Step 6 of 10 · Read a Trail Map and Not Get Lost
Identify terrain checkpoints
Identify terrain checkpoints — step 6 of 10 in Read a Trail Map and Not Get Lost. Before you walk, identify 3–5 features you will pass: a stream crossing, a junction, a ridge crest, a saddle between two hills.
Free outdoor skills tip: Identify terrain checkpoints (step 6 of 10 from "Read a Trail Map and Not Get Lost").
Before you walk, identify 3–5 features you will pass: a stream crossing, a junction, a ridge crest, a saddle between two hills. Note approximate distances between them using the scale. As you walk, tick them off. If you reach a feature early or late, recheck your pace or consider that you drifted onto a side trail.
Large features are more reliable than small ones. A 50-metre cliff is unmistakable; a single boulder marked on the map may have rolled or been misplotted. Use the big anchors to confirm position, and small ones as bonus confirmation.
You'll need
- 3–5 checkpoints identified pre-hike
- Distances estimated from scale
- Features ticked off as passed
- Big features used as primary anchors
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