Navigating the Backcountry 101

I have never gotten lost, I have however taken extended and prolonged detours from the previously agreed route while not necessarily being certain of my current location!

In reality getting slightly lost is one of my favorite ways to explore the backcountry, it has led to some amazing finds, but it is important to know how to reverse the getting lost phenomenon to prevent any disasters. Hopefully we can give you a few helpful hints with this post on how to navigate in the backcountry.

Backroads Map Books

Possibly the most essential piece of kit. If you don’t have one for the area you are exploring, they are incredible and well worth the investment. For a full guide or to purchase your own – visit the backroad map books website.

• Learn the Legend / Map Key: It’s pretty important to know the difference in the roads and to identify key features and symbols as this will save you a lot of hassle and possibly prevent you from taking a road you aren’t suited to. Familiarize yourself with the map key and map pages you will be visiting – I use sticky notes/paper clips to mark the area I am currently in so that I can flip to the pages easier.

• Navigating and Driving on Forest Service Roads: Once you leave the tarmac behind, it can be a bit tricky to navigate the forest service roads. Take the extra time to double check the names of the service roads, some are easier to identify than others depending on whether or not they are being actively used. Keep an eye on the route markers, a lot of active logging roads will have markers – for example ‘Rosander Main – 21km up’ which obviously lets you know you are 21kms up the Rosander Main which makes very useful orientation points. Make a couple of reference points along the way – i.e. a connecting road, camp, landmark, bridge, river etc. This helps to ensure you are on the right path. When driving on logging roads remember to leave your lights on, pull over for industrial vehicles and do not speed!

• Scale: Take note of the scale of the map, this is crucial so you can identify the distance in between landmarks you are using for reference. How does the scale correspond to real distance?

• Contours/Shading/Points of Interest: Familiarize yourself with contour lines and how to relate them to the topography. This helps to confirm your location when you are trying to orient yourself and also the type of terrain you might encounter. Keep an eye on what the different areas mean – i.e green shading is a conservation/park area.

What to do if you get lost: STOP

• S: Sit: Stop what you are doing and take a breath, sit down and have a drink to calm your nerves.
• T: Think: Where were you last sure of your surroundings? Can you identify any of your current landmarks?
• O: Observe: Take a compass reading, observe the map for key landmarks, look out for any weather hazards.
• P: Plan: What’s the game plan? Call for help if possible? Back track? Agree on this plan with others in your party.

Be Prepared, buy the SPOT Gen X Device:

SPOT uses a GPS satellite system to transmit data to and from the Globalstar Satellite Network. It is your safety net beyond cell phone signal. Firstly, when using this device remember if it isn’t an emergency – DO NOT press the SOS function. If you can wait a little bit to help locate yourself then definitely use the email/SMS function.

The Spot Gen X device has a number of communication features:

• Email: In my experience this seems to go through quicker and easier than a SMS.
• SMS: You can use the SMS function to send a message to any mobile number
• Check-in: If you had arranged to previously check in with base – then you can quickly and easily use the check-in feature to send your location.
• Elevation / Location: In both the email and SMS function you can also send your current location and elevation to the person you are contacting.

Top Tips:

• Keep this device on at all times.
• Keep the device plugged into charge when not in use.
• Don’t press the SOS button unless it’s an emergency
• For minor incidents or those that don’t need immediate attention, use the 2 way messenger service.

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