Map and Compass Basics Class July 30, 2009

Have you been carrying a compass for years and never actually known how to use it? For anyone heading to the outdoors, map and compass skills are essential to navigating safely. Join our Outdoor School Instructors for a class on learning to use a compass and read a map to help you find your way in the wilderness. Our Instructor will teach you all the parts of a compass and how to choose a style that works for you. We’ll talk about magnetic north, true north, and magnetic variation (declination), and help you make sense of it all. Then you’ll learn how to take a bearing, both in the field and projected onto a map, so you can learn how to triangulate your position and plan a route. Speaking of maps, what do all those squiggly lines mean? We’ll also discuss topographic maps and how to read them to understand your terrain. Join us for an optional Map & Compass outing to put your new knowledge into practice. Advance class sign-up is highly recommended. Call or visit any Sierra area REI to sign up.
Cost: Member: $20, Non-Member: $40

Official Website: http://www.rei.com/rei/outdoorschool/Sac/sacmapbasic.jsp