unusual directional aids for the back country

John Y Cannuck

John Y Cannuck

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The Conservative part of Ontario
Short of troutseekers bread crumbs (see other thread)
what do you use, if you forgot your compass, the gps is dead, and it's overcast.

First thing I want to do is shoot holes in that old wives tale about moss.
In the Ontario bush, depending on where you are, the moss can be on any side of the tree, including all the way around it. Real good way to stay lost.
 
Nope, there are a few natural gifts if you know where to look.

for example, ever notice that certain trees, the white pine being the obvious example tend to have more limbs on the east side, or that their limbs tend to point eastward?
That's due to the prevailing winds from the west.

If there is any kind of shadow at all, you can plant a stick in the ground, and watch the top of the shaddow move. Mark where it started, and in a half an hour or so, it will move in a line from west to east, as the sun moves across the sky.

There are more, lets hear 'em.
 
eventually all weater ends up in the sea. if you find a stream or river, follow it untill it connects to larger waterways. Depending on where you are there is a good chance that it will be crossed by a Bridge. If you're North of Kenora...... :lol:

If there are several felled trees around for comparison, look at the stumps. Growth is more vigorous on the side toward the equator and the tree growth rings will be more widely spaced. On the other hand, the tree growth rings will be closer together on the side toward the poles.

Recognizing the differences between vegetation and moisture patterns on north- and south-facing slopes can aid in determining direction. In the northern hemisphere, north-facing slopes receive less sun than south-facing slopes and are therefore cooler and damper. In the summer, north-facing slopes retain patches of snow. In the winter, the trees and open areas on south-facing slopes are the first to lose their snow, and ground snowpack is shallower.

Hows that Johnny? :D
Wally
 
For a start, it may be a good idea to climb a hill, and get a good look around.
Maps are good if you know where you are on the map :idea:
In the northern hemisphere, there is a star that is almost exactly in the north at all times, the Polaris or Northern star. It is pretty easy to find, if you know the "Big Dipper". Take the two stars at the end of the "Big Dipper", and make an imaginary line "upwards", and extend it five times the distance between the two stars that is Polaris the northen star. That way is always north. :idea:

If you have an analog wrist watch, you can use the time to find north. Hold your watch up in front of you, and let the short hand, that indicates hours point at the sun. While holding it like this, cut the angle between the red arrow and 12 o'clock in two, (noonwards if the time is before 6am or after 6pm), that way is south. (The reason you need to cut it in two, is because the clock takes two rotations while the sun takes one around the earth, it is of course the other way around, but never mind.)
If you have a digital watch... your screwed. :lol:

As far as trees go it is little sketchy.... First of all, there will be fewer branches to the north. This is usually easiest to see if you look up along the trunk of the tree. The north face of the tree would be more humid than the south face, which is something most species of lichen (or moss) likes, and consequently, there will be more of it on the north face.
I wouldn't rely on trees to point my way home :!:
 
BIGREDD said:
For a start, it may be a good idea to climb a hill, and get a good look around.
Maps are good if you know where you are on the map :idea:
In the northern hemisphere, there is a star that is almost exactly in the north at all times, the Polaris or Northern star. It is pretty easy to find, if you know the "Big Dipper". Take the two stars at the end of the "Big Dipper", and make an imaginary line "upwards", and extend it five times the distance between the two stars that is Polaris the northen star. That way is always north. :idea:

If you have an analog wrist watch, you can use the time to find north. Hold your watch up in front of you, and let the short hand, that indicates hours point at the sun. While holding it like this, cut the angle between the red arrow and 12 o'clock in two, (noonwards if the time is before 6am or after 6pm), that way is south. (The reason you need to cut it in two, is because the clock takes two rotations while the sun takes one around the earth, it is of course the other way around, but never mind.)
If you have a digital watch... your screwed. :lol:

As far as trees go it is little sketchy.... First of all, there will be fewer branches to the north. This is usually easiest to see if you look up along the trunk of the tree. The north face of the tree would be more humid than the south face, which is something most species of lichen (or moss) likes, and consequently, there will be more of it on the north face.
I wouldn't rely on trees to point my way home :!:
Click to expand...

True, the white pine is a last resort, and it can be a bit sketchy around lakes where the wind can get bent by narrows and such, but a lone pine on a hill is usually pretty much on the money as a general aid.
 
It may not be immediately applicable, but in the spring you can generally tell compass directions by the manner in which ice melts from small lakes. If I remember correctly, usually the south and east shores melt last. I think....or is it the other way around? :D

Do you have a magnet and a pin on this adventure? :mrgreen:
 
the small metal deposit in my nose works somewhat. :lol:



aspen trees have more branches on the south west side and have a natural tendency to fall that direction.

Many tree species have the same growth form. Exceptions when in a windy area (Pincer Creek) where trees grow with the prevailing winds if they grow at all. Other plants will also have varoius growth patterns that will tell you which side of the hill is north

stars are fine, so is the sun, moon, and other planets if you know what your looking at.

a metal pin can be easily magnatized and with a cork and some water you have a compass
 
well i got stuck in the bush sometime ago and found if you take the watch battery out of your watch you can use that to magnetize a pin of some sort to make a compass or just wander around till you find a stream that foams then follow that upstream garunteed you will find humans as the foam is usualy polution and chemicals
 
Trees up here in the Yukon tend to point north because of heavy southern winds when the seasons change. Also the southern sides of poplar trees tend to brown a bit, and even more so if they happen to be on the southern side of a hill. Plus the Yukon River flows north as do most rivers up here.
 
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