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  1. #1
    Registered User John B's Avatar
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    Default Stayed calm, used his head, lived to hike another day


  2. #2
    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    Nice to hear some good news. Smart man.
    Thanks for sharing.

  3. #3
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    Glad it turned out a search and not a recovery.

    Looking at the news video, obviously a lot of people and resources were mobilized, which an inReach probably would've prevented or, at least, greatly minimized.

    The guy looked to be in better shape than the vast majority 73 year olds.

  4. #4

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    Sure would love to know what compass he used.Glad he had one.

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Five Tango View Post
    Sure would love to know what compass he used.Glad he had one.
    Why would the exact model matter? The article just says he used the compass to hike east. Any compass that isn't a total piece of crap will tell you which way is east.
    "Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
    Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
    Call for his whisky
    He can call for his tea
    Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
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  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alligator View Post
    Why would the exact model matter? The article just says he used the compass to hike east. Any compass that isn't a total piece of crap will tell you which way is east.
    Curios as to whether he had an el cheapo button compass or a "real one" is all........Have a nice day.......

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Five Tango View Post
    Curios as to whether he had an el cheapo button compass or a "real one" is all........Have a nice day.......
    Thanks! Sunshine and rainbows for you too!
    "Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
    Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
    Call for his whisky
    He can call for his tea
    Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
    Robert Hunter & Ron McKernan

    Whiteblaze.net User Agreement.

  8. #8

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    The brand of compass does matter... Carry one that allows accurate declination setting, and also ability to take a good bearing. Good ones have an arm that raises and allows sighting. Best is the geologist's brunton, in which you sight and level a bubble in a mirror. Can make sightings to half a degree. Then you can plot the line on a map, do another at 90 degrees, and you have found yourself on the map. Many other applications too. But sadly, many hikers don't know **** about compasses.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by RockDoc View Post
    The brand of compass does matter... Carry one that allows accurate declination setting, and also ability to take a good bearing. Good ones have an arm that raises and allows sighting. Best is the geologist's brunton, in which you sight and level a bubble in a mirror. Can make sightings to half a degree. Then you can plot the line on a map, do another at 90 degrees, and you have found yourself on the map. Many other applications too. But sadly, many hikers don't know **** about compasses.
    This guy was just using it to find east. As long as the needle was spinning properly and it was labeled with N,S,E,W correctly the compass was good for his application. Doesn't matter any more than that because he just knew there were homes and roads to the east.
    "Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
    Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
    Call for his whisky
    He can call for his tea
    Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
    Robert Hunter & Ron McKernan

    Whiteblaze.net User Agreement.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alligator View Post
    This guy was just using it to find east. As long as the needle was spinning properly and it was labeled with N,S,E,W correctly the compass was good for his application. Doesn't matter any more than that because he just knew there were homes and roads to the east.
    I concur. A simple button compass is good enough in this instance, and actually knowing the local declination is icing on the cake. Hardly anybody knows about or understands what declination is anyway. Many pre-GPS years ago a one-time acquaintance and I got into a navigation argument in a very bad place when he insisted on going one way after setting his declination 14 degrees East when it was in fact 14 deg West. If we had followed his compass we'd have been 28 degrees off, which would've been really bad during a white-out in the White mtns. As it was, we hit tree line at exactly the right spot.

    Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

  11. #11

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    I'm surprised he was able to light a fire in the snow! That's what would have done me in. I can barely light a fire after three days of sunshine.

  12. #12
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    The truth is, this shouldn’t even be a story. It should be the norm. But in the nanny nation we live in, apparently it’s exceptional, even though it isn’t.

  13. #13
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    But a great guy, and I’m happy for him… just sad about so many others…

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