[pct-l] Irresponsible March 1st (a week late) Sierra Entry Prediction

[Devon Taig]

One thing I would recommend is buying a compass that can correct for
magnetic declination (typically there's a little key mechanism on the back
of the compass that will allow you to set the declination).  This makes it
easier to not have to remember if you need to add or subtract degrees when
following or taking a bearing.  A compass with a sighting mirror works well
too and is worth the investment IMHO.
To get some practice, you don't necessarily need to go into the
wilderness...For example, if you have a topo map of your home town sitting
around, you could probably go to a park where you can see a couple of
street intersections and practice taking bearings and triangulation.  Take
a bearing off of two or more of those street intersections and then
carefully draw those lines at those angles on the map (correcting for
declination).  Where the lines from the two street intersections intersect
is where you are in the park.  It's really very cool and very simple. *
http://www.ussartf.org/compass_basics.htm*
Maybe it's because I'm a navigation geek (I'm probably the only guy that
has ever taken a sextant out backpacking), but map and compass
is infinitely more fun than GPS.

River

On Thu, Mar 7, 2013 at 3:51 PM, Greg Hummel <bighummel at aol.com> wrote:

> Ah yes, I have goat entrails spread before me on my desk (hm, looks just
> like the snot I just sneezed!) and they're telling me . . .
>
>
> That I'm full of shit! Imagine that!
>
>
> Happy trails,
>
>
> Greg Hummel
>
> My favorite transportation is my legs!
>
> http://about.me/greg.hummel
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bob Bankhead <wandering_bob at comcast.net>
> To: 'Greg Hummel' <bighummel at aol.com>; pct-l <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Sent: Thu, Mar 7, 2013 2:41 pm
> Subject: RE: [pct-l] Irresponsible March 1st (a week late) Sierra Entry
> Prediction
>
>
> Strider:
>
> Folks planning for the Colorado Trail (CT) or the CDT are looking at the
> same crystal ball.
> Only the starting locations are different.
> Bring out the goat so we can examine the entrails!
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
> On Behalf Of Greg Hummel
> Sent: Thursday, March 07, 2013 2:12 PM
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: [pct-l] Irresponsible March 1st (a week late) Sierra Entry
> Prediction
>
> This year, like every other year since 1977, I put myself in a thru-hiker's
> mind and try to out guess Mother on when the earliest date might be for an
> experienced and appropriately geared-up hiker to leave Kennedy Meadows.
>
>
> This year is shaping up to be a thru-hiker's dream; only 51% of normal in
> the Sth Sierra!
>
>
> Thus, I wager once again, that "Ray Day" will be two weeks late this year
> for entering the Sierra and entering on or about June 1st might work.
>
>
> Caveats; YMMV, HYOH, and Mother can be a fickle b!tch, dumping huge amounts
> of snow in late spring storms that occur about 20% of the time!
>
>
> Happy trails,
>
>
> Greg Hummel
>
>
>
>
>
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