Knowing your place in the wild is the difference between being on a hike and being lost. Even if things go south, it only becomes an emergency if you don’t know where you are, how you got there, and how to get out. Land nav is the skill that makes the difference. A critical competency of infantry units, search & rescue teams, and expeditionary groups, a working knowledge of land navigation is arguably the strongest pillar of confidence in the wild. But as any green second lieutenant will tell you, this is one skill you just can’t learn from a book. Do it right, and invest the time in the field. You’ll thank yourself later.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this 1-day course:  

• How to read and understand a topographical map
• How to associate that map with the terrain around you
• How a compass works
• How to account for magnetic declination
• How to plot points on a map and create a route of travel
• How to shoot an azimuth, count your pace, and navigate around common obstacles
• How to navigate when you don’t have a map, compass, or either one
• Why you don’t want to rely exclusively on GPS
• And much more

And here’s what else you’ll get with the course: 

• A hot, home-cooked lunch to keep you going throughout the day
• Unlimited instructor support via email after class is over

No prior experience is required for this class, but we recommend bringing a daypack with some basic necessities (see our FAQs for what we suggest) and comfortable shoes for hiking. The best way to prevent a true emergency in the woods is not getting lost. The way to not get lost is a working knowledge of navigation. Come find your way.

Got a long drive and hate waking up early? Sign up for overnight camping here.