PSA: My map reading skills went from a total mess to solid after one tough trip in the Wind River Range

Two summers ago I tried the Cirque of the Towers loop and got completely turned around near Lonesome Lake. I was using my phone with a downloaded map, but the battery died fast in the cold. I had a paper map but honestly didn't really know how to read the contour lines. I ended up adding like 3 extra miles that day, it was rough. The next morning, a guy in my camp showed me his old Silva compass and spent 20 minutes teaching me how to take a bearing from a peak to find my spot on the map. I practiced it the rest of that week. Now I always bring a real compass and a paper map from MyTopo, and I actually use them together before I even look at my phone. It changed the whole feel of being out there. Has anyone else had a trip that forced them to finally learn a basic skill like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

christopher9031mo ago

That's a solid way to learn. Getting shown the ropes by someone experienced in the moment just sticks with you. Makes you wonder how many people are out there just trusting a phone battery.

andrew_nguyen641mo agoMost Upvoted

My buddy learned that lesson the hard way last week, @christopher903, when his phone died mid-trip.