I don't know if this is in any survival guides, but if you were lost in the woods the wilderness and you had no compass, GPS, or any other tools, couldn't you just use the sun in the morning to determine which was you need to go. I mean if you know your base camp or vehicle is to the west, then couldn't you just walk in the opposite direction of the sun rising in the east?
Using the sun for direction
- Thread starter SpencerT
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How many millenia did man do just that? Maybe not looking for his car but his cave? Bit by bit, survivors found better ways of navigating and now we are in the hi tech of gps etc. Great grandpappy didn't have a map or a compass when he came here in the mid 1800's, but he did know how to listen to instructions and follow landmarks. He was always AWARE of his movements and directions and each time the sun or stars came out he was reoriented.
My scouting and military experiences taught me to use compass' and maps for orienting, but before that, I was taught awareness of surroundings, and the old methods of orienting. The only times I have lost my orientation are two times when I have gone into a big city during the night on public transportation.
My scouting and military experiences taught me to use compass' and maps for orienting, but before that, I was taught awareness of surroundings, and the old methods of orienting. The only times I have lost my orientation are two times when I have gone into a big city during the night on public transportation.
I generally use the sun to navigate. You just need to be aware of seasonal variations (because the Earth wobbles on its axis), and that the sun is more or less overhead at midday (again, with variation based on the seasons). Once you learn to take those things into account and track its movement throughout the day, you can always have a rough idea of which direction you're going.
So if you know you hiked in more or less West, you know you need to hike out more or less East. Even tromping through trackless woods, this is often enough to find my way back pretty close to where I started.
It's also really helpful if you make a habit of taking note of where you are relative to large, distant things. Large, nearby terrain features (ridges and such) are also helpful. A couple of landmarks and an idea of an East-West axis, and you're doing pretty well.
So if you know you hiked in more or less West, you know you need to hike out more or less East. Even tromping through trackless woods, this is often enough to find my way back pretty close to where I started.
It's also really helpful if you make a habit of taking note of where you are relative to large, distant things. Large, nearby terrain features (ridges and such) are also helpful. A couple of landmarks and an idea of an East-West axis, and you're doing pretty well.
I remember when I was a girl scout, we were taught to leave trail marks when hiking so that those who will follow will find the camp site and we can return to where we started easily. Like you have to place 3 stones on top of each other as a marker or to break a big twig from a tree and let it hang...