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HOW TO GET UN-LOST:

NAVIGATION COURSE

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WHERE AM I?..

Learn how to read a map and compass! No need to follow your GPS! Join us outside for a day of getting un-lost.

By the end of the day you'll be able to find north without a compass (or GPS), match the terrain around you to the map, use a compass to orient the map to north, and tell your friends what the squiggly lines on a topo map mean! Phew, that is a lot to cover, but are we ever going to have fun!

Topics to be covered include:

  • Map Reading (legend, scale, grid reference, map symbols, map interpretation)
  • Determining a grid reference or UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator, a plane coordinate grid system named for the map projection on which it is based.)
  • How to plan out a route
  • Identifying map features in the field
  • How to take a compass bearing
  • Declination (Def: angular distance north or south from the celestial equator measured along a great circle passing through the celestial poles.)
  • Orientating yourself on the map

Dates and Bookings

Adventure Dates 2025:

  • May 17
  • June 14
  • Sept 6
  • Sept 27
Adventure Rates:
  • Participants:
    CAD $115 + applicable taxes
  • Information package will be given upon registration
  • We value small groups - limited to 8 adventurers
  • This is a co-ed trip

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Itinerary and Gear

Planned Itinerary

  • 8:30am:
    Meet the group outside of Elevation Place on the "patio" in Canmore, AB. Here at Elevation Place we will meet everyone in the group, fill out waivers, and start the fun!
    Map to Elevation Place  
  • 10:30am:

    We will drive to the trailhead and put out newly acquired knowledge to the test. 

  • 11:00am:
    Arrive at trailhead, regroup, refresh some of our instruction, and head off in search of our destination. We will work in groups finding our way off trail. Trail intersections will challenge you as the group determines which way to go. Using the mountains around you you'll learn how to determine where you are on the map. Get ready for a day of doing and seeing!
  • 3:30-4:00pm:
    Assuming we don't get lost, we will safely arrive back at our cars.

Level of Difficulty

All fitness levels are welcome on this trip. It is an easy hike at about 7km with 150m of elevation gain. The focus of the course will be on brain power, not physical endurance. We spend a short section, 300m, travelling through relatively open bush.

Gear

Included:

  • Navigation handout
  • Backcountry skills learning
  • Instruction from an ACMG Guide
  • Safety equipment: Bear Spray, Communication Device, First Aid Kit

Participants must provide:

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