Wilderness Medical Training
Are you prepared?
What happens if your navigation app or GPS becomes lost or damaged while you are in the wilderness? Do you know how to use a map or a compass? Get peace-of-mind by taking the same map and compass training class provided to search and rescue personnel throughout the state.
This fast-paced, yet comprehensive one-day program will teach you how to navigate in the backcountry. Put your classroom knowledge to the test on our outdoor training course with hands-on activities.
You will learn how to:
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Read a topographic map
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Orient a map to your surroundings
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Find your location on a map
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Confidently determine your route and direction of travel
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Differentiate True North, Magnetic North, and Grid North
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Compensate for magnetic declination and deviations
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Calculate your pace count
...and many other potentially life-saving skills!
Tuition includes: ​
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Map tool for plotting coordinates and measuring distance
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Pace beads for determining your distance traveled
Please Bring:
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Compass with:
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Bezel marking in 2 degree increments​
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360 degree bezel markings (not quadrant markings)
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Folding mirror
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Baseplate of 3 inches or longer
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Examples include: Silva Ranger 2.0 or the Suunto MC-2 (USGS model)
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A good compass such as examples above will last for many years. Lower quality compasses often have problems out of the box or break easily with normal use.
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Pen and paper for notes during classroom session
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At least one fine-line permanent marker for marking on maps (maps are provided)
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Clothing appropriate for expected weather conditions
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Small backpack with hydration, snacks, and any other items you might want with you while outside
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PLEASE NOTE: You must have the physical capacity to walk off-trail, through varied terrain in a desert environment over a distance of approximately 2 miles for the field activities. Military personnel: while the fundamental skills taught in this class will apply to any land-based map and compass navigation, this class will not cover MGRS or lensatic compasses.
Location:
North Mountain Visitor Center
12950 N 7th St
Phoenix, Arizona 85022
8:00 am to 5:00 pm
If you have further questions regarding the Map and Compass Navigation Class provided by CAMRA, on-line registration difficulties, or general questions regarding this training, you can email us.
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Map and Compass Navigation Class
April 12, 2025