A person traveling to the forest needs to know how to determine the sides of the horizon. Orienteering is a very useful skill, as in Russian forests it is very easy to get lost. At the same time, it is useless to rely on modern communications, because in many areas there is no network coverage area.
Don't be afraid
The most reliable methods of orientation are according to celestial bodies: the Sun, the Moon, or the North Star. However, it is not always possible to use them. Most often, dense low clouds interfere. In this case, it is necessary to be able to perform orientation according to local natural features.
All methods presented in specialized educational literature are shown in exaggerated form and taken in ideal conditions. In reality, everything is much more complicated. Signs can be contradictory, in a real forest there are numerous and diverse factors influencing these signs: topography, weather conditions, winds, etc. Therefore, it is very difficult for a person who even knows by heart all the methods of orientation according to local signs to correctly determine the cardinal points.
Basic Rules
In order to not go astray in an emergency, training is necessary. You can learn on your own: first, a person determines where the north, south, west and east are, guided by various natural signs, and then checks himself using a compass.
People living in nature or spending a lot of time outside cities have a developed instinct. Sometimes they cannot determine how to talk about the reasons for their decision, but it turns out to be true. The fact is that they often have to rely only on their own observation, and this is also training, only subconscious. Therefore, it is worth trusting the opinions of local residents.
Orientation by local signs is not an easy task. First of all, patience is needed here. In no case should you rely on 1-2 signs that are randomly seen. They must be at least 5.
Another important point is observation. It is necessary not only to be able to find signs, but also to compare them with natural conditions in order to find out where there is a coincidence and where not.
Common sense will help to separate the grain from the chaff and draw the right conclusions regarding the location of the sides of the horizon.
Exposure to heat and sunlight on trees
Orientation according to local natural signs in the forest is made in the north-south direction. This is due to the fact that the plant world is very responsive to solar heat. The effect of light on trees is especially noticeable, so taiga people most often resort to these signs.
On the south side, the tree bark is softer and lighter than on the north. But not all tree species clearly show this dependence. First of all, you should pay attention to birch, aspen and larch. In the former, this dependence can be traced even in a dense forest.
In the coniferous forest, it is easy to carry out orientation according to natural signs: it is worth taking a closer look at the secretions of resin on the trunks. On the south side they are much more abundant.
Pine trunks turn black after rain, many noticed it, but not everyone paid attention that they darken mainly from the northern side. This is due to the fact that conifers have a thin secondary crust. Her formation is more intense on the shadow side: there it is thicker, denser and rises high along the trunk. When it is damp or raining outside, it draws water into itself, swells and darkens. Sunlight hardly falls on the north side, and the crust remains dark and damp for a long time.
The effects of heat on other plants
There are various examples of local orientation. For example, in the plant world.
The bulk of mosses and lichens will grow on the north side of stones and trees. This is due to the fact that these are shade and moisture-loving plants. On the shady side, the moss is more moist.
You can pay attention to the grass. On the southern slopes of the glades and outskirts of the meadow, the grass grows denser, and appears earlier in spring.
Dew stays on grass growing north of trees longer. Vegetation here keeps a fresh look longer.
The berries turn red first on the south side, because it is subject to longer exposure to sunlight. Therefore, during the ripening period, it will not be difficult to establish where the north is.
Patterns are also evident in the way mushrooms grow. It turns out they prefer the north side.
However, these signs are unlikely to be pronounced in a dense forest or more often. Orientation by local signs is almost impossible to carry out here, because they are practically not noticeable due to microclimate conditions. You need to look for signs in rare areas near glades. Particularly clearly visible are all of the above signs on separate trees. But you can not trust a single sign. One can speak of any orientation only with systematically repeated signs. It is advisable to double-check several times all the information received.
Signs of orientation in the steppe
The most difficult thing is to determine the direction in the field. However, there are assistants here. Orientation by local natural features can be carried out using some plants.
Lutak field weed can help determine the horizon. They even call it - “steppe compass”. The fact is that its leaves are arranged vertically, while the ribs will be oriented in the north-south directions, and the planes will face west and east.
Sunflower is another great helper. The fact is that he is very thermophilic. Therefore, he always reaches for the sun, and during the day the hat of the flower follows its path. Before dawn and early in the morning, the sunflower will look east, after 12 it will look south, and after sunset it will look west. Of course, when the seeds have ripened, he will not twist his head, but the hat will still be directed to the southeast.
Nature of the area
Anthills are usually located on the southern side of a stump or tree. So they get more sunlight and heat. In a separate anthill, you can see that its southern slope is more gentle.
The nature of the vegetation may vary depending on which side it grows. Taiga people have noted many times that the southern slopes are more free, you can easily go through them. Here the trees are widely spaced, few shrubs. The slopes are covered with grass. Walking on the northern sides is much more difficult. The forest grows here crowded, there are many bushes, and grass, on the contrary, is not enough.
The distribution of certain plant species will also help guide orientation based on local objects. However, such features need to be known in advance. For example, in the south of the coastal taiga, the southern slopes are covered by oak, and in the north, a velvet tree grows.
