Questions tagged [navigation]
This tag is for all questions about outdoor navigation with maps, compasses or mobile devices equipped with sensors for satellite based positioning systems.
97
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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
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What is a back bearing when navigating with map and compass?
Sometimes when navigating with map and compass one will take a back bearing, i.e. a bearing taken directly opposite to the direction one is travelling?
When and why would one want to do this?
- 69.4k
7
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2
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What is the risk of getting lost while canoeing in a cypress swamp?
Based on the answer here I would be exploring a cypress swamp in the Mississippi valey north of the 35th Parrell.
If I canoe in a lake or on a river, I always have a pretty good idea where I am, and ...
- 30.4k
3
votes
1
answer
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Does the two sticks and a star method of finding north work the same way in both hemispheres?
There is a method of finding north by aiming two sticks at a star and then tracking the star's movement to find which way is north. You can read the full description here.
However, there is the a ...
- 69.4k
4
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1
answer
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In orienteering/navigation, what is an attack point?
Some features in orienteering or navigation are called attack points. What exactly does this refer to?
- 69.4k
12
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1
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What is a catch feature in orienteering?
On of the terms used in orienteering is "catch feature".
What exactly is a catch feature and how would a catch feature help one with navigating in the outdoors?
- 69.4k
9
votes
1
answer
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In orienteering/navigation, what is a handrail feature?
One of the terms in orienteering/navigation is "handrail feature".
What exactly does this term mean?
- 69.4k
6
votes
1
answer
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What is the col between Mt Meru and Kilimanjaro?
When browsing Wikipedia's List of peaks by prominence, I was surprised to see that the parent peak of Mt Meru (in Tanzania) is Mount Kenya (350 km away) and not Kilimanjaro (50 km away). The col ...
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Would there be any practical uses of a geological map for a hiker/backpacker?
I just found that I can get free geological map overlays for Google Earth for all of the individual states in the United States from here.
For instance, this is what a good deal of Yosemite National ...
- 69.4k
9
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2
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What is dead reckoning when navigating with a map and compass?
There is a technique for navigation known as dead reckoning, what is this technique exactly and when would it be useful?
- 69.4k
5
votes
4
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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
18
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Are there any general rules of thumb for route finding up a mountain without any trails?
Sometimes mountains won't have trails or recorded routes simply because they don't get enough traffic that a trail will be created. Not every mountain has recorded routes simply because people haven't ...
- 69.4k
4
votes
2
answers
249
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Can you find your location using the angle between compass bearings?
Sometimes compasses are less accurate than we would like them to be. They can be thrown off by their surroundings, have their polarity reversed, become demagnetized, develop air bubbles or be taken ...
- 69.4k
1
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2
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What is the minimum knowledge to navigate with only a compass?
Assuming I have memorized the major Latitude and Longitudes as they relate to the world, as shown in the image below and that I know how to identify latitude & longitude with a compass. What else ...
- 30.4k
7
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2
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How to identify latitude & longitude with a compass?
I am not exactly sure where I am in the world. It could be that I am in a boat on the ocean, been in a plane crash, or suffered some other calamity. In any case I either have a compass with me or ...
- 30.4k