Tacoma Navigation Committee:
Co-Chair-Larry Dunn - mtnhiker06@juno.com
Co-Chair-Steve Frank - stephen.m.frank@hotmail.com
Field Trips-Gary Zink - garyzink@comcast.net
Records-Chuck Bredl-brewmasterchuck@comcast.net
Communications-Don Campbell - sketcher54@hotmail.com
The Tacoma Mountaineers Wilderness Navigation Course consists of two evening workshops and a full-day field trip at the Mountaineers’ Irish Cabin property (located near the Carbon River entrance to MRNP). Course participants have required reading and homework assignments and a final exam. GPS information is covered in the second workshop.
This course provides an introduction to skills needed to navigate safely while participating in outdoor activities. During the course you will learn to relate features on a topographical map to your surroundings, use your compass to determine bearings to objects in the field, use a map to determine your desired direction of travel and determine your location on a map based on your surroundings. Participants who successfully complete the course will receive a navigation card valid for three years for all Tacoma courses requiring Basic Navigation. The Basic Navigation course is required for the Tacoma Snowshoe/Winter Travel, Alpine Scrambles, Basic Climbing and GPS courses.
Controlled Risk:
Participants must be aware that the navigation field trip has some degree of risk. The course involves travel through steep rugged terrain with fallen trees, slippery logs, rock and swampy areas adjacent to streams. Rain, cold and possibly snow may create challenging conditions.
Required Text:
Mountaineering, The Freedom of the Hills, 7th Edition --or-- Wilderness Navigation by Burns & Burns, 2nd Edition is required for the course. If you are registered or planning to register for other club courses, purchase Mountaineering, Freedom of the Hills. It is the standard text for many Mountaineering courses. Both books are available at the club bookstore for a 20% discount. Either book may also be found at other booksellers.
Clothing and Equipment:
Note---A mirrored sighting compass is required at both lectures and the field trip. The compass requirements are found in the Navigation Manual. Review the required features before you purchase a compass. Participants in the field trip should have rugged boots that can keep their feet warm and dry. Standard mountaineering clothes (wool, synthetic – NO COTTON), adequate rain gear, plenty of food and water, a backpack and the 10 Essential Systems need to be carried. If you are not familiar with the type of equipment needed, contact the navigation chair for more information.
Homework Assignment (prior to the first workshop):
A homework assignment is required to be completed before the first workshop. The Pre-Workshop Homework and the Navigation Manual are available for viewing and printing. If you do not have email or ability to download these files, contact the committee records person and a copy will be mailed to you. Students must have a copy of either Mountaineering, the Freedom of the Hills or Wilderness Navigation by Burns & Burns to do the homework. Bring the completed homework , text (Mountaineering, Freedom of the Hills or Wilderness Navigation by burns & Burns), pencil, ruler and the approved compass to the workshop. If you have trouble reading fine print, a small light and magnifying glass may be helpful.
Navigation Homework download here....
Navigation Manual download here....
Eligibility requirements:
Course participants must be at least 14 years of age. 14-17 year olds must complete the parental permission form and already be accepted in a Tacoma course requiring navigation or be interviewed and accepted by the committee chair. The course has a limit of 40 students and if necessary, priority is given to Tacoma Mountaineers enrolled in courses requiring navigation as a prerequisite for graduation, followed by other club members in a similar situation.
Navigation Course Fees:
The course fee is $38 for members and $53 for non-members. The course fee includes the topographic map used in class, handouts and a student field trip booklet. The fee is paid with a credit card when you register online. The fee may also be paid by check at the first workshop after coordinating with the Records Keeper.
How to Register:
Register on-line using a credit card at www.mountaineers.org. Go to Activity Sign-up, click on the box “Any date is fine”. Next, in “Destination or Activity Name” enter the word “navigation”. Find “Basic Navigation Course – Tacoma” and follow the registration instructions. You may also register by contacting the Records person and completing the required paperwork by mail. Club members and non-members must have a signed and dated Release and Indemnity Agreement on file at the Mountaineers main office to participate in this course.
Compass Requirements:
Tacoma Mountaineers Wilderness Navigation Course has specific requirements necessary for a compass used in this class. Do not purchase a compass without first reviewing these requirements in the Navigation Manual. Failure to meet these requirements will prohibit continuing participation in the course.
All compasses have a magnetized needle that points north, and have a way to indicate direction of travel. Mountaineering requires a compass with additional qualities. Compasses which hang from parka zippers or hook on watchbands are not suitable for this course or as part of your ten essentials. Good compasses are easily found, but most compasses on the market are not suitable for use in this course.
