[pct-l] Snow Navigation & maps

[Jim Keener ( J J )]

Greetings,

Yes. That's true. As far as it goes.

And. I can imagine on a sailing vessel a few hundred years ago: 
"What's that you're looking at?" 
"A compass. It shows direction." 
"I never got lost using dead reckoning. Knowledge is better than technology." 
And no, I wasn't there.

Each new technology has skeptics and early adapters. And there are advantages and disadvantages in change. 

When I climbed Shasta in 2003, I made a waypoint at the car in the parking lot. My climbing partner said something sarcastic about electronic toys. We each had maps and compasses and knew how to use them. I was the slowest person on the mountain, I think, and coming down my climbing partner did not want to glissade the last part as others had. So. It got dark. Individual trees were not marked on the map. My partner, who was climb leader said what I already knew to be true: "We're lost." You know the rest. I pulled out the GPS and said, "The car is two miles that way." Honest. He did not believe me, but did not have a better solution.

I used to teach map reading in the Army. We called it land navigation. I have always liked maps and know how to use them. And there are times when GPS adds to my arsenal. And besides it can be ever so much fun to play with!

Walk well,
Jim Keener ( J J )
_________________

jj at ridgetrailhiker.com

http://trailjournals.com/jj2010/
http://ridgetrailhiker.com
http://olderhealthier.com





On Feb 23, 2010, at 1:36 PM, AsABat wrote:

> Why do I hear so much about lost hikers carrying GPSs or nothing at
> all, but so few about those carrying map and compass? Maybe it's true,
> the most important thing you carry with you is knowledge.