Wilderness Navigation: Finding Your Way Using Map, Compass, Altimeter & GPS

by Bob Burns, Mike Burns

Wilderness Navigation is our nationally bestselling primer that serves as the official textbook for navigation courses taught by The Mountaineers and other outdoor education centers. It was born from the navigation chapter of Freedom, providing complete and expanded information on the topic. This new 3rd Edition is a major and complete update, and includes the following:

• Improved throughout for clarity, with chapter objectives presented at beginning of each chapter and summaries, “skills check” mini-quizzes, and practice problems listed at the end
• Updated descriptions of presently-available maps, compasses, altimeters, and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers
• Updated declination maps for the United States and the world
• Much-expanded GPS chapter, including the interfacing of the GPS receiver with the home computer, maximizing battery life, and using the GPS function in “smart” phones (and its limitations)
• Additional information on non-GPS navigational techniques
• Recommended websites, apps, and other sources of useful navigational information

Some of these changes became apparent when the authors were researching GPS usage for their new book, Wilderness GPS. (Note: GPS information is included in abridged form—it is not a substitute for the separate book.)

Genres: Reference, Outdoors, Nonfiction, Survival, Recreation, Mountaineering, Sports

291 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice starting point for wilderness navigation. All that's left is to get out & practice!

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do NOT rely on GPS! Compass reading is critical for everyone to know, in my opinion! I'm great with topography maps, but I got this little book to hone my compass reading skills. I'll be working on them for a time, and I'll use this little book a lot.

[Rayfes Mondal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feels like it's written for boy scouts but full of good tips for finding your way and not getting lost in the great outdoors. GPS can't do everything and you shouldn't rely solely on it.

[Pooja Mathur]

Dry, but informative. Focused on the Pacific Northwest, so be aware if you live somewhere else. Quick read.

[James Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read several books on land navigation in the wilderness including a couple of editions of “Be an Expert With Map & Compass (Bjorn Hjellstrom), previously the bible on the subject, one might say. I have enjoyed land navigation since I was a Boy Scout and have taught navigation in a college mountaineering class from “Freedom of the Hills.” I think this book by Burns and Burns is an excellent book that goes beyond “Freedom of the Hills.” The questions and exercises in the book are excellent. However, I think there are slightly easier ways to correct the magnetic deviation and the GPS information is dated. So is the chapter on altimeters outdated with relevant applications now on iPhones. Students should purchase an inexpensive basic baseplate compass without complicated features like a mirror, clinometer, etc. The feeling I got was that the authors were recommending high-end compasses where a simple Suunto A-30 will do everything you need and last a lifetime.

There is excellent advice on how not to get lost, and what to do if you do. This is an extremely important part of wilderness navigation. It also recommends always carrying and using a map and compass even when you have a GPS instrument. I agree.

Overall a great book on the subject for beginners and experienced people who want to brush up on their skills or teach others the basics.

[Alexander Lazarov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Отлична книга за първоначално запознаване с методите на ориентиране в дивата природа. Разискват се базови теми като разчитане на карта, закупуване и работа с компас, GPS устройства, навигиране и ориентиране, като се дават добри примери, с илюстрации за конкретни ситуации. Дадени са много практически съвети, които не са познати на широката публика. Лесен за четене, много информативен и добре структуриран труд.

Препоръчвам след първото прочитане и малко практика в планината, да се прочете отново, защото информацията е доста и това пречи да се запомни изцяло още с първото прочитане. Използвайки книгата и съветите в конкретен контекст (взимане на азимут, триангулиране, измерване на наклон) помага за бързото запомняне на основни принципи.

Като недостатък на изданието единствено може да се посочи частта с използването на GPS, защото по време на издаването ѝ технологията не е позволявала толкова бързо и коректно позициониране. Като принцип е написана правилно, но това е за далечната 2012 година (преди 11 години).

[Rafal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for outdoor adventurists

This book includes the fundamentals and advanced know-how of outdoor travel. From how to read a compass to reading slopes and angles on a glacier, this book is something you will always comeback to as a reference when planning a trip.

[Lisa Shaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book for learning navigation.

This is an excellent book for learning the skills of land navigation. It is interesting, informative, and having the questions at the end of each chapter was a big help in making sure I could perform the topics covered.

[Darren Kirby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice enough introduction to the art and craft of orienteering, map reading, and compass use.

[David M Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise

Easy read for beginners. Will give you the knowledge to go out and and use your maps and compass in the field.

[Carson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic reference, I now know how to use a compass. Will be returning to this book often.

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a comprehensive guide to choosing and using a compass, as well as various other tools of navigation (as the title suggests). The book does not just tell you how these tools work together, but also tells you the logical applications for when and how to use them in order to figure out where you are. The book is written in a welcoming style that is accessible to all levels of navigators, potential and practiced. What is also great is the authors include many resources for finding the tools they suggest (without feeling like an advertisement), as well as hypothetical scenarios and questions to consider in order to practice the ideas they write about. I give this 5/5 as the book accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do.

[George]

The 1999 first edition of this book I bought has a completely wrong explanation of declination adjustment. It says to add declination when west of zero degrees magnetic and subtract when east of it. This will get you lost big time. The actual adjustment is to subtract declination in the west and add declination in the east, following the old adages "Declination East - Compass Least" (i.e. subtract) and "Declination West - Compass Best" (i.e. add). I hope the author got it right this time with the "Change Edition". BTW - could I get my money back?

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that the Mountaineers (mountaineers.org) use for their basic wilderness navigation course. The book is very clear and informative for NEWBIES or those with an urban understanding of topo maps and compasses. The book describes the process of wilderness navigation using tried and true old school methods. It's a quick, down and dirty read.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative, I read this one as a requirement for the Mountaineers navigation course.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best book out there for learning how to effectively use topographic maps, orienteering compass and GPS. Easy to read and understand, an outdoor enthusiast's essential text.

[Adam Lund · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the core of the Mountaineers outdoor navigation course. Great resource for the outdoors.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this a little more than "Basic Essentials Map & Compass" by Cliff Jacobson though both were well written and helpful

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for Navigation class. Useful, but I recommend also doing some orienteering courses to add to your skills

[Jennifer Booklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful book for our Mountainers navigation course.

[Nathalie]

Filed as 'gave up on' but really got distracted and didn't finish it before I had to return it to the library.

[Mark]

COCC GV200.4 .B87 2015