A loud crack echoed through the cavern as my Fluorescence Flashlight slammed into the cave floor and promptly shattered. It seemed our already poor luck had just taken a turn for the worse. My brother and I had made a tradition of showing visitors through the cave system near our house, but this tour wasn't exactly going as planned. Now we were still far from the exit with only one dying flashlight that was quickly dimming. My brother unfolded a map of the cave system while I pulled an old compass from by pack - we were going to need a shortcut.

In an age of GPS and Google Earth navigating using maps and compasses may seem outdated, yet for the outdoor enthusiast such skills are invaluable. Technology, while awesome, does tend to break down and there's really no excuse to count on batteries over brain power. Whatever your motivation, if you have at least one functioning eyeball, a topographical map, and a compass, you can learn to navigate with a little time, effort and practice.

Topography

Topographical maps are similar to regular maps in that they show the cultural (roads, bridges, cities, boundaries, power lines, etc.) and natural (bodies of water, mountains, landmarks, etc.) features for a given area; they differ from other maps by using contour lines to also show elevation. Each contour line represents a different elevation exactly as if there were a clear pane of glass inserted through the three dimensional landscape at regular intervals (Figure 1-1). Contour lines that are bunched close together show an abrupt rise in elevation like a cliff or steep hill, when they are spread far apart they show a more gradual change in elevation.

Information including the scale, date of publication, and magnetic declination can generally be found at the bottom of any topographical map (example).

Navigation

To navigate using a topographical map a lensatic compass (Figure 2-1) is preferable, but you can get by using a regular compass (though, I don't recommend it for first-timers).

First, align your map to your compass by placing the compass on a flat surface and turning your map until the printed compass on the map matches the actual compass. It's a good idea to do this before starting your hike or, even better, to look up the area on GoogleMaps in order to familiarize yourself with the major landmarks.

Next, find landmarks. Hills, mountains, and rises in elevation are excellent landmarks as they are easy to identify by looking at the contour lines on your topographical map. Make sure you know where you are, then determine which direction you want to go. If you have a lensatic compass you can flip up the cover with the sighting wire (Figure 2-1) at a 90-degree angle, raise up the rear site like this guy.

Finally, aim your sighting wire in the direction of your destination and use it to find a landmark (Figure 2-2). Once you've got your landmark you can start hiking towards it without having to try to walk and read a compass at the same time. Upon reaching your landmark recheck your map, and use your compass to site in a new landmark in the same direction until you reach your final destination.

We ran in 10-second bursts, turning our lone Metal LED Flashlight off for 5 minutes, then flipping it on and bolting until the light gave out. Each time we hit a turn we stopped and used a match to re-check our map and compass bearing. After three hours we emerged muddy and exhausted. My brother showed me his box of matches; two were left.

"Josh," I panted, grinning through the layers of mud caked to my face. "Next time just bring a candle."