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Thread: LF hikers ― is “Map & Compass” a dying art?

  1. #81

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    Re: LF hikers ― is “Map & Compass” a dying art?

    Compass and topo map, also an altimeter. Lots of the country here is up and down, or nearly so. GPS is too complicated, besides that weeny little display will never equal a 7 1/2 minute topo - not to mention the battery issue. Bring spares, you say? I like basic technology that works, ALL the time.

    Why not? I use film, fountain pens, occasionally a slide rule, and my typewriter is an Olympia portable that works without electricity.
    Last edited by E. von Hoegh; 5-Apr-2011 at 14:40. Reason: spellynge
    One man's Mede is another man's Persian.

  2. #82

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    Re: LF hikers ― is “Map & Compass” a dying art?

    Grizzled old Luddite that I am, if I'm hunting in unfamiliar territory, especially where vision is severely restricted such as in breaks, ridges, or foothills, I carry a Silva Ranger that I've had for about 30 years and a topo map--and I've known how to use them since I was an Explorer scout. But they stay in a ziplock bag along with my spare batteries unless my GPS totally craps out, which so far has never happened. Certainly could happen, though.

    Walk up to people in the mall and ask if they feel they could use a topo map and compass to find their way around the woods--I'll bet there wouldn't be 1 in 50, especially if the askees were under 40 years old. In the meantime the ACLU is doing their best to destroy scouting, both boy and girl. Sheesh.

  3. #83

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    Re: LF hikers ― is “Map & Compass” a dying art?

    Yes, the public and even a lot of hikers seem unable to visualize the terrain based on topographic lines. Once you develop the skill it's almost as good as a "fly over". But without the skill, map and compass orienteering with any accuracy becomes unlikely.

    For a few years I lived in South Africa and attended orienteering races in areas around Cape Town. The most successful participants could simply glance at the map and then go (run full speed) to the sites to stamp their cards based mainly on visualization skills. Less successful racers were taking bearings and pacing and often getting into trouble by making it more difficult than it needed to be.

  4. #84

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    Re: LF hikers ― is “Map & Compass” a dying art?

    hiking back-country with map and compass for 20 years now. never saw a reason to take a GPS with me.

    In particular since a GPS needs batteries, and if you are really off the beaten tracks you won't be able to get new batteries or charge for weeks sometimes. I do have the batteries for my SLR and my headlamp, and that is it. I do not want to carry more.

  5. #85
    http://www.spiritsofsilver.com tgtaylor's Avatar
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    Re: LF hikers ― is “Map & Compass” a dying art?

    Quote Originally Posted by Alex_B View Post
    hiking back-country with map and compass for 20 years now. never saw a reason to take a GPS with me.

    In particular since a GPS needs batteries, and if you are really off the beaten tracks you won't be able to get new batteries or charge for weeks sometimes. I do have the batteries for my SLR and my headlamp, and that is it. I do not want to carry more.
    GPS also needs satellites and satellites can be disabled by a Solar Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) rendering the GPS useless. Just imagine that you're out in the middle of nowhere navigating by trusty GPS and a CME disables all the satellites. What ya going to do then? This is not a far fetched possibility. We are currently in Solar Cycle 24 which is expected to peak in 2013. See http://science.nasa.gov/science-news..._solarcycle24/

  6. #86

    Re: LF hikers ― is “Map & Compass” a dying art?

    I use both GPS and topo and compass. I think anyone who hikes into back country owes it to themselves to learn map reading skills. Its not that hard and when your electronics fail you'll be happy you did.

  7. #87
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: LF hikers ― is “Map & Compass” a dying art?

    My nephew was required to use GPS devices on the backside of the Karakorum - a
    completely unexplored, unmapped area roughly behind K2 on the Chinese side, simply because the GPS co was paying for the expedition. The gear fail completely for days on
    end. They were over 20,000 ft in blizzards at times and two of the sherpas got lost, and
    fortunately were found still alive a week later, snowblind, but at least not in a crevasse.
    I once ran across some dude who banged himself up by tripping over a rock while he was
    staring at one of those damn things. But the fun side is having contests - me with no map
    a just hillbilly experience, and a much younger backpacking buddy with his GPS. We go way
    off trail and see who can get back to the truck first. I always win.

  8. #88
    Steve Smith's Avatar
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    Re: LF hikers ― is “Map & Compass” a dying art?

    Quote Originally Posted by NicolasArg View Post
    I'd like to buy a satellite phone someday.
    That's something I'm never going to do. All of my phones have a lead and plug into a socket on the wall.

    Quote Originally Posted by John Jarosz View Post
    The GPS car thing is the single biggest contributor to travel illiteracy on the planet.
    I agree. I have been a passenger in a car with a driver who has done the same route many times but because he had his new GPS with him, he took all the stupid detours it suggested. The GPS seems to turn people into idiots.

    What's really funny for me is being behind a car where I live and seeing their GPS turned on. It's funny because I live on an island which is only 26 miles wide. You get to the sea before you get lost here!


    Steve.

  9. #89

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    Re: LF hikers ― is “Map & Compass” a dying art?

    We still do map & compass with the Boy Scouts. An altimeter is sure nice in the mountains. If you're in a featureless terrain its kind of hard to get bearing.
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  10. #90
    Steve Smith's Avatar
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    Re: LF hikers ― is “Map & Compass” a dying art?

    Quote Originally Posted by John Kasaian View Post
    An altimeter is sure nice in the mountains. If you're in a featureless terrain its kind of hard to get bearing.
    I have never been in terrain that featureless that it has been a problem for me. What I do like is when it is obvious that the distinction between open land and wooded area on the map matches what I can see around me.


    Steve.

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