Who Bushwacks

[TEO]

I was being serious...

On most of my bushwhacks I've, at most, used a compass on a limited basis. Topography has been my greatest aid. As for hiking on the trails, I only ever use the map for curiosity's sake, not for navigational needs. I've used a GPS once, and even then it was just to get five headings to pre-programmed waypoints in a dense and wild region. In hindsight, they were more comforting than necessary.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

... I offered to teach him and said it was no more complicated than balancing a checkbook, and he said he just assumed the bank got it right.

OMG - you mean they don't?!

 

[Little Rickie]

Doesn't seem like that many bushwack?

 

[sierra]

I have never held a GPS, Im a compass guy but I never even use that. My sense of direction is very good. I did many 14ers, 13ers and many 12ers in CO and CA with just the little picture maps in the guidebook. Ive never bought a map that didnt come with the guide I was using. Ive been lost a few times and find my way just knowing where I am and where I need to be. When I was younger and hunted, I could go into the woods (Whites mostly) hunt cross country for most of the day and come out within 100 yrds of the car, my buddies stuck to me like glue.

 

[Kul45]

I used to always carry a compass in my bag of essentials. Because that bag generally remained buried in my pack, I never used my compass.

Then, early last winter, I was backcountry skiing with a couple of friends. One of said friends was showing the second friend and me an area that he had begun to explore.

As the day began to disappear, he consulted his GPS to lead us to the run that would take us back to our cars. The direction seemed utterly wrong to me, but my compass was in my pack, and my friend had his GPS with marked waypoints, so I withheld my suspicions.

Finally, I whispered my misgivings to the second friend. He shared them and asked if I had a compass handy. So I stopped and dug mine out.

We were headed in almost exactly the opposite direction as needed. It took some pursuading--the first friend was too married to his GPS--but we finally followed the compass and arrived at the parking lot before dark. It turns out that the first friend didn't have his GPS zoomed in enough or something like that.

Since that afternoon, I always keep my compass in my pocket. I don't often consult it, but at least now, I'll not suffer misgivings very long.

 

[DougPaul]

Finally, I whispered my misgivings to the second friend. He shared them and asked if I had a compass handy. So I stopped and dug mine out.

We were headed in almost exactly the opposite direction as needed. It took some pursuading--the first friend was too married to his GPS--but we finally followed the compass and arrived at the parking lot before dark. It turns out that the first friend didn't have his GPS zoomed in enough or something like that.

Since that afternoon, I always keep my compass in my pocket. I don't often consult it, but at least now, I'll not suffer misgivings very long.

No matter what equipment you bring, you still have to know how to use it properly...

Improper zooming sounds minimally plausible--it is generally pretty obvious when you need to change the display scale (zoom level).

As I have stated multiple times before: the tools (map, compass, altimeter, GPS) all complement each other. Sometimes the brain helps too...

Doug

 

[Stan]

The only time I've ever used a GPS was for an informal field test for REI many years ago. I like many of the features and conveniences, especially after seeing and reading about how others have used it, but still prefer to use map and compass.

If I relied on GPS I would never want to lose map and compass skills and would advise those that do use GPS to be mindful that technology is more subject to failure than our own wits ... well, for most of us anyway.

The other thing about map and compass that, for me, is better is the more natural connection it gives with the outdoors. Navigation is an art which often relies on your best judgement based upon a number of factors such as altitude, vegetation, herd paths, rock formations, dead reckoning, compass bearings etc. Practicing this art challenges your skills in many ways. Reliance on GPS to replace these skills attaches you more to technology than to the outdoors.

 

[Adk_dib]

I purcased a gps about 4 years ago. I thought it would come in handy ding Couchie and allen and others like it. I never could figure the !@#$ thing out. I work with a guy who purchase the same model an he had the same problem.
We both work wth computers so we are not new to things like this. Not only couldn't we figure how to get it to work, the buttons were so small they are hard to seee out in the trail. Cant remmember if it was a magellan or garmin. I remember I got billed for it by my credit card befroe I even got it. I called the company after a few weeks and they said it was on backorder. They billed me for it before they shipped it. I told them to cancell my order and by a miricle they said they had one. Boy I wish I cancelled it, it was the worst $400 I ever spent.