Land Navigation

prerequisites

This course is the second course in the Pikes Peak Group's Wilderness Trekking School (WTS) curriculum.

The PPG WTS - Wilderness Fundamentals Course is the prerequisite for this course.  Students must have earned the "Wilderness Fundamentals course" badge or a CMC equivalent to be able to register.

The prerequisite course covers basic outdoors concepts that will be expected knowledge for this course and will reference specific navigation concepts from the textbook (Freedom of the Hills, 9th ed.) provided during the PPG WTS - Wilderness Fundamentals Course.

schedule / content

First Classroom Session (6-9pm): Lecture via Zoom

Discussions include maps, compass, orienteering, estimating distance, interpreting map symbols, properly reading topo contour lines, learning about declination, sighting, taking a bearing, and technologies such as GPS. You’ll also participate in class exercises using a map and compass.

Second Classroom Session (6-9pm): Lecture via Zoom

Discussions in the second classroom session will build on concepts introduced in the first session.

Newly added for 2025, we will introduce the use of computer and phone hosted navigation apps that can be used for route planning before a trip as well as real-time navigation in the field.

Students must then complete a course exam and participate in the associated course field session to receive full credit for the overall course.

If you have any questions or if you have issues registering for this course, please contact the course leader, Joe Preiss (zmqjwp@gmail.com).