[pct-l] Navigation. Which Compass skills are needed?

[Ken Murray]

Q: "Hi every body I was wandering which skills whith the compass do I need  
to find my way and navigate on the trail?
I use the wilderness press hand books.
Thanks for helping out Julian"

A: "Any simple compass with a base plate. Adjustable declination is nice to
have. You don't need a sighting mirror."

As you can see, Julian, here on the PCT, we don't worry much about having any skills, 
we just focus on having the *right* equipement, so we look good!  :)

First, I generally think of "map and compass skills" as a package.  I would start off
by saying that you really need to know how to read a map.  I guess even more basic is
that you need to HAVE a map.  

You need to be able to find north, and so orient yourself, and a map.
You need to be able to find yourself on a map, given views to landmarks.
So, you need to be able to accurately determine angle to any visible landmark.

You need to develop the sense, by looking at a map,  of the direction that you will be
hiking for the next hour, and the approximate time it will take you to get to 
obvious features, such as a stream crossing.  Experienced people can often time it
within minutes.

As you might guess, I am not of the school of hiking all day, then trying to figure 
things out.  I prefer to remain continuously oriented, so that I know in a very short 
time if I am moving in a wrong direction, or in a situation where I need to pay close
attention instead of just enjoying the view.  It becomes second nature after awhile, 
so that you don't really have to think about it much.  You get to the point where you
will subconsciously think "I should be seeing a rounded peak to the NNW in about 10 minutes, 
and a hanging valley to the ENE in about 20 min", as you move along. 

It is really worthwhile to take a nav course, particularly one that involves 
"on the ground" practice.  Sierra Club in many areas offer such, at low/no cost.
The one in Los Angeles/Orange Co is outstanding. 

In some areas, like the High Sierra, you barely need anything.  The PCT is a freeway among
trails, with few side trails, except near roads.  In other places, there are so many 
false trails, direction may be most important, as you'll never figure out which dirt
path among many is actually the trail (thanks, ORV!)

Oh, and as for gear, I think declination adjustment is worth it--saves you a lot 
of calculating, with a chance of error when you are tired, and I prefer the models
that DO have a mirror.  The mirror is double functioning as a rescue signaling device, 
and they generally fit into a lid that fits over the compass, which helps keep dirt out 
of the mechanism.  You CAN get by with a very basic model, but you'll 
spend a lot more time figuring out what you need to know.
  However, your mileage may vary, as they say.

I've been happy with a Silva guide 426, which is high quality but inexpensive($20), has all the 
bells and whistles.  I'd avoid the "military" stuff, which tends to be junk. Suunto and 
Brunton also make reliably good models.