Buy a Compass and Learn to Use It

Well, what's the best and what's the worst? Let's talk about all those things we carry to make our trips more comfortable...

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PeteE
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Buy a Compass and Learn to Use It

Post by PeteE »

A compass might save your life. Buy one and learn to use it.
A compass works everywhere all the time. Cell phones do not work in most wilderness areas.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/05/26/mi ... tcmp=hpbt4

This lady left the trail which we all have to do at some time whether to find water, potty, whatever.
She couldn't find her way back....and died as a result.
This was a tragedy that need not have happened.

Using your compass, make a note of what general direction you go when leaving the trail e.g. NE
Walk the opposite compass heading, SW, when returning to the trail.

Just sayin' 8)

pete :wink:
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

George Carlin
wnysteve
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Re: Buy a Compass and Learn to Use It

Post by wnysteve »

Pete,
The article has some eerie similarities to a novel by Stephen King, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. A girl is hiking with her family, and leaves the trail to relieve herself. In that brief time, she loses her bearings and wonders deeper into the wilderness. The trail is part of the Appalachian Trail, and the location is the western Maine woods. Having no compass, she is lost for days, and deals with thirst and hunger. (Of course, with King, there are some other things to fear as well.) The novel was written in 1999, before the events of this article.

I have a small pouch in my daypack that I never empty when the trip is over. It contains moleskin, first aid items, and a compass. When I go overnight, the daypack just goes into the backpack.
llholmes1948
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Re: Buy a Compass and Learn to Use It

Post by llholmes1948 »

This lady had a SPOT but unfortunately she either forgot to take it on this part of the hike or perhaps felt confident that she didn't need it:

http://outthere.bangordailynews.com/201 ... questions/

Our daughter used a SPOT when she hiked the AT in 2011 and we appreciated the safety feature and also enjoyed being able to see where she was during her hike. After she reached Maine the SPOT stopped working but by that time we were confident that she would finish the hike okay (which she did), so we didn't worry about the failure of the SPOT. I understand that now there are some other products on the market which are considered superior to a SPOT.

As Pete said a compass would be an inexpensive piece of gear to carry.

Lyman
PeteE
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Re: Buy a Compass and Learn to Use It

Post by PeteE »

A fellow I know who is a paramedic who has flown a lot of rescue missions told me, and this is close to a quote:
If you want to be found as quick as possible, you carry a ResQLink.
Read the info in the link to see why.
https://www.rei.com/product/843146/acr- ... e_PLA_GOOG

Last season I talked to a Ranger(same one who showed me the "Jones Columbine") who carries a SPOT.
He told me he has no trouble with his SPOT in GNP....at least in the areas he has hiked---a LOT of them as he is a Back Country patrol guy--one of the Rangers writing trail reports. He uses it mainly to text his wife regarding things like when me might be back, etc.
And then he has a Park issue VHF radio as well 8)

And so I carry my compass and my ResQlink these days :wink:

pete
wynsteve wrote:Pete,
...
I have a small pouch in my daypack that I never empty when the trip is over. It contains moleskin, first aid items, and a compass. When I go overnight, the daypack just goes into the backpack.
Me too Steve. My compass is in with my little 1st aid kit. If you can shoot a simple bearing and follow it, it would be hard to get lost in GNP if you got off trail somehow.
The hard part for some number of people is they can't walk in a straight line, or get back on their bearing if they have to deviate going around some obstacle.
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

George Carlin
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