Navigation is a very personal thing, each person has their own tools and methods, different approaches and ways to implement finding their way around the outdoors. There are a few things pretty much all of us can agree on: have a physical map and know how to use it, have a compass and know how […]
Learn to navigate without a compass
Navigating with a compass is the most basic way we have today to find our way outdoors, but sometimes we luck out or make a mistake and end up without a compass. We might have forgotten it at home, lost it on the way or find out it is broken, and despite the fact that […]
How to navigate with a compass and map
Navigating when outdoors is pretty much a necessity to avoid getting lost, even if you are on clearly marked trails; we all have stories about walking/cycling/running on a clear route just to get distracted and end up on the wrong path. Venturing beyond the beaten path requires you to know navigation, and despite the simplicity […]
Compass – what is it and what makes it work
Compass (magnetic compass) is a basic navigation device that uses the earth’s magnetic poles to point a magnetized needle towards the north pole. A compass works because the earth’s rotation (and some theories add that the molten lava in the Earth’s crust) create 2 magnetic poles that allow a magnet (the compass needle) to be […]
Map Reading – How to plan a route on a map
If this is the first time you are joining the Map Reading series, you should start from the first post. Planning a route is a tool that is used prior to actually going outdoors and helps you be better prepared so you know what to expect. You can look at route planning as setting expectations […]
Map Reading – Measuring Distance On a Map
If this is the first time you are joining the Map Reading series, you should start from the first post. After covering most aspects of map reading, it is time to get into using a map outdoors. This time it is all about measuring distance on a map. This is a relatively simple subject and […]
Map Reading – What are grid and coordinates systems?
If this is the first time you are joining the Map Reading series, you should start from the first post. A grid system on a map is usually square and is represented by drawn lines on the map creating those squares. The purpose of the grid system is to give each point in the map […]
Map Reading – What are true north, magnetic north and grid north
If this is the first time you are joining the Map Reading series, you should start from the first post. This time we are touching a slightly more complicated and technical subject: true north vs grid north vs magnetic north. The very fact that we have three different Norths is a hint to the problem […]
Map Reading – Common Terrain Features In A Topographic Map
If this is the first time you are joining the Map Reading series, you should start from the first post. In the last map reading post, we went over contour lines and their part in representing terrain on the map. To make map reading easier, some terrain features tend to appear more ofter than others […]
Map Reading – Contour Lines
If this is the first time you are joining the Map Reading series, you should start from the first post. Last time we covered symbols on a topographic map and I mentioned contour lines as a symbols on the map, but they are much much more than that. Contour lines are the heart of a […]