Backcountry Travel Plan

After the loss of James Kim in the Oregon back country in 2006 I wrote a hiker's trip plan and posted it on my blog.  I had input from several valued sources.  I wanted something better for the wilderness traveler.  A plan more than a note to a neighbor.  My intent was to provide the search responders something valuable to go by.

In far too many SAR missions, the reporting party has little information for the searchers to go on to begin their search.

My plan can be found here.  It is a basic .pdf form.

Suggestions are certainly welcome.

911 Call center

Still, that responsible person plays a huge role in contacting authorities to begin a search.  My recommendation would be to pick a person that will make the 911 phone call without hesitation.

Travel safely.

Compass Navigation - Using A Compass

 A quality compass is an integral part of the backcountry navigator’s kit.  Sighting with a compass is an important skill that can determine direction to an object or help the hiker locate and identify his position in the backcountry.

This post discusses the steps to be taken to use a compass to plot one’s location on a topographic (topo) map in the back country.  In the vocabulary of navigation this is also known as “fixing” or determining “position.”

The first step is to ensure that the hiker has adequate maps both in quality and quantity.   I recommend carrying a set of maps that include 7.5’ United States Geological Survey (USGS) maps and a second map type such a United States Forest Service map.  The USGS map gives me the detailed information of the immediate area while the other map covers a much broader and larger area. 

Before heading for the trail, take a look at the maps at home.  Scouting from your desk allows you to find significant land features that will surround the direction of travel.  Features such as distinct mountain peaks, a stream, and a ridge line are just of few topographic “hand rails” that can be of value in the field.  By spending some time at home with the map the hiker develops a mental map, a mental picture of the trek in advance of the actual journey. 

Account for declination before leaving the trailhead.  I like to keep my navigation simple and personally use a compass that can be adjusted for declination such as the Brunton 8010G.  Declination information found at the bottom of a topographic map is frequently out of date.  Check the web site www.magnetic-declination.com  for the current declination.

 “A compass is basically a magnet mounted on a pivot, free to turn in response to the pull of the earth’s magnetic field.  The housing protects the needle and helps you relate the direction in which the needle points to directions on the map and on the land.  A compass by itself can’t tell you where you are or what you are looking at but it can tell you about direction….”

Staying Found, The Complete Map & Compass Handbook, by June Fleming

Sighting with a compass allows the hiker to do several things.

First, sighting on a distant object can provide direction to that object and repeated sightings can provide course corrections along the way.  Secondly, with several sightings on different objects a person’s position can be determined and plotted.

Compass direction to an object is known as the “bearing” or azimuth.   Bearing is the more common term in outdoor recreation and is a term used heavily in GPS navigation.  For example, if a mountain peak is due north of you, the bearing to the peak is 000° (read as zero zero zero degrees.)  A compass can also assist the hiker by orienting a map and following a line of bearing taken from a map.

The picture below offers a quick review of the components of a baseplate compass.

To sight or take a bearing do the following:

1. Using the owner’s manual, adjust the compass for declination.
2. While holding the compass at waist level, turn squarely towards a distant object.  Hold the compass so that the direction of travel arrow points directly at the object. (Point the direction of travel arrow away from you, perpendicular to your body.)

3. While holding the compass, turn the compass housing (the dial) and align the orienting arrow (a red arrow engraved in the rotating housing) underneath the red magnetic needle.

 To determine and plot or “fix” a position, the next step is to plot bearings on the map. In a “nut shell” this means that bearings to three clearly identifiable features are used.  Ideally, objects that have a bearing separation of 30° – 60°.  Good bearing separation provides better fixing information and plots on the map cleanly.  The bearings are then plotted on a map and where the three lines cross is the hiker’s location.  This complete process is called triangulation.

The following are suggestions for triangulating a position in the back country.

