How to Find North on the Hiking Trip

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

If you’re out hiking at night, or in an unknown area, while on a hiking or camping trip, it will be important to keep your bearings. This is especially true if you’re camping in a place you’ve never been before, where almost every location will look new and consequently, a little confusing. But if you always know how to find north and have the resources to do it effectively, you’ll be in better shape. Here are some ways to find north while you’re hiking.

Bring the right equipment:

Most of your problems will be eliminated if you bring a GPS device or a compass with you – or both. Of course, not every one of us has access to these once we’re out in the woods, so you don’t want to rely on technology alone. That’s why having other ways of determining direction will be extremely valuable. If you are informed and bring the right technology with you, you’ll have no trouble determining your direction.

On a clear night, use the stars.

Navigating by the stars has been important for seafaring civilizations for hundreds – maybe thousands – of years. On a clear night out in the woods, you should have an excellent view of the right stars to help point out where north is. In the northern hemisphere, locate the Big Dipper. At the “spoon” end of the dipper (not the handle end), the two end stars point toward the North Star.

Click here for an illustration. Note: in the southern hemisphere, you can use a similar technique with the Summer Cross. Research this more to learn how it’s done.

During daylight, use the presence of the sun.

If you know what time it is, you should have a good idea of where the sun is. In the northern hemisphere, the sun will be due south at noon – this won’t help as much the closer to the equator you are. It will rise in the east and set in the west, although you don’t want to use the sun’s rising or setting to indicate exact directions east and west.

Most importantly, in a situation where you need to use navigation like this, try to keep calm. Staying relaxed will help you to remember tips and tricks like this, so keeping your wits might be the most important tip of all.

Photo Credits: cwalker71

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The Top Five Hiking Countries in the World

Sunday, September 6th, 2009

If you’re an avid hiker, chances are that you’ve done a little poking around and discovering on your own – finding all of the local hills, discerning which are the most challenging, etc. But for the truly avid hiker, a world of opportunity is at your feet: you’re anxious to see what else is out there. If you’re really an ambitious hiker with his or her sights set high, this article is for you. In it, we’ll take a look at the top five hiking countries in the world.

Keep in mind that this is a highly subjective list, and many countries with awesome sights and sounds have been left out of necessity.

1. United States of America

That’s right: for my fellow Americans, good ol’ Uncle Sam simply has the greatest diversity, range, and spectrum of possible hikes on Earth. The sheer size of the United States makes it ideal for different types of environments, and its location above the equator gives rise to several different climate zones that you don’t find in other large countries like Canada.

2. Switzerland

Switzerland is known typically for its knives, its cheese, and even its watches – but what we forget is that the Swiss Alps offer some nasty, challenging, and beautiful terrain in one of the safest countries in the world. Switzerland is ideal for the hiker who enjoys a good challenge in addition to beautiful and serene scenery. For you winter hikers, the Swiss Alps also provide an endless array of challenges.

3. Italy

Cousin to Switzerland because of its access to the Alps, Italy can be much like Switzerland except it offers a greater variety of hikes – from the volatile area near Mount Vesuvius to Tuscany to the Mediterranean Sea, Italy is one of the best countries to enjoy hiking on – especially while on vacation.

4. Argentina

South America had to be represented on this list, and Argentina makes an ideal choice, particularly because of its relative similarity to some European countries (such as in Buenos Aires), as well as its diverse range of terrain. Other countries like Bolivia and Brazil also present some interesting hiking ventures.

5. Canada

Mentioned earlier, Canada’s sheer size and still-untapped wilderness makes it a brilliant choice for a hiking vacation, as well as other outdoor sports such as skiing. Canada is home to some of the best sights on Earth, and although its climate range is fairly predictable, it still makes for a pleasant experience.

Photo Credits; longhorndave

Republished by Old Post Promoter