How To Navigate Forward & Mark Your Return
Navigating Forward
Compass
A compass points north, so if you know where you need to go, it can help you walk the right way. If you don’t know where to go, pick a direction and use the compass to walk in a straight line to avoid walking in circles.
Sunrise & Sunset
You can use the sun to determined directions—it rises in the east and sets in the west. This tells you that when you are looking at a sunrise -
· East is in front of you,
· West is behind you,
· South is to your right,
· North is to your left (the hand that can make a capitol “L” with your thumb and pointer finger)
Also, when you are looking at a sunset, you know -
· West is in front of you,
· East is behind you,
· North is to your right,
· South is to your left (the hand that can make a capitol “L” with your thumb and pointer finger)
Setting Sun
You can use your hands to estimate how much time is left before the sun goes down. First, face the setting sun. Then, hold your hand out flat, with your fingers together and your palm facing you, like you would if you were shielding your eyes from the sun. Put your hand just below the sun, so the sun is resting on the top of your fingers. Now stack your other hand below the first one, and keep stacking flat hands down to the horizon. Each hand you stack is about 15 minutes, and four hands stacked is about one hour. This helps you know how much daylight you have left to find shelter, gather firewood, or get ready for the night.
Sundial
You can make a sundial by putting a stick in the ground and watching where its shadow moves. Using small stones, twigs or drawn lines in the ground, mark 12 evenly spaced points in a circle around the stick. This will help determine length of time, such as when an hour passes.
Stars
To find the North Star at night, first look for the Big Dipper—it looks like a pot with a long handle. Find the two stars at the end of the “pot” part (not the handle). These two stars point straight to the North Star, which is not the brightest star, but it stays in the same place in the night sky. Follow the line from those two stars and go about five times the distance between them—you’ll see the North Star at the end of that line.
The North Star is special because it always points to the north. So, if you’re facing the North Star, you know:
· North is in front of you,
· South is behind you,
· East is to your right,
· West is to your left (the hand that can make a capitol “L” with your thumb and pointer finger)
This can help you walk in the right direction if you know which way you need to go. Just be careful walking at night—it's better to plan your direction with the North Star, then travel during the day when it's safer.
Water Source
If you find a stream or river, following it downhill can often lead to people or help. Stay calm, look around, and choose the safest path alongside.
Navigating Your Return
Mark Your Trail
If you need to leave your campsite or shelter site to forage, fish or seek aid and want to make sure you can find your way back, you can mark your trail using a bandana. First, take your bandana and carefully cut or shred it into small strips using the knife from your multi-tool. Then, as you walk, tie the strips to tree branches, bushes, or tall grass where they are easy to see. Make sure you tie them on the same side of your trail. Try to put one every few steps, especially at turns or where paths split. This way, you can follow the trail of strips to find your way safely back to your camp.
Make a Landmarks
If you want to leave a sign to show which way you’re going, you can build a simple inuksuk (say it like "in-ook-shook"). An inuksuk is a little tower made of rocks that people have used for thousands of years to mark paths. Place a long or pointy rock on top or lean it so it points in the direction you are walking. This shows others which way you went. Put your inuksuk somewhere easy to see, like beside a trail or on a big rock. Alternatively, you can arrange a group of stones in the shape of an arrow indicating your direction.
