Navigation Tips for Adventure Racers

Once basic map and compass skills are mastered, these skills must be put to use and refined. Here are some exercises that will help you hone your skills.

A first step is to buy or download topographic maps of your local hiking and biking destinations. Spend time studying the maps on your next outing. Try looking at the map and visualize in detail what the upcoming geography will look like. Then practice studying the geography and visualize in detail what the map will look like. By doing this you will quickly refine you ability to read and recognize map contour features.

Next, practice estimating how long it will take you to travel distances on a map. This is a critical skill, as it will allow you some rest time while navigating -- knowing you need to be watching for an intersection in ten minutes is much easier than carefully :"thumbing" the same route for ten minutes. Start by learning to estimate how quickly you are travelling. On a bike, this is easy with a good bike computer. On foot, practice measuring your pace and a standard hiking speed, and then a quick and slow pace. Estimate going up hill and down hill. After a few weeks of practice you should be able to estimate you pace with high accuracy. Then try to estimate how long it will take you to cover a set path on a topo map. Start with short distances (1/4 mile) and then expand to more complex routes. Adjust your time estimates for unexpected delays, etc.

Once you have mastered these techniques, try to do some geocaching using topo maps instead of a GPS receiver. You may need to bring a GPS to find the hidden cache, but using topos alone, you should be able to come within a meter or so of the geocache.

Navigation Techniques

Navigation Primer for Adventure Racers

Basic tricks of the trade (aiming off, handrails, etc.)

More general tips for adventure racers