Firstly let me say congratulations to NPN - 7 years and counting! That is totally awesome. I have been away for a while - work has gotten the better of me and I became a dad for the first time a few months back, so there isn't too much time left after all that. But I do continue to visit, even if I do so quietly.
Guy, as usual your article is insightful as it is inspirational. Thank you.
Heather, that was a great article on flower photography!
But the article that hit oh so very close to home was that of Jim Dewitt on outdoor safety. In particular point # 7, "... the best way to handle the risk of getting lost is not to get lost in the first place. ..." really struck me. This is something I have struggled with for years.
I will admit it - I am a male and I get lost. In fact I get lost all the time. Gas station attendants are my favorite people. I have no problem stopping to ask for directions. Inasmuch as I may be the antithesis of the male stereotype, I hate this about myself. I once hiked a trail on my own simply because it was a loop - how can you get lost on a circular trail? Well while wandering I heard running water in the distance and off I went. Once I put my gear back in my pack I started out, completely forgetting that I went off trail. After a few moments of sheer panic, I found the trail and continued onward.
Additionally I have absolutely no sense of North, South, East or West unless the sun is low in the sky and I know what time of day it is. Two turns and a slight bend in the road is enough for me to completely lose any point of reference. I also believe I may be somewhat dyslexic, which can’t help matters any.
So, to my fellow NPNers, can any of you offer advice to me as to how to get better at this? How do you learn what direction North is without a compass (I will also admit I don’t know how to use a compass)? What do you do when trail blazes disappear or you can’t find the next cairn? Hiking for a sunset and back in the dark is even more daunting. Have any of you been very lost and managed to find your way back? Part of me realizes that the only way to get better at any thing is to keep doing it. But the prospect of getting lost is unsettling to say the least. Thanks for all the help and feel free to let me know I am idiot for walking off trail and forgetting that I did so!
Again heartfelt congratulations to NPN and all its members!
Martin, the best way to figure out where you are without a map and compass is to know the terrain. Make sure you can recognize prominent features (mountains, buildings, roads and waterways etc.) so you can relate to them in deciding where you are and what direction you're moving in.
Other than that, relating the position of the sun with the time of day will give you a rough idea of directions (though these will shift north/south depending on the time of year).
A lot of people mistakenly believe they can intuitively figure out directions but most generally relate their position with the memory of the path they took to get there. If you blindfold someone and place them in a strange place, most will not be able to tell which way is north without some recognizable feature in sight.
Other things you can use are the direction of flow in rivers and creeks, whether the terrain is getting visibly steeper in a given direction, etc. but all will require some idea of the bigger picture for the area you are in.
Guy
Posted by Kent Mearig on April 14, 2007 at 3:13 PM
The best advice I can offer on avoiding getting lost is to hike with a friend/group whenever you're not in a very familiar location. Two or three sets of eyes are always better than one when it comes to locating a recently misplaced trail, and others are often quick to notice if you're leading them off the trail. Besides, it's much more enjoyable to be lost among friends, right?
"Have you ever been very lost and managed to find your way back?"
I would say I've been very lost on a couple of occasions, but I guess it depends on your definition of the phrase. My benefit is that I live and hike in a location of limited options. Most trails are running across, up, or down slanted earth (frequently with a very steep grade). At the top of the slopes are mountain peaks, and at the bottom of the slopes is civilization. One time I was lost at the top of a mountain in the clouds until 3 o'clock in the morning, but by the time I had wandered down hill long enough to get back to the road system, I was back almost exactly where I started.
It can be disconcerting when you forget which direction you came from. Especially if every direction looks the same such as in the woods. I avoid wandering off the path for that very reason and would only do so if there is something that will help guide me back. Things look different from the opposite direction, even on the main trail. Learning to use a compass is useful but you have to use it before you embark into strange terrain. Having someone with you who is adept at finding his way is a good idea.
"Things look different from the opposite direction, even on the main trail."
This is the reason I have made a habit of stopping and turning around to look back down the path I've just traveled. When I do this, I pick an object such as an odd shaped rock, or a uniquely shaped tree to serve as a landmark. If I am hiking off-trail, I will do this more often.
-PB
Posted by Kent Mearig on April 14, 2007 at 6:32 PM
That's excellent advice from Preston. Stopping to look behind you is not too much to ask.
Martin things can also look very different at night even in an area you know very well. I've been lost more than once including overnight when I was 15 years old. I was in a national wildlife refuge with few roads and it was a scary experience for me. I finally stumbled onto a railroad track and followed it to civilization. It was an experience as you described above. I left a trail without thinking about it and by the time I did think about it I hadn't really paid attention to which direction I had gone. I'd echo all that has been said but also recommend that you listen for sounds. A lot of trails today have some civilization near enough by that you can hear sounds, like cars, dogs barking water flowing and others. If you do hear sounds pay attention to them and the direction you go in relation to them. I've found my way back to an area more than once particularly at night by listening to sounds and following them.