1. Identify three (or more) distinct objects to sight on.  Note that the objects need to be on the topo of the area. 
2. Orient the topo using the compass.  Orienting the topo means that the map’s left or right border is pointing to true north or 000° degrees true. 
3. Sight on an object such as a mountain peak or church spire.  (Note that not many objects in the backcountry are so distinct and crisp.  Do the best with what you have.) Ensure the direction of travel arrow is pointed towards the object.  Be as accurate as you can, point directly at the object.
4. Turn the compass housing until the orienting arrow is directly under red magnetic needle.  Do not move or rotate the compass housing, keep the new bearing in place.
5. At this point, and while plotting the bearing on the map, the compass will now be used like a protractor.  Importantly, the movement of the magnetic needle is not important.
6. Lay the compass on the map with either the top left or right corner of the baseplate on the landmark.  This will be a pivot point while aligning the compass.

7. With the edge of the baseplate in position, rotate the compass (swing) left or right until the N (north) of the compass housing aligns with map North (the top of the map.) 
8. Draw a line (along the baseplate) from the object (e.g., the mountain peak) to your approximate area.  Draw a nice long line.
9. Repeat the process two more times using other distant objects to sight on.
10. Ideally the three lines will intersect in the immediate area; this is the hikers location.  But because of compass error and human error the point of intersection maybe spread out.  Still, triangulation will put you in the ballpark.  Use terrain association to help narrow down your position.

   

Using Your Cell Phone In The Backcountry

Last month Jenny Rough wrote an interesting article about why it is a mistake to count  on a cell phone when you go hiking.  Her article was featured in the Washington Post.

She stressed that basic navigation "is a use-it-or-lose-skill.  How true.

The thrust of the post is that hikers have an over dependence of electronic navigation while forsaking the rudimentary  principles of using a map and compass. 

Take a look at Jenny's post.

Visit my other articles on land navigation too:

• Compass Tips
• GPS Tune-up
• Terrain Association

• A Hiker's Trip Plan

Fire Starter

Last week my friend and fellow blogger Leon  Pantenburg came to my wilderness survival class and held a presentation on fire starters.  Fire starters are a combination of equipment and process to start fire in an emergency situation.

The highlight was when Leon used flint, steel and char cloth.  Flint, steel and char cloth were the tools to create a spark.  The char cloth captured the tiny spark and began to ignite a very small section of the char cloth.

Char cloth is made from all cotton material (e.g., blue jeans) that is placed in a small container and is essentially cooked for 5-10 minutes.

Take a look at Leon's video or visit his blog at www.survialcommonsense.com. 

Leon calls char cloth a miracle material for making a fire.

When I head out into Oregon's backcountry I have a small pack that contains the basics of the 10 essentials.

Among the many components in my pack is a small (sandwich size) zip lock plastic bag containing my fire starter.

For fire starting I carry a water tight container filled with Storm Proof matches, a "metal match", cotton balls saturated with petrolatum jelly, Bic lighter and flint, steel and char cloth (about six or seven pieces.)

From Left to Right - Steel striker, two pieces of char cloth, and a quarter
 give perspective to char cloth size.  Outdoor Quest/Blake Miller image. 

First Aid Kits

There are lots of options available to the hiker when building a fist aid kit.

The American Red Cross has a listing online that identifies what you might consider.

John D. McCann's book Build The Perfect Survival Kit is a fine resource that offers several lists of what should be contained in a kit.  I particularly like how his kit changes with regard to activity.  For example, a day hiker might not carry as much gear as the Search And Rescue team member.

Adventure Medical offers several kits for purchase.  SeattleBackPackersMagazine has a quick post for you to review.

Survival - Leaving a Message

John D. McCann's facebook post today reminded me about the ability to leave a message or a note when one is lost. Check out McCann's web site.

It's not rocket science.  Just a simple note to say "I need help."

I use the Rite In The Rain products quite a bit. Their note books are rugged and reliable.

Don't forget to fill out your travel plan.  Leave this plan with a responsible person who will call for help (911) if you don't return home on time.

Wilderness Survival: You're Lost

I came across Ryan Tipps' post on Outdoorhub today.  This material can not be repeated often enough.

