[pct-l] Getting lost

[CMountainDave@aol.com (CMountainDave@aol.com)]

Fog or whiteouts make a compass of little use when going cross country. Sure, 
you can pick a bearing and blindly follow it, but if visibility is less than 
50 feet, you are quite likely to simply miss your camp (if that is what you 
are seeking) or a winding trail and just keep right on going, eventually 
becoming hopelessly confused. Finding a STRAIGHT trail, however, is a much 
simpler task even in a whiteout with a compass as long as you are sure of 
what side of the trail you are on -- left or right and know the bearing of 
the trail itself. That's why maps should accompany a compass. My mistake in 
nearly getting lost was not having a compass in my pocket (hey, no one covers 
all the bases all the time) but luckily, the clouds gave me a sense of 
direction and the trail was straight.
  P.S. I'm not sure where that spot in Oregon is anymore. I no longer have a 
PCT guide book but I think it was between Ollalie Lake and Timberline Lodge