastal beach, I
eventually decided to retrace my steps to where I'd left my
kayak. Surrounded by dense undergrowth and trees, I suddenly
realized that I didn't have any idea in which direction the
coast lay.
Before entering the treeline, I'd noted that the clouds were
moving in a direct line from the trees to the coastline - it
was just a simple matter then of looking up and following the
direction of the clouds to enable myself to head in the correct
general direction and once again access the beach. Being
aware of your surroundings will often pay off, so try to
cultivate that habit.
About the Author: George Spearing is the author of
"Dances With Marmots - A Pacific Crest Trail Adventure"
http://www.danceswithmarmots.com
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