MAP AND COMPASS

Learning the Basics

MAP AND COMPASS

So easy – A caveman can do it!

MAP AND COMPASS

• Where things are and how to

get to them

Topographic Maps

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get to them

• Describe the shape of the land

• Define and locate natural and

man made features

• Distance between two places

• Direction from one point to

another

MAP AND COMPASS

Primary highway

Secondary highway

Light-duty road

Overpass - Underpass

Buildings

School -- church

TOPOGRAPHIC MAP SYMBOLS

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Light-duty road

Unimproved road

Trail

Railroad: single track

Railroad: double track

Bridge

Tunnel

Footbridge

School -- church

Woodland

Orchard

Scrub

Well water – spring

Rapids

March (swamp)

Falls

MAP AND COMPASSBasics

Cardinal Points Cardinal Points

North North = 0/360= 0/36000

North North = 0/360= 0/36000

South South = 180= 18000

East East = 90= 9000

West West = 270= 27000

MAP AND COMPASS

Scale

DiTrni

MAP AND COMPASS

Contour Lines

MAP AND COMPASS

Map Problem

It’s July. Let’s suppose you’re

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suppose you’re starting a hike at A and heading for Q.

1. For local

information or in

case of emergency

would you go to B,

C, or D? Why?

1. C has telephone

lines next to it. B is

a school and

probably closed in

summer. D is a

cemetery.

2.The Wahootchee

River flows NW to

SE. To paddle

downstream, would

it be safer to launch

canoes at E or F.

Why?

2. Launch them at F.

The map shows

rapids between E

and F.

3.Would you cross

the river at G or H?

Why?

3. Use the

footbridge at G. H is

a railroad bridge.

4. Where would you

most likely find

firewood – I or U?

Why?

4. At I. Because I is

scrub woods. U is

an orchard

5. Which trail would

you take – J or K?

Why?

5. K. J goes

through a swamp.

6. Which is the

easier way to reach

P – Trail L or M?

Why?

6. The closer

contour lines of M

show a steeper

climb.

MAP AND COMPASS

Magnetic Declination

DiTrni

Direction of Travel Arrow

Magnifying

Glass

Bearing Dial or

Graduation ring

MAP AND COMPASS

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Bearing

Index

Orienting Arrow

and fluorescent dots

North-south lines or orienting lines

Compass needle –

Red points North

Graduation ring

MAP AND COMPASS

THE SYLVA SYSTEM THE SYLVA SYSTEM –– Easy as 1Easy as 1--22--33

Point the baseplate to

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baseplate to your destination

MAP AND COMPASS

THE SYLVA SYSTEM THE SYLVA SYSTEM –– Easy as 1Easy as 1--22--33

Set Compass Heading

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Heading

MAP AND COMPASS

THE SYLVA SYSTEM THE SYLVA SYSTEM –– Easy as 1Easy as 1--22--33

Follow Your Heading

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Heading

MAP AND COMPASS

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Review

MAP AND COMPASS

“Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves”. ~Henry David Thoreau