Introduction to Wilderness Navigation Course Directors: Mike Dove / Ken BuschoPurpose: Many outdoor activities are dependent upon the ability to travel in road less areas with only the aid of map and compass. It is extremely important that search & rescue personnel are expert in this area. This class introduces the student to use of the map and compass in the back country, and provides the basic tools for back country travel selecting routes & describing locations in a non-urban setting. Format: Class room lectures & labs, with field exercise. (8-10 field hours) Skills emphasized: Map reading & interpretation; use of map scales; declination corrections; symbol interpretation; map care; finding and following bearings with a compass; using a compass with a map; fundamentals of terrain interpretation & route selection; describing your location to others; improvised direction-finding. Prerequisites: None Knowledge check: *After* the training weekend use this link to access quiz and quiz maps. (login needed) You need to submit to complete the course.
Please refer to our training calendar Training Cal-ESAR.orgTraining Cal-ESAR.org
Saturday, 4:00 PM
Paradise Beach Park- camping
Intro Nav Schedule
Saturday November 11 08:30 Arrive at RTC Conference Center
09:00 Training Starts 12:00 Lunch 13:00 Training Continues 15:30 Compass/Triangulation Practice 17:00 Shelter setup/Dinner at Paradise Beach Park (bring your own dinner and stove (or share with a buddy)
19:00 Night compass exercise 20:30 Evening topics 21:30 Debrief/Review 22:00 Lights out
07:00 Breakfast (bring your own) 07:30 Shelter Eval/Take down 08:00 Triangulation Part 2 09:00 Field Exercise Briefing 09:30 Field Exercise (Lunch in the Field) 13:30 Exercise debrief/follow-up exercise 14:30 Course debrief/Upcoming Event briefing 15:00 Intro Nav Complete
Equipment List:
Saturday is a classroom and field day, Sunday will be a all day field day.
- Bring a pen and/or pencil. Course materials will be provided.
- Bring your own meals for this, 2 lunches you can take in the field, plus a breakfast and dinner to be cooked at the campsite.
- Expect cold, windy weather, maybe wet? Dress accordingly!
- The campsite has few or no trees, so plan to bring trekking poles or something similar.
- Bring along your tarps/lines/stakes from Outdoor Skills to use for your shelter
People the ordered a compass will get them first thing in the morning. Bring a mapping compass with a mirror if you have it. Leave your lensatic or military-style compass at home, it will only get in the way and slow you down. We have a limited number of loaners, Expect to walk a couple of miles. Bring your notes and pens and pencils.
Compass- This compass is the unit standard. It is a excellent compass for our use and the price is significantly lower than you'll find anyplace else. If you'd like to order a compass the price is $45. Enter your name below and click the PayPal button. If you order 2 weeks before Basic Nav class you'll have for Basic Nav if we have inventory. If you order after Basic Nav delivery will be TBD, but we'll try to have for next training weekend.
| 
