Map Reading
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Map Reading
Educational Goals
Students must be able to navigate accurately on- and off- trail using a topographic map. This is a commonly overlooked and under-developed skill! Hammer It! Here is the progression you should use with Maps and Compass Orientation. Follow it and your students will progressively improve. Ignore it at your own risk (wait…what is declination again?).
Handrails and Cardinal Directions
Start students off immediately with general orientation principles (no maps!). Which direction are we walking? How do you know? Are we in a valley or a ridge? How do you know? Which way in North? Is that an island ahead or the mainland? How do you know? You get the point. Get students to use cardinal directions (North, South, East, West) rather than “left” and “right.” Hammer this FIRST.
Begin to point out “handrails” in the topography. These are areas that are clearly discernable that students can use to help them navigate. Typical handrails include major drainages, ridges, coastlines, clear running ridges, etc. Get them to identify these in their surroundings and then to identify them on the map.
Orienting The Map
A basic but underdeveloped skill. Have them orient FIRST without the compass based upon their understanding of the terrain and cardinal directions. Locate a nearby terrain feature, (handrail) preferably a linear one (ridge, trail or drainage) and rotate your map until the picture on the paper matches the terrain in view. You must be able to identify the feature on the map accurately for this to work! Your map is now oriented.
Measure Distance on the Map
Contour lines connect points of equal elevation. They are used to indicate the elevation and shape of terrain features. They are represented by brown lines. Contour lines are separated by the contour interval, which is the vertical distance between the two actual lines. Typically this is 40 or 80 feet depending on the scale. The interval is the same between each line, so they are closer together where the land is steep, and farther apart where it is flat.
Steps to Simplify Map Navigation
1. Always start with the map oriented.
2. Travel with the map in your hand or visible in a boat and stay focused on the passing terrain and landmarks.
3. Know your starting point, look around, and check to see how it is represented on the map. Then using your map visualize the terrain ahead.
4. Watch the terrain you pass through. Take mental notes.
5. Fix your position on the map as often as is necessary.
6. Check off features in your mind as you pass them, and remember what time that was.
7. Locate your position on the map by: Identifying five characteristics (proximity to water, slope, tree cover, man-made features, aspect, major landmarks, etc.) which describe your location accurately. Then find the place on the map which shares these five characteristics. Remember, observe first then read map.
Common Map Reading Mistakes
Some of the most common map reading errors occur when you: 1. Believe you have traveled farther than you have, especially uphill or off-trail.
2. Choose a place on the map where you want to be, and then make it fit your actual location through wishful thinking (bending the map).
3. Confuse a treed open area with a woodland and vice versa.
4. Forgot what time you were at a known point.
Teaching Considerations
This subject is challenging to teach because of differing spatial abilities of our students-three-dimensional visual aids often help. Individuals who appear to be uninterested or have continued difficulty with map reading may have a learning problem. These students often need more attention.
Teach the “must know” first add the less important details later. For example, teach the important map colors-white, green, blue, and black-before you introduce red and purple. Introduce the information in the margins as needed. Avoid any extraneous details that will distract students or be hard to grasp with limited experience.
Initial instruction should focus on navigation using map colors alone. Orient the map for your students until they become proficient with the greens, whites and blues. Consider leaving out contour lines until your students need this information. Try to start with a map for every student; they will learn faster if they have one in their hands.
Introduce contour lines with a three-dimensional model. For example, draw contour lines around your knuckles or knee to make a mountain that can be transformed from three dimensional to two by straightening the limb out. Sand models with parachute cord contour lines also work well.
Time Control Plans are a key part of practical map reading. They also provide a way to monitor student progress and help them develop good planning habits. Map quizzes are another effective way to check your students’ progress. These can be TCP exercises that require individual students to plan o route or they can be exercising requiring students to draw their own map. Having students build terrain models out of snow is a fun way both to practice map reading, and to get a good look at your route.
Learning from one’s mistakes is an important part of map reading. After initial coaching, constant instruction intervention can create false confidence or dependence in our student map-readers. They often learn more after they have walked a couple of unnecessary miles
Leadership Opportunities
Teaching map reading is a great time to coach your students, rather than simply critiquing their skills. Coaching is valuable leadership technique that empowers followers by helping them achieve success. Early in the course, you may just want to model this behavior, later talk about what you are doing and help your students develop their own coaching skills
Resources NOLS Wilderness Educator Notebook pp3.3-3.5
