DEC 7 Map & Compass Navigation

THE ESSENTIALS OF MAP, COMPASS & LOST-PROOFING FOR BACKCOUNTRY LAND NAVIGATION

How to find your way, find where you are and find the way to help in an emergency are skills every traveler of the backcountry should have!

With detailed presentation and instruction, hand's-on activities, practice and a practical useful approach, this 4 hour course covers the skills needed for backcountry travel.

Understanding map & compass use for backcountry navigation doesn't have to be confusing. This course simplifies the fundamentals and takes you through the basics of compass use and how it works with and without a map. You will get the hands-on practice and practical knowledge needed to think through a situation on your own and handle your navigation needs with confidence in the backcountry. 

You will learn: 

• The Lost-Proofing & Wayfinding Skills which aid compass use and help you navigate without a map or compass
• Understanding the baseplate compass and how to use it properly
• Learn to read a topographic map and apply them in the field
• Understand true north and magnetic north (declination) and how to compensate for it, simply
• Use a compass to take a bearing, plot your position on a map, and understand a route plan
• How & When to use Backstops, Handrails, Aiming Off, Baselines, Terrain Association, Waypoints, Boxing Objects, Pace Count, and more
• How to set an Emergency Azimuth to get to help
• The common mistakes & problems associated with map & compass use and how to avoid them
• The techniques that make it all easy

YOU WILL NEED: A pen and paper. You are welcome to bring your own compass and compasses are provided if you don't have one. All other materials are provided.

WHERE: The Arizona Hiking Shack 3244 E. Thomas Rd. Phx

WHO: Beginners to Intermediate. Ages 18 & up. (12 yrs & up with Guardian) Limit 10 participants. Hikers, campers, backpackers, anglers, off-roaders, paddlers, climbers, preppers, and all interested.

CLASS SIZE is kept small (10 attendees) to facilitate questions and individual attention.

CLASS INCLUDES: Discounts on AHS purchases when you create a Shack account. You'll be given a 10% Discount for all future purchases as a part of the Arizona Hiking Shack family.

WORKSHOP SIZE: is kept small (9 attendees) to facilitate questions, individual attention and distancing. Masks are appreciated if you are not vaccinated during this Pandemic.

WORKSHOP INCLUDES: 10% Discount for all future purchases as a part of the Arizona Hiking Shack family. You will need to create a Shack Account to take advantage of this.

PLEASE NOTE:  FAQ

• CONFIRMATION EMAIL for your class is automatic after you checkout. THEN, you will receive a  REMINDER EMAIL a day or 2 before class date that will contain all the information you will need about class. IF YOU DO NOT SEE A CONFIRMATION OF PURCHASE EMAIL you may want mark us as a safe sender in you email settings.
• ALL AHS CLASSES HAVE A 4-PERSON MINIMUM. If minimum is not met class can be cancelled. We send emails to all registered for class 2 or 3 days before class with options for refunds or transfer to another date or class.
• CLASS CUT-OFF for registration sign up is 3 Days (72 hours) prior to class.
• IF WE CANCEL class for low attendance, payment is refunded or applied to another class or event, your choice. Cancelations take place 72 hours prior to class if needed via email.
• IF YOU NEED TO CANCEL PRIOR to 72 hours before class you will receive a full refund. Any cancellations by attendees LESS than 72 hours prior to class cannot be refunded but can be applied to another class.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Jonathan Mincks, WFR – Wilderness Skills & Safety Instructor

Jonathan Mincks is a Wilderness First Responder, and instructor of wilderness self-reliance at AHS Rescue & The Arizona Hiking Shack. He teaches modern wilderness survival, outdoor recreation, and emergency preparedness to those who work or play in the backcountry. His educational programs have garnered him praise from new enthusiasts and seasoned professionals alike.

Holding multiple certifications and distinctions in industry standards, (e.g., Wilderness First Responder, Community Emergency Response Team training...), Mincks is also a boondocks scholar* who has been exploring the backcountry since he was in diapers. His practical approach & experience are only rivaled by his infectious passion, broad knowledge and witty perspective on self-reliance that confounds the important nature of the subject. He turns survival into "serious fun" for those who work or play in the backcountry because, "in the end, it is a positive attitude that will prevail."

Mincks is a go-to consultant on national and regional TV, news and media concerning outdoor recreation and safety. He has worked in the outdoor industry for over 20 years on trail crews, as a guide, outfitter, medic, educator, and outreach specialist.

*Boondocks Scholar. Adjective - Possessing an outlook of being on a perpetual field trip. A lifelong student of the outdoors. One who continuously studies and practices what it takes to thrive in the backcountry.

                                                                                                                                                                                    "Practical, thorough & Fun."

                                                                                                                                                                                              Susan, a seasonal guide for almost 20 years

"You teach PSAR. Preventative Search and Rescue. It's great!"

                                      Mike England, Central Arizona Mountain Rescue Association SAR Team