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  Hiking - An Introduction To Using A Map For NavigationThough you would think that it should be the other way around, you will find that most seasoned hikers rely on maps to navigate their way along trails and through wilderness areas while novices believe that maps are not really necessary. The newcomer often believes that there is no need to go through the hard work of learning to use a map and that sticking to well worn trails will be fine. Alas, that is a mistaken view.You can get yourself seriously lost even close to clearly marked trails and straying just a few meters from the trail into heavy woodland has confused more than one beginner. In the absence of the sun, stars or geographical features it is very easy to get disorientated and to end up walking even farther from the trail and getting yourself lost in no time at all. Now in the example given above a map by itself would not necessarily help you to get out of that particular wood. But, you will frequently come across another trail which will hook up with your original trail and a good map would help you to find your way with ease back to your starting point. Okay, so where do you start? Get hold of an up-to-date map which covers the area you are planning to hike in and start by studying it at home in a quiet and relaxed environment. You will not of course be able to match the map to the features you see, but it will assist you in learning and understanding the symbols which are used on the map. All maps have a legend (which will differ a bit from one publisher to the next) and you have to familiarize yourself with the symbols. Also, you will need to understand the scale of the map which will be clearly printed on it as something like 1 inch = 5 miles. Do not forget however that distance is only one part of the story and that 1 inch representing 1 mile on flat ground is a quite different thing from 1 inch representing 1 mile over an area including a steep winding path up the side of a 1,000 foot cliff. To account for the latter, you need to consider altitude which is marked on the map by a series of curved lines which, if 'stretched out', would form a circle. The spacing between two curved lines around some natural feature such as a hill indicates the altitude. Generally you will find that there are numbers printed along the lines to assist you. These lines are known as contour lines and the closer the lines are to one another the steeper the ground. Next, you should study the longitude lines and latitude lines. Longitude lines which indicate North and South run 'up and down' the map from the bottom to the top while latitude lines indicating East and West run 'right and left'. In daylight you can use the sun and natural features on the ground to orient the map so that it is lined up with the ground which you are hiking over. Remember that the sun rises in the East and sets in the West so that at the start of the day facing the sun will have you heading in an Easterly direction. By the same token, late in the afternoon facing the setting sun will have you hiking more or less West. Once the sun has gone down you can use the stars to navigate and you will frequently be able to see the sky reasonably well because most wilderness areas are a long way from the glow of city lights. One of the great joys of hiking is to be able to walk out under the stars and familiarizing yourself with such formations as the Big Dipper and Orion as well as the North Star. Free Article Source: http://www.za77.org About The Author: One of the first things you will need as a novice hiker is a good pair of hiking boots and you could do a lot worse than a pair of Asolo or Vasque hiking boots |