Duke of Edinburgh Preliminary Training The Adventurous Journey component of the Duke of Edinburgh Award is intended to develop self- reliance and encourage participants to develop an awareness of the natural environment, and the importance of protecting it. One aspect of undertaking the journey is appropriate training in a variety of disciplines. In order to make the most of your time at Strathcona Park Lodge (SPL) we’ve prepared some information and a worksheet to cover some of this training. The following pages form part of your required Preliminary Training and the accompanying worksheet must be handed in to your instructor or school sponsor prior to the overnight trip. You’ll find all you need to complete the worksheet in the following information. There is a bit more of the Preliminary Training that we’ll go over when you are here. In order for your instructor to sign your record book you must hand in the attached worksheet and complete the other required preliminary training. Safety Precautions & Emergency Planning Before undertaking an expedition or backcountry adventure you need to take some time to consider the trip, make plans and take a few basic precautions. While pre-planning doesn’t guarantee everything will go as planned it certainly increases your chance of having a successful and safe trip. And in the event that things don’t go as planned you have the plans in place to deal with it. Essential planning includes: Filling out a route card and leaving it with a responsible person. Having a list of emergency contact numbers. Getting medical info for members in your group. Knowing the allergies and any medications members of your group have. Using appropriate safety gear for the trip you are on and bringing an appropriate first aid kit. Reading guidebooks, trip reports or talking to others who have been on the same trip. Make sure you have the skills and training necessary for the trip you are undertaking. As part of your pre-trip planning when you are at SPL you will fill in a detailed Route Card outlining the planned route and time table of the journey.
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Duke of Edinburgh Preliminary Training The Adventurous Journey component of the Duke of Edinburgh Award is intended to develop self-
reliance and encourage participants to develop an awareness of the natural environment, and the
importance of protecting it. One aspect of undertaking the journey is appropriate training in a variety of
disciplines. In order to make the most of your time at Strathcona Park Lodge (SPL) we’ve prepared some
information and a worksheet to cover some of this training.
The following pages form part of your required Preliminary Training and the accompanying worksheet
must be handed in to your instructor or school sponsor prior to the overnight trip. You’ll find all you
need to complete the worksheet in the following information. There is a bit more of the Preliminary
Training that we’ll go over when you are here. In order for your instructor to sign your record book you
must hand in the attached worksheet and complete the other required preliminary training.
Safety Precautions & Emergency Planning Before undertaking an expedition or backcountry adventure you need to take some time to consider the
trip, make plans and take a few basic precautions. While pre-planning doesn’t guarantee everything will
go as planned it certainly increases your chance of having a successful and safe trip. And in the event
that things don’t go as planned you have the plans in place to deal with it.
Essential planning includes:
Filling out a route card and leaving it with a responsible person.
Having a list of emergency contact numbers.
Getting medical info for members in your group.
Knowing the allergies and any medications members of your group have.
Using appropriate safety gear for the trip you are on and bringing an appropriate first aid kit.
Reading guidebooks, trip reports or talking to others who have been on the same trip.
Make sure you have the skills and training necessary for the trip you are undertaking.
As part of your pre-trip planning when you are at SPL you will fill in a detailed Route Card outlining the
planned route and time table of the journey.
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First Aid Basic first aid knowledge and knowing how to prevent common injuries are important skills for anyone
undertaking a wilderness trip. While this is not a first aid course and we will not provide specific first aid
training as either part of the preliminary training or during the trip, there are some common minor
injuries that participants can learn to prevent and how to deal treat.
Staying hydrated and eating – Many problems in the backcountry can be prevented by simply drinking
enough water and eating. When we get dehydrated and hungry we are more prone to headaches,
irritability, mild hypothermia, being clumsy, and generally making mistakes that can injure us. You know
you are drinking enough when you have to pee frequently and it is clear not dark yellow.
Blisters – Prevent them by making sure boots fit properly and are broken in. Wear a thin liner sock under
a heavier one, try to keep feet dry, apply moleskin or micropore tape before blisters occur. Hot Spots are
sore, red areas that are the precursor to a blister. Deal with Hot Spots or small blisters right away by
taking a piece of moleskin and cutting a doughnut hole slightly bigger than the sensitive area. You may
need to use a few layers to get it higher than the blister to prevent further rubbing.
Minor cuts – Stop bleeding by applying direct pressure over the wound. Clean the area by brushing away
any loose debris and washing the wound with clean water. It is important to thoroughly clean the wound
to prevent infection. A simple band-aid is enough to close very minor cuts; larger ones might require
wound closure strips.
