How to Navigate Without GPS

GPS dies. Batteries fail. The skill of map and compass never does.

Learn to read a topographic map. The contour lines show elevation. The closer they are, the steeper the terrain.

Orient your map. Use a compass to align the map with the real world. North on the map points to actual north.

Take a bearing. Point the compass at a landmark, read the degree. Follow that bearing and you move in a straight line.

Use natural features. Ridges, rivers, and valleys guide you. The terrain is the original map.

Practice at home before you need it. Set up a simple course in a park.

A paper map weighs nothing and never runs out of battery. Carry one.