Originally published at: Wilderness Navigation 2 – Alpine Club of Canada Vancouver Island Section
Wilderness Navigation 2 course taught by ACMG Hiking Guide, Mike Blake
Mike Blake
ACMG Hiking Guide
mobile: +1 250-703-1056
email: mike@mbguiding.ca
web: https://mbguiding.ca
Here is the link and description for the workshop:
Wilderness Navigation 2 – Apr 5-6, 2025 (Strathcona)
Registration: Please register for the course directly on Mike’s website. Mike is offering a 15% discount to ACCVI members.
Staying area: VI Mountain Centre in Strathcona
Note: Accommodation is available at the VI Mountain Centre, but registrants should reserve their own accommodation (not included in the course package)
Wilderness Navigation 2 focuses on the basic-to-advanced skills and tools required to plan successful trips and navigate in the backcountry.
This 2-day workshop is suitable for novice to advanced hikers.
Highlights
- Professional instruction. All workshops are developed and taught by Mike Blake, a certified ACMG Hiking Guide. You will learn to plan and execute backcountry trips just like a pro, surrounded by the natural beauty of Vancouver Island’s provincial and regional mountain parks.
- Excellent resources. There is a huge array of information regarding digital tools and other equipment. Mike spends a lot of time researching and curating the best tools for you to try. Eliminate the confusion, and start navigating with confidence using his field-tested recommendations.
- Learning-intensive experiences. Our workshops focus on wilderness navigation, but you will also learn complementary skills such as pre-trip planning, organizing logistics, environmental assessments, route conditions assessments, lightweight gear selection, and emergency preparedness.
Included
- ACMG Hiking Guide
- Online Basecamp
- Pre-Trip Planning
- Organizing Logistics
- Environmental Assessment
- Route Conditions Assessment
- Lightweight Gear Selection
- Packing Tips
- Menu Planning
- Emergency Preparedness Plan
- Group Safety Equipment
- Technical Guiding
- Interpretive Guiding
- Professional Instruction
- Personalized Coaching
- Experiential Learning
- Online Orientation Session (1 hour – 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm)
- Two Field Days (2 x 8 hours – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm)
- Navigation Kit (topographic map, mirror compass, smartphone apps)
Not Included
- Transportation to Staging Area
- Accommodations at Staging Area
- Personal Gear and Meals
Topics
- Route Planning
- Objectives
- Resources
- Hazards
- Alternative plans
- Map Basics
- Types of maps
- Scale
- Legends
- Colour codes
- Contour lines
- Terrain features
- Grid references
- Compass Basics
- Parts
- Declination
- Bearings
- Route Finding
- Terrain management
- Macro-terrain vs micro-terrain
- On-trail vs off-trail
- Avoiding hazards
- Navigation with Map and Compass
- Using a map in the field
- Recognizing terrain features
- Determining position
- Operating a compass
- Taking a bearing from a map
- Taking a bearing in the field
- Digital Trip Planning
- Online mapping tools
- Plotting markers and lines
- Plotting routes
- Creating custom maps
- Printing custom maps
- Transferring data
- Satellite Navigation
- Satellite navigation systems
- Accuracy issues and solutions
- Power issues and solutions
- Smartphone apps
- Setting waypoints
- Recording tracks
- Navigating to a location