Every year, some students buy unsuitable compasses, usually the result of not following the guidelines below. Often, a sales person (who may or may not know the requirements of a good compass) was asked for advice. To complicate things further, our local outdoor stores sometimes run out of stock of the recommended compasses. Sales people will usually try to recommend alternatives (mostly unsuitable). They aren't malicious, but in fact are trying to be helpful. In reality, a good mountaineering compass has no substitute. Retailers will carry a variety of compasses, some suitable, some not.
Required Compass Features:
1. Adjustable declination: A moveable orienting arrow, which provides a built-in declination adjustment. If there is one feature which simplifies map and compass work, this is it. Compasses with adjustable declination can often be identified by the presence of an adjustment screw on the back of the housing (on the underside of the compass, look at the bezel - the screw is usually brass or copper colored).
All students MUST have a compass with adjustable declination. Be aware that REI's compass summary sheet has been incorrect (and may still be), about adjustable declination, particularly on some Brunton compasses. Be very sure to understand these requirements, not merely to read the REI summary sheet.
If you already have a compass without adjustable declination, you may not use it in this course. Recent experience indicates that such compasses detract from the learning experience.
2. A transparent rectangular base plate with a direction of travel arrow and a sighting mirror.
Transparency allows map features to be seen underneath the compass.
The rectangular shape provides straight edges and square angles for plotting and determining intersections on the map.
3. A bezel (the rotating housing) at least 2” in diameter and marked clockwise from 0 to 360 degrees in increments of two degrees or less. (Some compasses are numbered backwards, in a counterclockwise direction. Others are numbered in quadrants of 90°. These are not suitable for use in this course.) In general, bezels should be large to allow use while wearing gloves - the larger size also improves accuracy. While selecting your compass, make sure you try adjusting the bezel to several settings. The bezels center should be firmly located so that it does not slide around the center post while being rotated. Some compasses allow some slop between the bezel and the base plate, detracting from the accuracy of measurements.
4. Meridian lines: Marks on the bottom of the interior of the circular compass housing, marked with parallel 'meridian lines', which rotate with the bezel when it is turned. The meridian lines run parallel to the north-south axis of the bezel, however turned. Meridian lines are necessary for plotting and determining intersections on the map.
5. A full-length declination arrow or parallel lines (see illustration below), extending over both the north and south ends of the bezel face. Some compasses have a pair of short parallel lines towards the north end of the bezel, which are intended to serve the general purpose, but don't provide an adequate reference for needle alignment in precision situations.
6. A 3 to 4-inch base plate. A longer straight edge makes map work easier.
7. A sighting mirror in the cover: This reduces errors introduced when moving the compass from eye-level after sighting to waist-level for reading the dial.
The figures below delineate the compass features required for the course – note that the mirror has not been included in the figure on the left for clarity.
Required Compass Features and Typical Mountaineering Compass
Additional Recommended Features
A liquid-filled housing is highly recommended to reduce erratic needle movement. In some cases, steadying the compass needle can be difficult.
An inclinometer: a gravity driven arrow that allows you to measure slope angle.
A luminous dial.
Note: “Quadrant-type” compasses marked from 0 to 90 degrees in each quadrant are not acceptable because they are difficult to use.
Recommended compasses
Compasses must have the first 7 features listed, including a declination adjustment mechanism and a sighting mirror. Don’t buy a new compass without these features. The declination adjustment can usually be identified by the presence of a small adjustment screw on the back of the bezel (on the underside of the compass).
The following list includes compasses that are equipped with appropriate features. This list is not all inclusive, but is representative of good quality, fully equipped compasses suitable for this course and for other mountaineering activities. Prices for a good compass start at about $50.
Compasses which may be SUITABLE for the course include:
* Silva Ranger CL515
* Suunto MC-2D
* Suunto MC-2G(Global or Navigator) NOTE: Some of these are not adequate.
Unacceptable compasses
Compasses are unsuitable for mountaineering if they are too small for accurate bearings, do not have meridian lines, do not allow declination to be adjusted, are numbered in 5 degree increments, have non-transparent housings, do not have degree markings from 0 to 360, or cannot be used for measuring and plotting bearings on a map.
Features that make a compass undesirable or unsuitable:
* Lack of a straight edge for plotting lines on a map
* Lack of declination adjustment
* Lack of meridian lines inside the bezel
* Small size -- less than 3.5" x 2.2"
* Small bezel - less than 2" in diameter
UNSUITABLE compasses for this course:
* SILVA model Guide Type 26
* NEXUS model Star 7N2
* BRUNTON model 8020 GPS
* BRUNTON model 9020 G
Unusual compasses
There are two unusual compasses offered by Brunton (the Eclipse models) which are acceptable, but are not well suited for most mountaineering activities. They are very accurate, and of high quality. We will accept (but not encourage) the use of these compasses in the course.