Thoughts of a Modern-Day Mountain Man:A Field Guide to Leadership in the Great Outdoors Chapter 25

This is the twenty-fifth of a weekly blog series that will focus on leadership in the outdoors and how to get the most from the least. Even though the title is called, “Thoughts of a Modern-Day Mountain Man”, it will hopefully cover topics that are useful to everyone.

Chapter 25: To get where you are going, know where you start.

“The world and that which, by another name, men have thought good to call Heaven (under the compass of which all things are covered), we ought to believe, in all reason, to be a divine power, eternal, immense, without beginning, and never to perish.”

- Pliny the Elder

In the mountain man’s time of yesteryear, most of the essential navigation and wayfinding was done by memory. This could either be first-hand knowledge of an area that was previously traveled by the intrepid explorer or based on second-hand knowledge received from other men that had been there before. One of the first proper trapping and trading expeditions that was undertaken deep and high into the Rocky Mountains made good use of first-hand knowledge of someone who had been there before. As Lewis and Clark were returning from their journey to the Pacific Ocean they stopped to make camp in an area that is in modern-day South Dakota where they crossed paths with men that were heading to the Rockies to establish trading routes with the Crow people. One of the best trackers and overall skilled outdoorsmen that Lewis and Clark had as part of the Corps of Discovery was a man by the name of John Colter. Colter requested to be released from his commitment to the Corps of Discovery to be allowed to return to the mountains with the trappers that were heading West to the Shining (Rocky) Mountains where great adventures and possible wealth awaited.

John Colter knew where he was going and the challenges that would be encountered by this newly formed venture. Colter was the first true mountain man and was ready to lead from the front. His knowledge and abilities would be relied upon heavily for the success of this mission and others to follow. Colter was a walking, talking map. He knew where he was going because he had been there before.

In the mountain man’s time of yesteryear, navigation was highly reliant on using creeks and rivers draining into known basins and watersheds. This was important for two reasons. First, the very animals they were trying to trap lived in these waters. Second, the routes the water traveled as it was pulled by gravity downhill were the same from year-to-year. Known mountain ranges and distinguished peaks were also used as landmarks and way-finding indicators. My beloved Longs Peak was used in this manner by trappers and later pioneers heading West as it could be seen from hundreds of miles away; it was often referred to as “Rabbit Ears.” Mr. Colter was able to use navigation skills better than most, and he is often regarded near the top of the list of all-time great mountain men during the golden age of the trappers and traders. To read about one of the greatest adventure tales ever told during this time period, be sure to read about “Colter’s Run.” Colter’s very life depended on his ability to travel quickly over very rough terrain and find his way to a known waterway to hide away from his deadly pursuers.

One of the main tasks given by President Thomas Jefferson for Lewis and Clark to accomplish was the surveying and mapping of the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase. However, the mapping undertaking didn’t stop at the edge of this newly purchased territory, but went all of the way to the Pacific Ocean and back. Creating these maps laid the groundwork for many other trips to follow in the Westward expansion of the United States. To get where you are going, you must know where you are starting. All maps created then or now are based upon this principle. Lewis and Clark used known points to survey from and set distances and topographies for their maps. Nowadays, we use survey markers set permanently as a reference for our maps and surveys. Lewis and Clark used many of the same tools that we use today. They made great use of the Octant, which is a simpler, reduced, more robust version of the Sextant, which explorers of both water and land have used for centuries and still use today. They also used compasses, viewing glasses, and a precision timepiece (pocket watch) to measure Latitude and Longitude to the best of their ability. They then performed the important skill of cartography and transcribed this essential information onto a paper map. The maps that they created were incredibly accurate and very useful for those that followed.

In the 7 + 1 priorities of outdoor skills that every man should know before heading into the hills, the +1 is navigation skills. This is considered a +1 as it is both a skill and a decision-making process. Knowing where you are at any given time while in the backcountry can not only help you get to the desired location, but can help keep you out of trouble and difficulties when conducting cross-country travel. Having a map and compass on your person is also a part of the 10 essential tools that should always be carried in your possibles bag when traveling off the established path. However, it is not enough to simply carry an appropriate map and compass, the modern-day mountain must be proficient and knowledgeable in the use of these tools.

