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Backcountry Skills
How to Read a Topographical Trail Map
Maps, generally speaking, have been around since the times of Babylon. Though they’ve evolved over time, the basic concept remains the same: We must know where we are and where we’re going. When it comes to the outdoor world, a person can easily look at a globe or a standard map of the country they […]
1 min read · Aug 22, 2019 · Christina Applin
Backcountry Skills
A Step by Step Guide to Using a Handheld GPS
If you are into hiking technology but you still have no idea how to use a handheld GPS, then this is for you. A hiking GPS is not quite the same as Google Maps on your phone or the navigation system you use in your car. It’s a little more complex than that.. Most GPSes or […]
1 min read · Jul 6, 2016 · hanalarock
Gear
Everything You Need to Know About Hiking Watches
If you’re an avid hiker, it’s good to be up to date on what technology is best to used in the backcountry. One item we can’t get enough of is the hiking watch. Hiking watches come in all different shapes and sizes, but most of them can carry out the same type of functions. Before you […]
1 min read · Jul 5, 2016 · hanalarock
Backcountry Skills
A Backpacker’s Guide to the Night Sky
Though most backpackers rely on detailed maps or GPS devices to help them navigate through the wilderness, there are ways to use the sky to help guide you as well. Using stars was not only the first way explorers got around, but they were also used to determine many other things, like calendars, harvests, fortune […]
1 min read · Nov 6, 2015 · hanalarock
Backcountry Skills
Navigating in Low Visibility
If you spend enough time in the backcountry, you’re going to come across situations where you can’t see well – if at all. Whether the result of low fog, dense vegetation or anything else, low visibility makes navigation difficult to say the least. As a result, your hike becomes as much of a mental game […]
1 min read · Oct 2, 2015 · Ian Campbell
Backcountry Skills
How to Orient a Map
Knowing how to orient a map is important to all hikers and backpackers. It can be pretty easy to get yourself lost in the woods but, with the right skills, you can decrease the likelihood of getting yourself lost. Orienting a map is one of the simpler steps you can take to prevent yourself from […]
1 min read · Aug 8, 2015 · Ian Campbell
Backcountry Skills
Don’t Get Lost! How to Prepare for It and What to Do If it Happens
Whether you are an experienced hiker or a just getting started, at some point you’ll end up in a position where you’re not quite sure exactly where you are. Trust me, there’s nothing fun about being lost in the backcountry (unless that’s the adventure you’re looking for), but every now and then it happens. Trail […]
1 min read · Jul 27, 2015 · Ian Campbell