Moss On The North Side

Can you really find north or south by looking at a tree?

I bring this up today because this topic has started to pop up in my land navigation classes.

Recently, one of my students told me about a Ray Mears' video on http://www.youtube.com/.  It's called the "Path Finder."  To watch the video go here.  The student asked my my opinion of Mears' methods.

He brings up some interesting topics and demonstrates determining direction;

1. By looking at the growth of tree limbs (larger limbs on the south side)
2. Finding a cut tree stump and determining directions based on the growth rings
3. Using the hour hand of a watch to determine direction, and;
4. Using the sun, stick and shadow method to determine direction.

I'd comment that numbers 1 & 2 above depends upon your location and latitude.  There are a lot of variables with this method that may or may not work in the Pacific Northwest.

My survival class tested the tree limb theory on the campus of a college in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.  Though there were several deciduous trees, most were fairly young and none convincingly pointed south.

Number 2, I've got to find a tree stump to check that out.  Still, if you are on a north facing slope will you get that clear direction determination? 

So, in my region of the Northwest, method 1 & 2 are not working for me.

Methods 3 & 4 have been illustrated in books for years.  Do they work,  sure.  But I'd ask you to consider just how accurate these methods are.  Rather than a specific heading such as 180 degrees (that is south) you will get a trend of direction; as in you are heading in a southerly direction.  That may be all you need.

It might be hard to test out method 3 with a digital watch.

For more information about methods 3 & 4 take a look at the following references:

1. Staying Found by June Fleming, Chapter 7
2. Camping & Wilderness Survival by Paul Tawrell, start on page 175

Remember, no matter what you read or watch on TV - a new method - has to work for you.  Test it out at home.

As an aside, I have enjoyed the few Ray Mears' videos that I have seen.  If you are looking for a good video on backcountry survival in winter watch his BBC documentary, the Real Hero's of Telemark; here.  It's is outstanding.

Update: June 20.  I was able to link up with a friend (who has a doctorate in Forestry.)  His sense was that trying to depend on the growth rings of a tree was risky and depended on too many variables to be of use.