[pct-l] Navigation. Which Compass skills are needed?

[Scott Williams]

You don't need an expensive compass.  I carried a cheapo, and didn't use it
once as the only time it really mattered was in the High Sierra where we had
no trail for long periods.  We happened to have mostly sunny days, and the
sun is due south at noon, and you can extrapolate easily from that for the
other times of the day.  Everywhere else, we had trail, and if you took a
wrong turn, it wasn't orienteering you needed to get back, but basically
following your footsteps back until you figured it out.

That being said, I've used topo maps and compass for over 40 years, and am
comfortable looking at terrain and maps.  Even with that however, we had
many discussions in our group in the High Sierra, as to which was the best
way to proceed.  We were lost for parts of everyday, in that we had no
trail, and if you couldn't see the terrain because of forest, you just had
to continue until you figured it out.  Others were not so fortunate.  I met
several groups who didn't have experience in this, and were lost for several
days each.  One pair, coming over Donohue Pass took the wrong stream and
were lost for a day.  Two other groups ended up going East and out into the
Mono Lake area, and the other ended up going west into the Sierra Foothills.


No one was hurt, but it wasn't fun, and they were scared in the snowy Sierra
without maps for the areas off trail.  My suggestion to anyone who doesn't
have map and compass skills is to practice in the deserts a bit.  Really
look at your maps, and check out your compass.  Just get a feel for it.  If
when you enter the Sierra there is a lot of snow, as we had last year, and
you are still not comfortable, try to hook up with some folks who are.
 Without great skill yourself, it's just the prudent thing to do.  If it's
mostly melted out, don't worry about it, just go for it, but if it ends up
deep snow, get with some friends.  We did, and the hardest part of the trip
also ended up being the most rewarding and the most fun, and much safer.

Shroomer


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