Unlock the Backcountry with Navigation Skills

It is so often overlooked and yet is the key to many adventure off the beaten track. Good navigation is key to any trip or adventure. It is a foundation stone for backcountry travel. Good navigation skills can allow you to travel further, more efficiently and go for longer. A map and compass doesn’t run out of batteries like a phone or GPS. It doesn’t send you off a cliff like some GPS navigation tools. Tried and trusted and used by all hikers, mountaineers, canoeists and backcountry skiers for 100’s of years.

Being able to read and use a map with skill and ease takes practice and some fundamental skills. This weekend course will introduce you to those skills and give you some practice to give you confidence to explore further. It takes your continued learning to master them but you will have all the skills you will need. It is a practical based course and hiking off trail is involved. It is co-taught by an ACMG Hiking Guide. Arguably the hardest ACMG qualification when it comes to navigation.

This course is aimed at anyone wanting to improve their map and compass skills from beginners to needing a refresher. It is an intensive course as there is enough content to cover a 5 day course squashed into 2 days. We will be hiking and putting these skills into practice in the mountains. Expect to have some fun bushwhacking and exploring and you never know we might even get you lost! (deliberately)

We cover everything from how to read a map to taking bearing and walking on it. What is declination and the affect that it can have if you ignore it? Walking on a bearing through thick timber, fog or whiteout conditions. Handrailing and using the landscape. How to plan a route and write a route card and estimating accurate timings. Setting turn around times if your objective isn’t completed. These are all critical aspects of good decision making in the mountains. We will cover the three Norths. Yes there are 3 different norths!! What are they? come and join us and

Accommodation in Glamping tents and camping is available. Please contact us to discuss your needs.

Objective and Goals

  • Map familiarization
  • Orientation
  • Using a compass
  • Three Norths
  • Declination
  • Taking and walking on a bearing
  • Taking grid references
  • Hand railing and using features
  • Time and distance estimation
  • Route planning
  • Off trail travel and map reading
  • Writing a route card

Dates

2 days

3-4th July 2021

Cost

$200

Registration $50
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Full Price $200 (210.00 inc GST)   
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