handy advice.

[+flask]

we've all seen the reminder to mark a waypoint at your car. here are my useful corollaries:

 

mark a waypoint at the place where you leave your bicycle, and mark a waypoint at the place where you leave the trail.

 

it doesn't matter if you get to camp at one or at six. dinner is still at six.

[+DustyJacket]

And leave "tracking" on......

 

DustyJacket

Not all those that wander are lost. But in my case...

[+TinSparrow]

quote:

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Originally posted by flask:

we've all seen the reminder to mark a waypoint at your car. here are my useful corollaries:

 

mark a waypoint at the place where you leave your bicycle, and mark a waypoint at the place where you leave the trail.

 

---

 

I've also found it useful to mark a waypoint at creek crossings, especially if I've gone off trail when I encounter the creek.

[+RichardMoore]

Another useful tip:

When you're walking down the trail, every so often turn around and look behind you. The trail looks different coming from the other direction.

 

RichardMoore

 

www.geocities.com/richardsrunaway

[+Mad_Hatter]

quote:

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When you're walking down the trail, every so often turn around and look behind you. The trail looks different coming from the other direction.

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Doh! I guess that I won't have to walk backwards on my way back to my car next time. All kidding aside, that's a very good tip. I try to remember to look around every so often for landmarks.

[+Marky]

quote:

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Originally posted by RichardMoore:

Another useful tip:

When you're walking down the trail, every so often turn around and look behind you. The trail looks different coming from the other direction.

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I do this at every trail intersection that I come to. It definitely helps, even if you are backtracking with your GPSr.

 

--Marky

"All of us get lost in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

[dsandbro]

You're asking for trouble if you are relying on a GPS to get you back. Never let an electronic gizmo replace good old fashioned map and compass skills.

 

Before leaving home study the area where you will be hiking. What are the general elevations, which way do the streams generally flow, which way do the ridgetops generally align, where are the major landmarks and mountain peaks relative to where you will hike, what is north, south, east, west of your intended destination? Make sure you know aproximately where you are on the map at all times. This way even if your GPS dies and you drop your compass on a rock you are not totally helpless.

 

One way to keep your skills current is to use the map and compass to get close to the cache, using the GPS only to zero in on the last few yards. Saves batteries too.

 

========================================

"The time has come" the Walrus said "to speak of many things; of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and Kings".

[+Thomas & Dingo]

quote:

---

Originally posted by RichardMoore:

Another useful tip:

When you're walking down the trail, every so often turn around and look behind you. The trail looks different coming from the other direction.

 

RichardMoore

 

http://www.geocities.com/richardsrunaway<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Also makes it easier to see that baby black bear tagging along behind you. True story, thought he was cute untill we heard his mother calling, then four of us started reaching for leather(well plastic for 2 of us), my deep woods hiking load is too alternate Ball with Jacketed HP.

 

"We never seek things for themselves - what we seek is the very seeking of things."

Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)