Wilderness Navigation 101 – Navigating Nature’s Challenges
Master wilderness navigation techniques that can keep you moving even when the trail closes, such as using a map and compass and identifying key land features like contour lines.
Learning how to plan cross-country routes that are energy efficient, safe, and fast is at the core of wilderness navigation. Explore route planning strategies from an Appalachian Trail expert.
Maps and compasses
Paper maps and compasses were the primary tools wilderness travelers relied on before GPS devices and smartphones became mainstream. Even today, paper maps can still prove invaluable if used correctly; should you find yourself lost, they can help guide you back home if they become misplaced along the trail.
Once your map is in its proper context, orient it according to its terrain. You can do this by placing one corner of your compass’ base plate against an easily identifiable landmark (like an obvious hill or tower ) in the landscape, rotating it until its straight edge lines up with grid lines of the map as well as direction-of-travel arrows on it – this process is known as triangulation and allows more accurate location determination than simply looking at your phone screen.
Once your map is in order, use your compass and follow the orienting lines/arrows to obtain your bearing. The index line provides this number that tells you how far away from where you are it is to your desired destination on the map – the closer your bearing approximates actual distance is the better it will work out for you.
As you follow your bearing, keep checking back with your map often and noting what features can be seen at each turn. Also avoid crossing water bodies which could lead to drifting off course; your bearing may also change upon encountering magnetic features like rivers or steel pitons.
For enhanced navigational accuracy, use a global needle compass. These work in all hemispheres and account for magnetic declination that differs depending on where you are.
Contour lines provide the ideal topographical maps for wilderness navigation, showing landforms like valleys, ridges and saddles with ease. Furthermore, contour lines make reading elevation changes simple, which is particularly helpful in avoiding dangerous terrain or finding water sources. GPS devices and smartphones may be great tools for wilderness navigation; however there may come a time when their battery power or water damage render them inoperable; mastering traditional navigation techniques will ensure you never become lost!
Foraging and hunting
Modern GPS devices and apps are great tools, but they may run out of battery, become saturated with moisture or be dropped over a cliff. Knowing multiple wilderness navigation techniques like reading topo maps or using a compass may help keep you on the path when modern technologies fail to guide us properly.
Rivers, ridge lines and valleys can help guide you along the most efficient route. When possible, avoid side-hilling, traversing or hiking up and down falls; this is easier on both knees and feet. In dense forests or maze-like backcountry settings consider walking around it rather than through it for optimal results.
Shelter-building
No matter if you are lost or injured, shelter is your greatest ally in the wilderness. Learning how to build survival shelters using natural materials will allow you to maintain body heat while providing protection from harsh weather conditions. Different environments call for different kinds of shelters so it is wise to be familiar with various shelter-building techniques.
Survival shelters are designed to prevent exposure, while also offering some level of protection from wildlife or predators. It’s important to remember, though, that survival shelters won’t necessarily provide warmth – in cold environments more layers of clothing and blankets may be necessary in order to stay warm.
Food is essential to survival, so possessing the skills required for foraging and hunting in the wilderness is of vital importance. This includes knowing how to identify edible plants as well as hunting strategies that will lead you to food sources. Furthermore, knowing first aid techniques such as treating cuts or scrapes as well as recognising symptoms such as heatstroke or hypothermia is also invaluable.
Water is another essential survival skill and knowing how to navigate and source clean drinking water is paramount in the wilderness. Understanding different water sources as well as their purification options is vital; additionally it’s wise to familiarize oneself with warning signs such as lush vegetation or animal tracks which indicate where there may be sources of drinking water may exist in the environment.
Finding yourself lost can be a serious danger on outdoor adventures, but by developing basic navigational skills it can help avoid this misfortune. By learning to read a map and use a compass you will gain confidence when traversing unfamiliar territory and practicing these techniques in the wild you will familiarize yourself with the landscape while strengthening your ability to locate landmarks and trails more accurately. When electronic devices are unavailable these natural navigation cues such as sun angles/shadows/cloud movement/star movement etc can help orient you and determine your direction – particularly useful when electronic devices cannot.