I'd say finding your way back would be #1.
That's different than map skills. A map is good if you have one, but not so good if you leave it somewhere and forget it.
The trick to this is reading and remembering the terrain you've covered, and looking for and remembering landmarks.
Fallen trees, rock formations, creeks, canyons and distant views of peaks and ridges and valleys, man made items (trash). Pay attention to these things as you hike in, and look for them when hiking out.
These skills are easy to practice and learn by starting with short hikes and bushwhacks (off trail hikes) and increasing your distance as you become better and more confident. You can hone your map skills at the same time.
Bill, I agree completely with what you are trying to say, but don't completely agree with your definitions. It is vital that when hiking you are able to read and remember terrain covered. You should be able to walk around for a week or two and then be able to retrace your steps without a map. Remembering landmarks is key to this. But, I think that that is what map skills are. If you can't look at the terrain, and then place yourself on the map, what good is the map? All a map is good for is finding a new route to something specific, or finding your car when taking a different path from the one you took away from it.
Previous Topic
Index
