All Questions
Tagged with navigation hiking
11
questions
13
votes
3
answers
17k
views
How is elevation gain and change measured for hiking trails?
If a trail is listed as 1500m of elevation change, what exactly does that mean?
For example, if the trail goes up 500m, then down 200m, then up 100m, then down 300m, then up 400m, is that considered ...
3
votes
0
answers
217
views
How to find good hiking maps for the Laugavegur trail in Iceland? [duplicate]
I will be hiking the Laugavegur trail alone and have been looking for good hiking maps (1:50 000) online. My google searches yield no good results. Where do you even begin to look?
- 131
17
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Are there any reliable plants to use for navigation?
I've always heard that moss grows on the north side of a tree. Presumably, this is because conditions on the north side, at least in the northern hemisphere, tend to get less sunlight and are damper. ...
- 2,790
5
votes
4
answers
374
views
How would navigation be different while hiking at night?
If one were to hike during the night and sleep during the day, what differences in navigation would one have to take into account?
In my experience you are more on instruments (such as a compass or ...
- 69.4k
12
votes
3
answers
753
views
Depth Perception in the Mountains
I'm not from the mountains.
Every time I go into the mountains I lose all depth perception. I can't tell by looking if a peak is 100 meters or a 1,000 meters above me. I have to stare hard and look ...
- 5,766
18
votes
3
answers
2k
views
How precise is a pedometer for estimating on a backpacking trip?
In practice, how precise is a pedometer for estimating your progress on a trail? For example, if I'm to hike 10 miles, how far should I expect to be from the 10 miles marker?
Is there data comparing ...
- 8,071
6
votes
3
answers
195
views
Identifying named peaks from the summit of a north-american peak
Is there a good resource for quickly identifying peaks that are visible on the summit of a north-american peak?
Currently I use a topographical map and painstakingly identify each individual peak. I ...
- 7,491
7
votes
3
answers
280
views
What do unusual waymarks in France mean?
I recognize the official system for French waymarks of Grand Randonees and local paths like shown here:
but I've also seen large white rectangles with a horizontal red line in the middle. They are ...
10
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Is a compass generally accurate in only one hemisphere, or both? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Navigational gear worldwide
I'm not that well travelled (never been outside of Europe!) but at some point I'd love to head elsewhere to perhaps hike somewhere a bit more ...
- 22.6k
16
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Thinking about a road trip out West
My wife and I are thinking of taking a road trip from northwest Ohio to "out west" - Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, etc. I've never been farther west than Indiana, so it's a whole new ...
- 563
16
votes
3
answers
7k
views
How do I read a topographic map?
When navigating in the backcountry, you'll usually bring a topographic map that shows the terrain so you can tell if there will be steep slopes or cliffs that might make the route difficult.
A ...
- 8,218