Desert Voyagers

Topics Covered

• Compass parts and features
• Reading topographic maps
• Current bearing and lateral error
• Resection, intersection, triangulation
• Plotting present location
• Determining travel distance
• Azmuths, errors and declination

This workshop is meant as a foundation for all forms of navigation. The compass revolutionized human travel around the globe and remains the single most reliable way to find your way around today. GPS and other electronic gadgets are certainly handy, but to truly be safe outdoors and always find your way back, the skills taught this night are the ultimate. Read a map clearly and easily, find out where you are, and where you need to go. Start with our Compass Skills and Mapping Workshop.

Tuesday or Wednesday evenings 6:00pm to 10:00pm Office
After getting everyone signed in and set up with their compass for the night, class will begin. Terminology, compass types, parts, map symbols and keys, and concepts of navigation will be covered. By the end of the night, students will have a good starting knowledge of what it all means! Typical Schedule Of a Class

Topics Covered

• GPS terminology
• Coordinate types and uses
• Mapping GPS waypoints
• Building paths in advance
• Tracking and followback
• Bearings, headings, home again
• Limitations and fallbacks
• Environmental influences

This workshop is designed to show you all that the latest technology has to offer. Whether you are traveling the globe, or just geocaching on the edge of town, you will gain a better understanding of GPS selection, operation, limitations and uses. Come on out, get lost and found again!

Wednesday or Thursday evenings 6:00pm to 10:00pm Office
The evening workshop will begin with an introduction/recap of the navigation basics covered in the Compass course and how this ties in to GPS. From there, technical differences, maps specifics, and technology will be discussed. The night wraps up with hands on practice and question and answer. Typical Schedule Of a Class

Topics Covered

• Bearings
• Plotting
• Map Reading
• Distance Estimation
• Cross Country Travel

These trips are a way to continue practicing hands on with the skills you learned in the class with guidance and ongoing instruction. We take a morning to go out on the trail, use our compasses and GPS, and find our way. Come hike or geocache with us and stay fresh to find your way home again!

Satuday or Sunday mornings 8:00am to 1:00pm out in the feild
Depending on the location and mission of the skills trip, we will meet up and distribute coordinates or waypoints. After everyone has a full chance to look the list over, we take turns navigating from point to point until the course objective is reached. Typical Schedule Of a Class