Posted by Scott Fricke on April 14, 2007 at 8:47 PM
A tip that some "directionally challenged" folks I know use is if you have a digital camera, take photos along the way, kind of "electronic breadcrumbs". I have never had a problem orienting myself, but one time I was out in the desert in Arizona and parked my jeep in a low spot in a rather featureless area. After about a minute of hiking I turned around to look at the jeep and it was not visible and there was only a couple cactus as reference, so I snapped a shot. When I returned near sunset, I got to where I thought the jeep was, looked at my camera screen, found the cactus, and found the jeep....or you could do what everybody listed above AND get a GPS as backup. It is important not to rely soley on something that could break or the batteries die.
Posted by Tom Webster on April 14, 2007 at 11:19 PM
I, myself, have just never had a problem with getting lost whether I'm going some place familiar or some place new. My brother, however, has absolutely no sense of direction and can't read a compass no matter how many times I've tried to teach him. You have been given much great advice already but I think getting a GPS unit and learning how to use it is darned good insurance. Just remember to carry spare batteries. I got my brother a GPS unit for his birthday and now he gives me directions.
Thanks to everyone for the sound advice. I will get a GPS unit as I have heard this can be lifesaver, assuming of course your batteries don't die on you. But perhaps I should just upgrade to a blackberry and shoot a post to NPN the next time I get lost. I am sure someone here will have been there and can guide me home . The wife is thinking about having a chip put in my ear like some people do for thier pets!
I got disoriented once, in a cypress swamp. It was an overcast day with no directional clues. I thought I was walking west and I was actually walking east. Fortunately I wasn't in a boundless wilderness and soon I found myself in civilization, just not where I expected to be.
After that experience, I got a compass. It hangs on a lanyard on my photo vest. I've never gotten lost again, and so I haven't needed it for that, but it is handy for predicting the location of sun rise or moon rise.
Discussion
10 repliesGuy, as usual your article is insightful as it is inspirational. Thank you.
Heather, that was a great article on flower photography!
But the article that hit oh so very close to home was that of Jim Dewitt on outdoor safety. In particular point # 7, "... the best way to handle the risk of getting lost is not to get lost in the first place. ..." really struck me. This is something I have struggled with for years.
I will admit it - I am a male and I get lost. In fact I get lost all the time. Gas station attendants are my favorite people. I have no problem stopping to ask for directions. Inasmuch as I may be the antithesis of the male stereotype, I hate this about myself. I once hiked a trail on my own simply because it was a loop - how can you get lost on a circular trail? Well while wandering I heard running water in the distance and off I went. Once I put my gear back in my pack I started out, completely forgetting that I went off trail. After a few moments of sheer panic, I found the trail and continued onward.
Additionally I have absolutely no sense of North, South, East or West unless the sun is low in the sky and I know what time of day it is. Two turns and a slight bend in the road is enough for me to completely lose any point of reference. I also believe I may be somewhat dyslexic, which can’t help matters any.
So, to my fellow NPNers, can any of you offer advice to me as to how to get better at this? How do you learn what direction North is without a compass (I will also admit I don’t know how to use a compass)? What do you do when trail blazes disappear or you can’t find the next cairn? Hiking for a sunset and back in the dark is even more daunting. Have any of you been very lost and managed to find your way back? Part of me realizes that the only way to get better at any thing is to keep doing it. But the prospect of getting lost is unsettling to say the least. Thanks for all the help and feel free to let me know I am idiot for walking off trail and forgetting that I did so!
Again heartfelt congratulations to NPN and all its members!
Other than that, relating the position of the sun with the time of day will give you a rough idea of directions (though these will shift north/south depending on the time of year).
A lot of people mistakenly believe they can intuitively figure out directions but most generally relate their position with the memory of the path they took to get there. If you blindfold someone and place them in a strange place, most will not be able to tell which way is north without some recognizable feature in sight.
Other things you can use are the direction of flow in rivers and creeks, whether the terrain is getting visibly steeper in a given direction, etc. but all will require some idea of the bigger picture for the area you are in.
Guy
"Have you ever been very lost and managed to find your way back?"
I would say I've been very lost on a couple of occasions, but I guess it depends on your definition of the phrase. My benefit is that I live and hike in a location of limited options. Most trails are running across, up, or down slanted earth (frequently with a very steep grade). At the top of the slopes are mountain peaks, and at the bottom of the slopes is civilization. One time I was lost at the top of a mountain in the clouds until 3 o'clock in the morning, but by the time I had wandered down hill long enough to get back to the road system, I was back almost exactly where I started.
Will
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
This is the reason I have made a habit of stopping and turning around to look back down the path I've just traveled. When I do this, I pick an object such as an odd shaped rock, or a uniquely shaped tree to serve as a landmark. If I am hiking off-trail, I will do this more often.
-PB
After that experience, I got a compass. It hangs on a lanyard on my photo vest. I've never gotten lost again, and so I haven't needed it for that, but it is handy for predicting the location of sun rise or moon rise.