Abrasions (road rash) – Often embedded with dirt, gravel or other debris which, if not removed, can lead
to scarring or infection. It is important to do a thorough cleaning (often more painful than the injury
itself) before applying a non-adherent protective dressing.
Minor burns – First degree burns (like sunburn or most hot water burns) only involve the outermost
layer of skin. There is redness of the skin and pain but no blisters. Cool the burn with cold water or a wet
compress (do not use ice directly). If you have it you can apply aloe vera gel.
Hypothermia – Hypothermia is an abnormally low body temperature due to exposure to a cold
environment. While mild hypothermia is rarely life-threatening, like dehydration and hunger it can
contribute to injuries resulting from poor judgment and poor coordination.
Even in above freezing temperatures a person can become mildly hypothermic by losing body heat to
the cooler air temperature, through touching cold objects, from wind chill, and from sweat or water
evaporating. Even breathing in cold temps contributes to this heat loss. You can prevent hypothermia by
wearing appropriate clothing (especially a hat and neck coverage), sitting on your pack rather than
directly on the ground, blocking the wind with windproof clothing or shelter, adjusting layers to prevent
getting too sweaty, and wearing waterproof clothing to keep insulating layers dry.
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Mild hypothermia can be recognized by the person feeling cold and excessive shivering. They will remain
conscious, alert, and their coordination will be normal or only slightly impaired. Treat them by getting
them into shelter, insulating them from cold ground, replacing wet clothing with dry layers, give them
warm food and sugar water to drink, wrap them in a sleeping bag or huddle with another person.
Heat illness – Heat illness ranges from minor heat cramps to life-threatening heat stroke. The most
common heat illness, heat exhaustion, is marked by malaise, headache, weakness, nausea, loss of
appetite, dizziness, vomiting is common, sweating, normal coordination and mental state. Painful cramps
or muscle spasms are another heat illness that is common after exercise. In both of these and other heat
illnesses dehydration is a significant contributor.
Dehydration limits the body’s ability to produce sweat and cool itself. It is important to drink lots – you
can sweat out 1-2 litres per hour during exercise on a hot day. Exercising during early morning or evening
to avoid the hottest part of the day, acclimatizing to hot weather, wearing loose fitting and light colored
clothing, and taking advantage of spots to cool off are all ways to manage the heat.
First Aid kit – Each participant should bring their own small personal first aid kit to treat minor cuts and
help prevent blisters. A great kit is the Coghlan’s Pack II first aid kit available from Mountain Equipment
Co-op and other retailers for about $5.50. It contains:
General first aid guide.
Adhesive bandages (21).
Knuckle bandage.
Sterile gauze pads (3).
Alcohol pads (3).
Antiseptic pads (3).
Moleskin.
Travel towels (2).
Steel needle.
A handy addition to these
contents is a pair of Coghlan’s folding
scissors for cutting moleskin (for blister
care).
We recommend that participants take a basic first aid course or wilderness first aid course for more
comprehensive training before undertaking significant personal trips.
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Maps Map Reading – Maps are two dimensional representations of three dimensional terrain. Using maps for
navigational purposes requires accurate interpretation of symbols used on paper and relating them to
actual features in the field and vice versa. Fast and accurate translation from map to field and field to
map is a primary navigation skill. To make this chapter more visual it is a good idea to have a
topographical map nearby to look at.
Types of Maps – Simple maps such as road maps or trail maps provide limited information about natural
features such as occasional elevations and location of major features. They can be useful for access and
general overviews of large areas.
For mountain navigation, topographical (topo) maps are required. These maps give more detailed
information on natural features such as relief, glaciation, vegetation and hydrography, as well as man-
made features such as roads and buildings. When traveling on the ocean you should carry a nautical
chart. In addition to the heights of land it displays the depths of water. It also gives detailed information
about the features of the seabed, the coastline, hazards and tides and currents.
Scale – Scale is the proportion between a distance in the field and a distance on the map. A scale of 1 to
50,000 (1:50:000) means 1 unit of horizontal measurement on the map equals 50,000 units of
measurement in the field. For example, 1cm on the map equals 50,000cm (500 metres) in the field. The
greater the scale, the less detail a map will contain.
For overview purposes, especially for planning long trips, specialty maps covering specific areas (e.g.
National Parks maps) and 1:250,000 maps are useful. The large scale of these maps makes them of
limited use for detailed planning or navigation in the field.