"Face it – getting lost happens to the best of us. Maybe you were tracking an injured buck too long; maybe the batteries on your GPS gave out; or maybe you hadn’t brushed up on your map and compass skills like you planned. Bottom line: You are where you are – wherever that may be."

10 Essential Food Items Necessary for Survival

Post by Lee Flynn

If there were ever an emergency, then the first 10 items anyone would want in bulk would be the 10 items below in the list. They have been selected carefully for a number of reasons. They're easy to store, and many of them are essential nutritionally. Here are 10 foods absolutely necessary for an emergency food plan.

25 Pounds of a Variety of Rice

 

Rice is a must have in, and it should be at the top of the list for anyone starting in food storage planning. 25 pounds is a lot of rice, but it may be necessary. Rice is nutritious and filling, and once the plan begins to expand, then other items can be added to the inventory to make the rice more appetizing. It is recommended to get a combination of white and brown rice. This is because of the health benefits of brown rice and the longer shelf life of white rice. It is a staple to have in the grain group, especially since it is important to still cover the four food groups.

At Least 25 Cans of Vegetables

Do not let taste and preference be the guide hand when selecting vegetables. There needs to be a mix of different kinds vegetables in this plan for a very good reason, which is nutrition. Certain vegetables offer certain important vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants. Mix this selection up with greens, carrots, canned potatoes and anything else available different from the rest.

25 Cans Minimum of Various Fruit

Canned fruit usually comes in a sweet syrup, and it tastes pretty good too. Aside from the taste, the selection of fruit should be varied like the vegetables for the same reason. Get a variety to cover as many different vitamins and nutrients as possible, and the sugar in fruit is also good fuel for the body. The idea behind the variety of fruit and vegetables is stave off any nutritional deficiencies.

Five Pounds of Oats

Oatmeal is packed with nutrition and fiber. Fiber is extremely good for the human body. Besides keeping us regular, it slows down the absorption of glucose in the flood, and it will help prevent crashing, and it's good for people with diabetes or during pregnancy  according to Healthline which is an equally important thing to consider when preparing for emergencies even if you are planning for newborn adoption. It is also very filling in small amounts.

25 Cans of Various Meat

All kinds of meat come available in a can like shrimp, salmon, clams, tuna, chicken, beef stew and even those little Vienna sausages and Spam. Again, try and go for a variety, but the main reason for meat on the shopping list is protein. Protein is essential to live, and it repairs cells and builds muscle. Any kind of injuries sustained by someone will need protein to heal.

Five Pounds of Powdered Milk

Milk is on the list for a couple of reasons, and it also completes the food groups. Milk is full of nutrients and protein, and it is also a great source of Vitamin D, which will be vital in case having to stay out of the sun for awhile is necessary. It can also be added to oatmeal and other grains.

Three Large Jars Powdered Fruit Drink Mixes Fortified With Vitamin C

This will add some flavor to an unfortunate situation, and the Vitamin C fortification helps boost the immune system, and depending on how long the food plan is necessary, Vitamin C is something no one wants to be deficient in. DermNet NZ warns a Vitamin C deficiency could result in the old affliction of scurvy.

Five Pounds of Salt

Salt is a must when making a food prepping list. It is perfect for enhancing flavor, preserving food and it prevents the sodium deficiency of Hyponatremia, which has some very nasty symptoms. Salt is a necessary part of the human diet.

Five Pounds of Dried Pasta

This is filling, and it is a comfort food. A comfort food is something to be cherished if an emergency ever occurs.

Five Large Jars or Cans of Pasta Sauce

There is no scientific explanation for this item, but it does go well with the pasta, and it is an easy way to make a filling meal.

The basic food groups have been taken care of, and everything has a large, reasonable amount to be purchased and stored. This list is put together with nutritional deficiencies in mind. It was also meant to balance nutrition with taste and comfort. It is never too late to prepare for an emergency.

Lee Flynn is a freelance writer. Through small local workshops and articles, Lee trains and teaches others on home preparation, healthy living, food storage techniques, and self reliance.

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