Navigation is definitely one of the most important essentials for hiking. After all, the main reason people end up lost and in trouble is because they have no idea where to turn.
Being lost can totally break a person. A panic takes over and irrational thought sets in. But it's not all bad news. If you have an understanding of the basics of navigation, it will go a long way to perhaps saving your life.
Years ago, we had to rely on simple map and compass navigation to determine our path and for planning our route...and it's still vitally important to take some time learning how to read a compass and apply it to map reading.
It's very simple and this guide will show you how it's done. Read it and take it in! The importance of this cannot be underestimated! the page is quite old, but the knowledge remains the same.
These days, we have can even have more help in the guise of a GPS system. The Global Satellite Positioning units available to us are nothing short of astounding. They can pin-point your position within a few yards and guide you to safety if you're lost, or show you the way through a route.
They all work on a number of the same satellites floating around in space. They 'lock' on to a minimum of 3 satellites to give you a triangular reading of where you are.
Only recently released to the general public from the Americans, we can now use this information as a back up to our compass and map. If we know how to read a map with a compass, we can use thee GPS units on their own...they are that accurate...the map and compass then become the back up.
Some will not work accurately in dense areas of forests, and some will be skewed by mineral deposits in the earth, but on the whole they can be life savers.
They all work the same, but some are just basic units showing you how to get from A to B, others are full of fancy data like elevation, distance, speed, camera confirmation software and a whole lot of other interesting stuff!
You really only need a basic GPS unit to start, it doesn't have to be the most expensive kid on the block! The ones that give you more detail and have more bells and whistles are obviously more expensive.
Make sure the batteries are fully charged before going on a hike, and take a back-up set of batteries with you. You never know how long you'll be out there! Make sure you have read all the instructions at least twice over and understood them, then, go on a few practice runs to really get used to the GPS unit.
Don't rely totally on the GPS units though, make sure you have basic skills in compass and map navigation, meaning always carry a compass and a detailed map. Learning navigation is easy once you sit down and learn in properly. Once you have the knowledge, it will never leave you.
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