Gullies and ravines also have their own characteristics. Usually one side is smoother and flatter, a lot of grass grows on it. The opposite is steep, cracked, bare, with scree, with almost no vegetation. The first is the south side, the second is the north side.
If the slopes look about the same, then the hollow is oriented north-south, and the sides are facing west and east.
Forest clearing
If a lost person comes across a clearing, he will be very lucky. Determining the direction in this case is not difficult. Orientation by local signs is very easy in this case. The fact is that in forestry there is a custom to divide the taiga into quarters. For this, cuttings are cut. They go from west to east and from north to south. At intersections, quarterly pillars are set up. The upper part of them is hewn in a characteristic way: in the form of faces. They indicate the number of opposite quarters. Number 1 is set in the northwest corner, the latter in the southeast corner. In order not to look for the starting pole, you should remember a simple rule: the angle between the 2 smallest digits will indicate the direction to the north.
However, there is an exception to this rule: in rare cases, glades are cut without binding to the sides of the horizon. As a rule, this is facilitated by a difficult terrain or any economic considerations.
In settlements
If villages come across the road, even abandoned ones, this is still a very good help. Orienteering is much easier here. Religious buildings are of primary interest, as they always have a strict orientation to the cardinal points.
So, in Orthodox churches, the altar is always facing the east, and the bell tower is facing the west. Crosses on Makovka head north-south. There is another feature here. The lowered edge of the lower rung faces south, and the raised edge - north.
Buddhist monasteries are being built with a facade to the south.
Dwellings also have their own patterns of location. So, at yurts, the exit goes south.
Lichen quickly appears on the northern facades and slopes of the roofs. Also on the shady side of the board, it is usually darker and longer moist after rain.
A few winter orienteering rules
When everything is covered in snow, it is much more difficult to determine your location and find the sides of the horizon. But here there are a number of patterns. Orientation methods are as follows:
- More snow accumulates on the north side of trees and buildings.
- On the south side, it begins to melt earlier, this process is faster.
- In the mountains, snow first melts off the south side.
- In ravines, hollows, ravines, everything happens the other way around. First, the north side thaws.
Misconception number 1
There are proven signs of orientation, as well as some not very accurate ways to determine the sides of the horizon. One of them is that annual rings are wider on the south side than on the north. However, this sign cannot be guided, because it is not unique. The extension of the tree rings can occur on any side, and this is caused more by the features of the area, the microclimate, than by exposure to sunlight. The fallacy of this statement was proven more than 100 years ago, but it is still alive and in use.
Another problem that can arise if using such orientation methods is that it is almost impossible to find a large number of neatly sawn trees in the taiga, where the figure would be clearly visible. And if you saw a tree in several places, you can see that the width of the annual rings can vary regardless of direction and sometimes show in opposite directions.
Misconception №2
Attempts to determine the direction of the density of the crown also can not be crowned with success. The fact is that during its formation, sunlight is not the only factor, and even more so it is not determining. Therefore, the statement that the crown is thicker on the south side may be erroneous. In the forest, branches will always grow in the direction where there is more free space. And in open spaces, the dominant direction of the winds will be a determining factor. If they are strong, then you can see the branches bent from constant exposure. The density of the crown is rather an auxiliary sign.
The most reliable way
Local orientation is not reliable enough. The best results are given by the use of celestial bodies to determine the sides of the horizon. Therefore, it is necessary to know the basic laws of their location.
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. It is in the south at noon. The shortest shadow is at 13 o’clock. It will be directed to the north. If the weather is cloudy, you can try to put a knife on the nail: a barely noticeable shadow will still appear, and with it the direction and location of the sun will become clear.
Using the watch, you can also determine the sides of the horizon. In this case, you need to point the hour hand at the Sun. Between it and the number 1, an angle is formed, which must be divided in half. The bisector will indicate the direction: in front will be south, and behind - north. In the first half of the day, the corner will be on the left of 1, and in the second - on the right.
The North Star in our hemisphere is in the north. To find it, you must first find the constellation Ursa Major. It resembles a large bucket. Through 2 right extreme stars you need to draw a line, postpone the distance 5 times. At the end will be Polyarnaya. If you face her, it will be the direction to the north.
The moon also has a number of patterns of location. At the full moon, it is equated with the Sun and the sides of the horizon are searched in a similar way. However, it must be borne in mind that it is opposed to the main luminary.
In case of loss of reference
If all the same travelers are lost, in no case should you continue driving. First you need to find the sides of the horizon. Orientation should be carried out immediately, and then go back in their tracks, to the place where the location was absolutely clear. If you try to move on, hoping that soon everything will fall into place, then you can get lost and get confused even more. To get out in this case will be extremely difficult.
As soon as it became clear that the group had gone astray, you need to immediately stop and carefully look around. Well, if there is a high hill nearby. In this case, you can look around and compare the visible area with the map, you can try to orient yourself by local signs of nature.