[pct-l] Getting lost

[calliger@infolane.com (R.J.Calliger)]

Disagree. Having been in a few whiteouts one has already taken a bearing
presumably (ie, knowing which direction one wwants to head).
One then follows the compass on the same bearing as long as practical.
(ie, too many turns or you cliff out)-- in that case a GPS cannot help either.
If a true white out one hunkers down for the day or until visibility returns.
Most places we hike that is most likely a day or two. Safety dictates you
stop too (cross country that is) unless of course you can see the trail-
then you can follow that even in whiteout conditions and neither a
compass or gps is needed. (assuming you're on the correct trail in
the first place <g> ).

R

At 4:06 PM -0800 4/6/01, CMountainDave@aol.com wrote:
>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