Navigate using contour lines

Contour lines are really useful to anyone going out into the hills who uses a map to navigate as they’ll give you lots of information about the ground you’ll be walking over. Being able to visualise the terrain from the information on a map is one of the most useful skills to have before you set off for the hills.

With a little practice you’ll be able to imagine what the ground will be like and use that information to make an informed decision about your route choice.

Link to the history of contour lines which was mentioned in the video:

[kensuzdoer]

Extremely useful to see the ropes on the ground to visual the contour map lines. Thank you!

[astrecks]

OS used to sell 1-inch to 1-mile shaded relief tourist maps, which fascinated me as a child and interested me in maps and navigation.

[kennethswann]

This is the first video that's actually explained it your mixture of talking but also showing with the 3D maps and the actual contour line Maps and help so much can't wait to go through the rest of your stuff

[alabamatechwriter]

Great job! I like your rope contour lines, laminated heights, ball analogy, etc. It was all compact enough to fit in a pack, light enough to carry into the field for a quick lesson, and intuitive enough with familiar items for students to easily grasp.

[clintwelch]

Just found your channel and burned through 5 videos in a row. Excellent content and excellent delivery. Greatly appreciated. Keep up the great work. Quality.

[stpetie]

Thanks again for the video. I always appreciate the info and the waffle's. Keep 'em both coming.

[SureGT]

I have to re-watch this a few times but I am learning more from you than I ever did before. Thank you sir.

[donloughrey]

I use them to plan our route to new areas while prospecting in the Mojave. They are quite necessary to avoid hiking up dead end canyon carrying all of our gear and having to back track. Also while canoeing in the Boundary Waters in Minnesota planning portages.
Thank you for great videos .

[mickarmstrong]

Always wondered why I meet a steep hill Contour lines very important
Thanks Wayne very well explained

[anthonyharris]

Thanks for taking the time to do all these videos. Always useful to have another take on it and usually there is extra data that firms up existing knowledge 😊

[simongee]

Very clearly explained Wayne. Several points new to me.
Thanks - ! 😊

[KevinMcNeill-nh]

Your comment at 6.52 re the rock face is a point I bring up in every class, sudden changes in height of the land between contour lines are not shown so don't rely totally on the contour lines to determine a safe course.

[joopterwijn]

Well you just changed my look at a map, well done sir!

[nazaninnaderi]

Sir,
Thank you for this wonderful video. I found it informative and pedagogical. Did not know about the contourline-numbers being 90 degrees to the fall-line.
This was the second video about contourlines, both very good.

Could one make a request for more videos about this subject please??
I find contourlines a very important subject yet difficult to read and employ.
I don't mean a video like a circle representing hilltop, hourglass shape a saddle, hashmark inside a cirkle a depression, closer lines steeper etc.
More like reading and interpreting "on a higher level" .

Love your videos and channel. Looking forward future videos.
Best wishes.

[petegillespie]

Great video. Very informative, well demonstrated and great presentation.😊

[jbleelx]

I love your videos. Your style is so engaging!

[stigcc]

Great video! Can you somehow count the contour lines you are crossing and adjust your pacing estimate?

[philsmith]

Excellent video! When I got my “higher education” in map reading, so to speak, in the US army back in 1987 our instructors’ teaching styles were very different LOL. I had to think a bit as to what a “reentrant” was, it’s referred to as a “draw” here. And I never knew that contour numbers were put at right angles to the slope, although after looking at a couple maps it doesn’t appear to be very useful due to how far apart they are. The fall line would switchback all over the place, not make a smooth curve like yours. Maybe USGS topo maps don’t do that?

[gabrielahmad]

Another great and informative video. Thank you.

[daviddilley]

Great video, thanks. Would love to have an app that created the 3D look from the contours.
While knowing the datum used may be of interest, in the field it doesn't matter so much since the relative heights remain constant whatever the reference point.
Also give the natural features all priority over the man made. Man-made can be added or deleted. Years ago, on a nav exercise we were dropped in pairs along a road after being dumped out of the back of a covered truck. Oriented the map and wondered why the telegraph wires were on the "wrong side" of the road. Then noticed the poles looked "fresh" and further inspection showed the depressions on the other side of the road from where the older ones had been removed. Made it back in time and learned a few pairs had used the wires to orient and ended up 180 degrees wrong for some time before realising their mistake.
Match the terrain to the map, not the map to the terrain...Of course, the instructors had done this deliberately just to drive home this lesson.