Once the modern-day mountain man has established his location and the intended route of travel, the navigation skills used by men like John Colter become paramount. These skills and mindset include paying close attention to your surroundings while traveling, being able to correctly identify natural landmarks and making mental checklists of things you expect to encounter on your trip after comparing real-life with what the map shows. Stopping regularly throughout the day to revisit your map and field guides will go a long way to help you develop and use these skills. I have encountered many people in the backcountry over the years that were turned around or outright lost that had a map and compass with them as they knew it was part of the 10 essentials but had no idea how to use these tools. When questioning them of where they had traveled from or what they had seen on their walk, this also drew a blank as they were not practicing good navigation or observation skills. The modern-day mountain man must not allow this to happen. Getting turned around or temporarily misplaced in the backcountry is an inevitability if you spend enough time outdoors, but being able to quickly and accurately correct this problem is a requirement for a competent outdoor leader.

I distinctly remember when I was young, spending the morning before setting out on a long day of driving on road trips with my grandparents, going over the map with my Grandpa. The knowledge that I learned from him about the importance of taking time out before and during the trip to check the map has benefited me countless times during my adventures and journeys. Knowing what intersections and mile markers we would encounter on these trips helped us to stay oriented to where we were and where we were going. This process is incredibly important no matter the mode, method, or location of travel. Travel will, of course, be much slower while traversing mountain ranges and not using mechanized transport, but the value in this skill and process is not diminished in any way. Sometimes to go faster when traveling, you first have to slow down and take your time.

Most of the navigation errors or predicaments I have found myself in over the past few years have almost all stemmed from my over-reliance on global positioning technology. There is simplistic beauty in navigating with the tried and true old methods of map, compass and observation skills; GPS should be seen as an add-on to these skills and knowledge and not a replacement of it. I would often expect the GPS device to beep or buzz to let me know when and where I reached a waypoint or intersection, only to find I had already passed the point at which I should have changed direction, only to find the GPS had completely lost the receiving signal or could not determine a usable route. I do not have any issues with using modern-day tools like a GPS or a mapping application on a smartphone, but the route and important waypoints should always be verified on an appropriate map first. This will allow us to utilize our God-given ability to observe and interpret our surroundings, use our logic and not become overly reliant on a device that is highly prone to failure and error. More than once I have found myself in heavy winter storms in the mountains, or deep in a canyon where usable signals were impossible to obtain. Used properly and with care, I have never had a compass fail to work or had the batteries die on a paper map (hint: they don’t require batteries).

A Well Known Starting Place.

I am not going to go into detail about how to use a map and compass, as there are already many great texts and guides written on the subject matter and I could not possibly write it any better. As with all things skill-based, orienteering and travel skills are perishable and should be practiced often. One thing I would highly recommend is purchasing a high-quality compass and watch at the very start of your learning process. Both of these tools will be invaluable in helping you stay oriented to your location when used in conjunction with an appropriate version and scale of a map. As discussed in a previous chapter, buying quality tools will ensure that the tools will provide a lifetime of usefulness. I highly recommend compasses from one of two companies, either Silva (made in Sweden) or Suunto (made in Finland). Compasses from these companies will serve the modern-day mountain man well. Stay away from cheap copies and imitations and make sure the compass is manufactured in one of the two Scandinavian countries. There are other companies that make compasses, some of which are very high quality, but by purchasing from Sunnto or Silva you know you are getting a tool that has a long proven history of accuracy, reliability, and durability. The compass I carry and use has been with me on every adventure over the past two decades, and I know it has many more adventures ahead of it. In fact, with proper care, I am certain my great-grandkids will be able to use it. Having a watch is also a must when traveling in the backcountry, preferably one with a chronograph. Keeping a record of time and distance traveled will help keep track of your location when comparing it to a map or an expected time of arrival for a given point. Being able to reset a counter each time a destination or waypoint is reached will allow you to correctly calculate your speed while traveling and give a fairly accurate estimate of how much time left until you arrive at your final destination. I will not go into detail about what to purchase as there are quality options from tens of dollars into tens of thousands of dollars. No matter what the modern-day mountain man chooses, the watch needs to be easily legible, highly water-resistant and comfortable. A watch can also be used as a very accurate compass for checking directions while traveling or possibly verifying a questionable compass reading.

In conclusion, we may not always know the time and place our life-long adventure will end. Planning out our entire life’s journey would be impossible, and we certainly do not always know the plan God has for us or where that plan will take us. We will encounter many waypoints, obstacles and wonders along our path. To know where we are going at the end of journey, we must know where we start. For us as Christians, our journey always has the cross of Christ as the point of origin, with the final destination being Heaven. Having the ability to accurately and successfully navigate along life’s path, whether that is walking in the mountains or working in the service of our Lord, will lead us on great adventures. We should prepare for this journey daily by taking the time to study where we begin, so we will know for certain where it will end.