miker
Jan 26, 2005, 1:44 am
way out.
You have found yourself turned around, not sure where to go,you know it will be dark in a few hours its a very overcast day. No sun is showing, you don't have a compass or a GPS.
The first thing you do; Is not panic , KEEP A CALM HEAD!!!!!!
Next thing you do, is look for a wind blown tree, laying on the ground, very easily distinguised, the roots wil be pulled from the ground in a large mass.
So now you have found a wind blown tree, you have figured out that the crown of the tree is pointing generally East. Why do you know this?
Because the Great Lakes region's weather is controlled by the Westernly prevailing winds. Almost 90 percent of this regions most violent storms come from the West. This causes the trees to fall towards the east.
So now, you are "thinking great directions miker, but I came into the forest from the South", well what you do is walk directly to the middle of the trunk, without going over or around the tree.
Now look at the tree, where is the rootball? If you look at the tree, is the root ball to your right hand, and the crown of the tree to your left hand? You are now looking South, with the North to your back.
Now if you approach the tree, and the rootball is to your lefthand, and the crown of the tree is to you right hand, you are now facing North and the south is to your back.
The last tip I can offer you is to remember when the sun is high (noon to about 3pm) in our region, it is always in the southern sky.
Hope it helps folks,
mike
You have found yourself turned around, not sure where to go,you know it will be dark in a few hours its a very overcast day. No sun is showing, you don't have a compass or a GPS.
The first thing you do; Is not panic , KEEP A CALM HEAD!!!!!!
Next thing you do, is look for a wind blown tree, laying on the ground, very easily distinguised, the roots wil be pulled from the ground in a large mass.
So now you have found a wind blown tree, you have figured out that the crown of the tree is pointing generally East. Why do you know this?
Because the Great Lakes region's weather is controlled by the Westernly prevailing winds. Almost 90 percent of this regions most violent storms come from the West. This causes the trees to fall towards the east.
So now, you are "thinking great directions miker, but I came into the forest from the South", well what you do is walk directly to the middle of the trunk, without going over or around the tree.
Now look at the tree, where is the rootball? If you look at the tree, is the root ball to your right hand, and the crown of the tree to your left hand? You are now looking South, with the North to your back.
Now if you approach the tree, and the rootball is to your lefthand, and the crown of the tree is to you right hand, you are now facing North and the south is to your back.
The last tip I can offer you is to remember when the sun is high (noon to about 3pm) in our region, it is always in the southern sky.
Hope it helps folks,
mike