Orienting a Map with Compass

You may have heard about ‘True North’ and ‘Magnetic North’?

Magnetic North is the automatic alignment of North on your compass.

This is where the red tipped magnetic needle will always point, but depending on where you are at, True North is different and it is the actual North from your location.

True North will be indicated on the map in an upper corner or wherever the map’s directional reference is.

Turn the housing dial of your compass to the local true north variance. Place your map on the ground and put your compass on the map with the direction-of-travel-arrow aligned with North.

Now rotate your map and your compass together, making sure you hold the compass steady and aligned, until the red tipped magnetic needle lines up with True North.

This is called "Putting Red Fred in the Shed"

You now have a map that is perfectly aligned with the terrain you’re in!

Triangulation consists of determining your location from a map. This is a good skill to have when:

• You're lost
• You just want to confirm your location

Learn how to figure out your location in a vast wilderness with just a map and a compass.

Course Plotting consists of determining a 'from point A to point B' travel path, then using the compass to get there!

Want to learn how to plot your course using a map and compass?

From Map and Compass To These Gear Tips

Marmot Gravity Jacket - A perfect water resistant jacket for rough outdoor adventuring.

Masterglow Microlite Mini Camp Stove - The most affordable lightweight camp stove.

Merrell Hiking Boots - One of the top boot choices for serious backpackers and outdoor enthusiasts.

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