Land Navigation Series - Two-Day Basics Workshop: Lowlands
Land Navigation Series - Two-Day Basics Workshop: Lowlands
With the terrain in Gunpowder, Maryland, we will focus on the use of the compass as our main navigation tool. The lowlands course is built around traditional, Military-style land nav.
Come and learn the basic skills needed for you to find your way without a GPS. This two-day long workshop is a perfect time to learn some new skills and put them to the test. Our instructors will help you use your map, the proper use of your compass, and how to put it all together.
Day One will start with reviewing the principles of Land Navigation. Students will learn their pace count. You'll learn about magnetic north, true north, and magnetic variation (declination). You will learn about terrain association. After covering these fundamentals, the class as a group will go through all the steps and find a point. Then you'll get time to practice, individually. The class will finish with two land nav courses for each student. This workshop was created to give the basic building blocks to help you understand how to navigate both urban and rural areas. Come and add more skills to your “survival toolbox.”
Day One, Evening We will move to a camping area and establish a campsite. Students will need to have all their own individual camping equipment. Once set up, we will begin a block of instruction on primitive skills. Methods of Fire Starting, Water Procurement and Purification, Cordage and more. Students will be responsible for their own dinner. LTAC personnel will be cooking over the fire and you are invited to do so, as well. After dinner, we will do a walk in the dark and discuss night movement and navigation.
Day Two will start with breakfast over the campfire provided by LTAC. This will be a good opportunity for a Q and A. We will then tear down the campsite and move to the land nav starting point for the class. There we will hold a quick review of the principles of Land Navigation. After covering these fundamentals, each student will get time to practice individually. Following this, they will start their first multi-point route through various terrain. We will then move as a class to a new site to conduct another, longer, multi-point course. This workshop was created to give the basic building blocks to help you understand how to navigate both urban and rural areas. Come and add more skills to your “survival toolbox.”
You will be walking 15-20 kilometers during the two days in various terrain, come prepared and dress appropriately.
Class Details
Instructor: Retired Green Beret
Class Length: 2 days
Time: 9am
Type: Outdoor
Audience: Everyone
Prerequisites: None
What to Bring:
1. Weather appropriate clothing to include sturdy shoes or boots
2. Day pack (snacks, food, water, gloves, anything else you like)
3. Sturdy Compass
4. Pen and Paper for notes
5. Overnight sleeping equipment such as Tent, Sleeping bag, blankets, etc.
6. Food and needed equipment for dinner
7. Flashlight
Topics include:
1. Map Reading
2. Route Planning
3. Magnetic north
4. True north
5. Declination
6. Pace count
7. Primitive Navigation Methods
8. Terrain association
9. Intersection / Cross Section
10. Back stops
11. Tools of Land Navigation:
Compass, Protractor, Ranger Beads, etc.
12. Fire Starting
13. Water Procurement and Purification
14. Cordage
15. Celestial navigation
If you would like to be notified when new dates for this class are scheduled, sign up below.
PLEASE NOTE: If you need to purchase ammo, a good resource is AmmoSupplyWarehouse.com. Let them know you are taking a class with the LTAC. They can ship it to us, and we will have it available on the day of the class, or they can ship it to you. If you would like to have it shipped to us, please provide at least 7 days for it to arrive and be processed.
