Quote:
Originally Posted by The Reaper
If there is no trail through the woods, I would pick an azimuth and set it on a compass that glowed. I would know the general pace count and would try to stay on azimuth while moving fast.
Does it matter if you come out a couple of hundred meters to either side of your desired exit point? If not, I would consider running it on a general heading and move fast.
You could also terrain associate and follow a stream or depression through the woods.
What is on the other side of the woods and to either side? See "handrails" and "backstops" in land nav.
TR
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Thanks for the response.
"Handrails" and "Backstops" get to the heart of what my mental problem is. I understand how I would navigate if concealment was not an issue. You make the river your handrail, the highway your back stop and you are good to go for most of the trip I would need to take. You try to stay on the high ground as much as possible and focus on covering ground.
It is trying to pick out a trail that is navigable and still in cover that gives me headaches. I could make a trail through heavy forest for much of my trip with only short hops over open spaces. The mile behind my house is just a start. But the reason for that is that in most cases it is rough steep ground unprofitable to farm that was given back to the state.
It is no tipple canopy, but it is hard for me to imagine that it gets much darker than under a stand of mature pines. And even when you are under maple, there is not much light at all when you have cloud cover (60% of the time around here). So on my preferred route, I see myself scrambling around in the dark going up steep hills with no trail trying count paces and hoping that I recognize the ravine I am heading for before I go down into it.
Maybe I am over complicating it. Maybe I should just take an easier route and trust the dark for my cover. I don't know. That is why I asked.
But I do realize it is one of those things that you can't learn by talking about it. You have to spend some time doing it. And thanks for the tip about rangers eyes.
The next question that bothering me is how do I cross the Mohawk river and the I-90 corridor?
It is a fun mental exercise.