Wilderness Navigation

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BADGES

This course earns you the Basic Navigation and Basic GPS badges.  The Basic Navigation badge is a requirement for many advanced courses such as Climbing, Scrambling and Intermediate Snowshoeing. The Basic Navigation badge is valid for 3 years.

It also incorporates all materials and skills trainings of the “Introduction to GPS Navigation, Trip Planning and Workflow” course. Thus, a Basic GPS badge will also be awarded. 

DIFFICULTY

This is not a beginner's course. It focuses on "off-trail" navigation requirements for Climbing, Scrambling, Intermediate Snowshoeing and other more advanced courses. As part of the field trip, participants will be required to hike off trail hiking  across rugged terrain with fallen logs, creeks, brush, and steep slopes. There are no prerequisites for Wilderness Navigation. This course is suitable for students with little or no navigation experience.

If you are simply looking for a more introductory course or something focused on "on-trail" navigation, consider "Introduction to Map and Compass", " Staying Found On-Trail Navigation " and/or “Introduction to GPS Navigation, Trip Planning and Workflow”. Note that these courses do not meet the navigation requirements for Climbing, Scrambling, Snowshoeing, etc. Wilderness Navigation does.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The four class activities build upon each other, with these ultimate learning goals:

• Skilled in travel thru varied terrain & conditions, on and off trail.
• Navigation tasks can be shared among the entire team.
• The ability to maintain a high level of situational awareness – all team members can determine point position & return route to your starting point.
• Skilled in using the full tool set – map, altimeter, compass, GPS, and awareness of emergency procedures and devices.

Structure

This Wilderness Navigation Course has four parts. For credit you must complete all four in order. Activities are:

1. Online Map & Compass
2. Online GPS
3. In-Person Workshop
4. In-Person Field Trip

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 COURSE ENROLLMENT

The Foothills Wilderness Navigation does not maintain “rolling enrollment”. This means that individuals on the last session’s waitlist are NOT automatically rolled over to the next session. Individuals who were waitlisted for the current session must re-enroll when the next course is posted.

We encourage you to enroll even if there is a waitlist. There are always some cancellations before the course begins. No fees are required to be on the waitlist. The waitlist is managed on a first come, first served basis. If a slot opens, you will receive an email offering you the option to register. Payment of course fees are required upon accepting the offer to enroll.

THINGS TO DO

1. Register for this Wilderness Navigation Course and pay the course fee.
2. Register for the online Map & Compass.
3. Register for the online GPS.
4. Register for one Workshop.
5. Register for one Field Trip
6. Obtain required equipment and materials listed in “Required Equipment” and “Course Materials” tabs
7. Read the FAQ (Link provided in the Course Materials tab

KEEP YOUR DATES

Once you sign up for an activity, please try to keep that date. If you move to a later date, do so very early so others have time to fill your spot or be pulled in from the waitlist. If you make changes at the last minute, it affects everyone.

 COURSE ACTIVITIES

There are 4 separate activities which must be completed in order to successfully pass this course. The entire course will take up to 30 hours to complete. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE TIME COMMITMENT FOR THE ONLINE ACTIVITIES. THEY TAKE TIME.

1. Online Map & Compass is “at your own pace” over a 2-week period. It takes 7 to 8 hours to complete. It must be successfully completed before moving to the Online GPS Module. This activity covers the basics of map and compass, coordinate systems, plotting and taking bearings and coordinates, altimeter and GPS system basics, and an introduction to trip planning. It includes readings from the book and practical exercises at home with map and compass. Register after signing up for the course.
2. Online GPS Module is “at your own pace” over a 2-week period and must be successfully completed before moving on to the Online Workshop. It will take you 4-6 hours of online work and practical exercises. It expands upon Online Map & Compass into GPS and the use of digital tools for trip planning. It has you set up Gaia GPS on your smartphone and use CalTopo for trip planning. Register after signing up for the course.
3. Workshop is a 2-hour weeknight in-person meeting. Here you'll breakout into small groups and do practical table top exercises with Map and Compass to solidify what you've learned in preparation for the field trip. Register for one session after signing up for the course.
4. Field Trip is an all-day event at the Raging River State Forest near Preston, WA. It includes both on and off-trail exercises, with about 4.0 miles of hiking and 800' of elevation gain. You'll tie together different ways to use all four tools in your navigation toolkit - map, altimeter, compass, and GPS. Register for one session after signing up for the course.
   
   

REQUIRED MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Compass, Book, Maps, Smartphone, and GaiaGPS (with subscription), Altimeter (optional, GaiaGPS functionality will suffice). See the Required Equipment and Course Materials tab for details and links.

REQUIRED READING ASSIGNMENTS

During the Online Map & Compass activity, you'll have readings from the Burns & Burns book "Wilderness Navigation", 3rd Edition. Mountaineers members get a 20% discount when ordering it online from Mountaineers Books as well as purchasing it in person at the Mountaineers Bookstore located in the Seattle Mountaineers Program Center. Please support the Mountaineers by purchasing it directly from the Mountaineers.

Additional reading is available in "Freedom of the Hills."

FIELD TRIP CARPOOLING

Carpooling to the Field Trip trail head will be in accordance with the club recommendations in effect when the field trip is held.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND OTHER COURSES

For more info about this course, about equivalency options, about renewing your badge that has or is about to expire, or other navigation courses, please see the Foothills Navigation Committee Page.