Outfitter Editor's Note: In July, we sent gear tester and outdoor writer, Jeff Porcaro, to join a team of outdoor media on Mt. Hood for a little GPS navigation training with the latest in GPS technology for backcountry applications above and below timberline. His account of the experience emphasizes the importance of using map and compass in conjunction with GPS and should give retailers an idea of what to expect on a training trip of this kind. Our thanks to the Northwest School of Survival and Lowrance Electronics for sponsoring the trip and bringing Jeff back safely.

Day 1: Preliminary Training

8:30 a.m. With great anticipation, I arrive at the Portland airport about to embark on an adventure of a lifetime. I am here to learn how to navigate the backcountry using a map, compass and GPS, as well as attempt a summit of Mt. Hood. As I arrive at the headquarters of the Northwest School of Survival in Sandy, Ore., I am ready to take on the world. The day starts with a training session on how GPS works, the different map formats and datum that the map creators use, as well as how the GPS utilizes this information.

"I am taught that the GPS and compass will get you to the approximate area and that understanding the map and terrain will get you to the exact position."

After I learn about the technology involved, I move onto using a floater, or grid, to plot points on the map and retrieve the appropriate position to be entered in the GPS. In our exercise we use the USGS quad maps with the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) position format. I am taught the importance of knowing the datum that a map uses and how to set the GPS to use the same format and datum. Typically, this information is provided on the map. If you enter a position in the GPS and the receiver is using a different map datum than the map you're using, you could be off up to 1 mile.

"It is time to take what I have learned in the classroom to the outdoors...."

After drawing grids on the map to set up the UTM coordinates, we practice finding areas on the map using UTM positions. I am grateful for the time to practice this skill. There are a few times I plot the wrong position because I am looking at a line on the map instead of the grid lines I put on the map. After some time, we switch to finding the UTM position for a particular landmark on the map. As I pull out the clear plastic grid plotter with meter markings and start to get the coordinates for the next location, it dawns on me how useful this new found skill could be. I am now able to get a coordinate from the map, enter it into a GPS and get a bearing to where that point is from my current position. I could also get a position from the GPS and plot it on the map.

2:30 p.m. Next comes the moment of truth. It is time to take what I have learned in the classroom to the outdoors. We head out to the woods just below majestic Mt. Hood to practice navigating. Previously in the classroom, I entered a list of positions into the Lowrance Globalmap 100 GPS and plotted them on a map of the area. The first task is to find the specified checkpoint. With GPS in hand and a compass hanging around my neck, I wait for the GPS to lock on to the satellites, which doesn't take very long with 12 channels simultaneously searching heavenward for a signal. My position is quickly established and I select the waypoint to find.

As instructed, I start walking toward the position using only the plotting screen on the GPS. Sure enough, we are quickly dragged off course due to the slow speed of travel and Selective Availability. Brian Wheeler, the president of the Northwest School of Survival, then has us select a different waypoint. This time, using the compass and the bearing from the GPS, we get a fix on a landmark ahead of us that matches the bearing. When I reach the landmark I check the GPS again, take the new bearing to the waypoint and dial it in on the compass. From there I head in the direction of the waypoint. I quickly make my way to the intended destination and find myself within 40 meters of the position.

"Map, compass and GPS are companions to be used together..."

I am taught that the GPS and compass will get you to the approximate area and that understanding the map and terrain will get you to the exact position. Later that night, I learn the biggest lesson of all: How a GPS is crucial for land navigation when it is night or the landscape is obstructed with clouds, trees or whiteout.

We are now standing on a snow-covered mountain and the sky is dark. We use pre-entered coordinates, a map and compass to navigate to our base camp on Mt. Hood. It is dark and there is no moon to light the way. We move from point to point and soon I am standing among tents that Mark Kelsey, the NWSOS mountaineering guide, has set up for us.

Day 2: Mountain Climbing Training

Our second day includes mountaineering training with self-arrest techniques and climbing procedures. We practice the skills of self-arrest by sliding down the hill and trying to stop ourselves with the tools we are provided. I think we must look like a bunch of otters sliding down the slope. I eat my food and prepare to bed down. Since it is only 6 p.m., it is a little difficult to fall asleep.

Day 3: The Summit

Our 1 a.m. wakeup call comes early. We dress for the cold morning hours and start up the mountain toward the summit of Mt. Hood. With the guides leading the way, we come to a place called the Hogs Back where we put on our crampons and connect the ropes. We work our way up a steep slope and traverse around a crevasse to get to the summit. The sunrise from this elevation is spectacular. At the summit I am filled with adrenaline as I look off into the distance. I take some time to enjoy the view and reflect on the wonderful experience that I have had going from checkpoint to checkpoint.

By the end of the trip, I have learned many things, but the greatest of all is that a map, compass and GPS are companions to be used together. To navigate safely, it is imperative that you understand the technology you're using.