[pct-l] Map and Compass

[Brick Robbins]

On Wed, Sep 10, 2014 at 10:43 AM, Greg Hummel <bighummel at aol.com> wrote:
> In '77 there was no GPS and a lot more challenges following the then unfinished trail than now. We all carried compass and maps. After just a couple weeks you become an expert. I pulled my compass out once in deep snow, that's all. The USFS maps were the best.

Back in 86 there was no GPS either, however the trail was finished
(more or less). But back then it was still all uphill - both ways -
and in the snow. Kids of today don't know how easy they have it, and
if you tell them, they'll never believe you.

I did use my compass often at road crossings, when the "book of lies"
would say "the trail resumes 200 ft west down the road."

Navigation by map in the High Sierra was easy, even in a high snow
year like 86, as one simply needed to keep in the correct drainage.
North of I-80, with shorter mountains, and taller trees, navigation by
map and compass was much, much trickier. I didn't run out of snow
navigation problems till north of Sierra City, and didn't run out of
significant coverage till Lassen.

Now Get off my lawn!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo