Group B Activity 3: In-Person Field Trip at Discovery Park - Discovery Park

First, please expand page by clicking MORE+ to read the entire note.

Instructors: See important Registration Note to Instructors.

*********

Time: Students arrive no later than 9 AM (Instructors arrive at 8:30 AM)

Place: South Parking Lot of Discovery Park at West Emerson Street and 43rd Ave West

Coordinates: UTM WGS84, Zone 10T 544294E  5278093N, or 47.65472, -122.41014

Be prepared to walk several miles. Be mindful of changing weather conditions.

Plan to be finished by 2 PM.

About The Field TRIP

Activity 3 continues to reinforce the five core principles of wilderness navigation. Students will measure and plot bearings, and use situational awareness while navigating the braided trails of Discovery Park. They will also model the ethic of self-reliance and leave no trace as if on a wilderness adventure.

• Measuring and Plotting a Bearing
• Map Basics
• Declination
• Ethic of Self-Reliance
• Situational Awareness

Details

Checklist

1. Bring the Required Equipment. Come prepared as you would for a scramble or hike in varied weather, but please leave the technical gear (helmet, ice axe, etc) at home. Bring trail shoes or boots, a waterproof outer layer dependent on weather, gloves (a light colored palm will make it easier to see into the bezel), hat, warm clothes in layers, trail food, water.
2. Bring your approved declination adjustable compass. Unfortunately you can't share a compass with someone during the field trip.  
3. Bring a GPS device (cell phone with Caltopo and/or GaiaGPS acceptable), Altimeter (or a barometric altimeter app such as Altimeter+ or Altimeter Plus).
4. Maps will be issued to you at the trailhead. You do not need to bring any paper maps.
5. Bring a sharp pencil and paper to write notes.

Pre-trip Preparation

After completing the workshop, you should be prepared for the field trip with the following:

• Know where and when to be at the field trip, and what to bring.
• Current declination, confirmed and set on the compass.
• Altimeter use & limitations are understood. Ready to calibrate at trailhead.
• Cell phone loaded with Caltopo or GaiaGPS, and loaded with the required Route/Track, Waypoints, Map.
• Emergency communications procedures and devices are understood.
• Emergency communications on hand (at a minimum, a whistle).
• GPS device checked and ready (batteries, charge, screen display, weather proofing).

A skills assessment must be satisfied to successfully complete this activity and the course.

You do not need to buy a textbook for this course. Two excellent books are recommended as supplementary reading, but it's your call if you want to get one. 

**********

Registration Note to Instructors

Due to the small group format of our in-person events, instructors must register for Instructor Training - Discovery Park, Activity 2 (In-Person Workshop), and Activity 3 (In-Person Field Trip). If you've volunteered as an instructor at Discovery Park in the last 12 months, you're welcome to email Wilderness Nav Leader for an exception to the Instructor Training requirement (you only need to do this once for this course). Please indicate the dates you last instructed.

Come prepared to instruct students who likely have a wide range of experience:

1. Instructor Field Trip packets with scenario notes and all necessary maps will be issued to you at the trailhead.  
2. Bring your compass, GPS, Altimeter, and PLB or SATCOM if you have one (PLBs and SATCOMS for demonstration and discussion purposes).

**********

Time: Students arrive no later than 9 AM (Instructors arrive at 8:30 AM)

Place: South Parking Lot of Discovery Park at West Emerson Street and 43rd Ave West

Coordinates: UTM WGS84, Zone 10T 544294E  5278093N, or 47.65472, -122.41014

Be prepared to walk several miles. Be mindful of changing weather conditions.

Plan to be finished by 2 PM.