Interpretation of maps – To assist map users with interpretation, a variety of symbols, colors, contour
lines, and, in some instances, shading are used. Symbols and colors vary somewhat but a legend is
printed on most maps to assist the user.
Contour lines – Contour lines represent elevation above sea level and can be used to indicate incline or
slope. They connect points of the same elevation and are continuous, that is, they form a closed loop,
although in many instances they close on themselves only after passing through more than one map
sheet. Only darker reference contour lines have an elevation marked on them, the elevation of unlabeled
lines can be determined using the contour interval. Contour interval refers to the change in elevation
between two contour lines. For example, a contour interval of 20 metres indicates the elevation
difference between two contour lines on the map represents 20 metres in the field. The height of a point
located between two contour lines, a lake for example, can be estimated as being half the distance of the
contour interval.
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If contour lines are closer together, more elevation change is represented in the same distance, thus the
incline of the terrain is steeper. Whether the difference in height is upward or downward must be
interpreted by the map user. By carefully examining water drainage for example, it is often possible to
differentiate up from down on the map. Reference contours have the elevation printed on the line and
can also be used to assist in differentiating up from down. Here an example of the different variations:
Features such as ridges, valleys, passes, peaks, etc. can be identified and even relatively small features
will show as variations in contour lines if carefully interpreted. You will find examples for that below.
Shading is an additional aid to interpreting contours on a map and often increases the speed and
accuracy with which they can be read. Unfortunately most North American maps are not shaded and it is
wise to become proficient at reading unshaded contour features.
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True north, grid north and magnetic north - Concerning navigation north can mean three different
things:
True North - This is where the North Pole actually is. You can go there.
Grid north - Because the earth is round geographers had to come up with an idea how to put it onto
something flat like a map (have you ever tried to lay an entire ball out flat on the ground without missing
any parts or creating any gabs?) Because this is very tricky north on a map varies slightly from true north.
It is called grid north.
Magnetic north - This is the magnetic field your compass needle points to. The area which attracts the
magnetized needle of a compass lies some 2200 km from the North Pole. This has to be taken into
account when you combine map and compass work.
Dating information – Particular attention must be paid to the age of the information used to create a
map. Many mountain areas have not been surveyed or photographed for a number of years and the
information will be dated. This is especially true of features such as the extent of glaciation and changes
in roads, buildings, and other man-made objects. The age of the information given on maps can be
ascertained by looking for dates of air photographs, surveys, and culture checks used to produce the
map. This information is generally printed on the map border.
Latitude and longitude – Latitude and longitude are the east/west and north/south worldwide
measurements from the prime meridian and the equator respectively. They are commonly used in other
types of navigation (e.g. sea and air) and may be useful when communicating with other professions
(e.g. pilots). This is especially useful if calling for rescue: by giving the pilot or rescue team a position
using latitude and longitude, they can proceed to your position directly using a Global Positioning System
device (GPS).
Latitude and longitude are marked in degrees, minutes, and seconds on the border of maps. A simple
means of determining latitude and longitude is:
Fold the map horizontally and vertically through your position at right angles to the border.
Read the latitude and longitude where the folds cross the border.
Grid references - A far more precise and easier system to identify your position on a topo map is the
Universal Transmercator (UTM) System. Often, maps (e.g. Canadian 1:50,000) have a light blue grid
imposed on the features. Each of these grid lines is numbered at the edge of the map. Numbers increase
from west to east (left to right) and south to north (bottom to top).These numbers refer to the Universal
Transmercator (UTM) grid system. Each square formed by the grid on the map represents an area of
1000 by 1000 meters in the field. Using the UTM grid reference system, locations on the 1:50,000 series
can be described to an accuracy of 100 meters (i.e. 1/10th of a square on the map = 100 meters in the
field) using a six digit number. To plot a UTM grid reference:
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1. Note the two digit number
of the grid line to the west
of the location.
2. Count tenths of a grid to
the east until aligned with
the location.
3. Use the number of tenths
as the third number of the
reference.
4. Repeat the process from
south to north.
5. The saying, “In the door
and up the stairs” might
help you remember to
measure left to right then
bottom to top.
In the illustration at right the point where the creek flowing out of the northern tip of Rossiter Lake starts
would be designated 309125. A complete grid reference includes the map name, map number, and the
six digit grid reference number.
Declination – The area which attracts the magnetized needle of a compass (the magnetic north pole) lies
some 2200 km from the North Pole and therefore a similar distance away from grid north, our reference
point on the map. The difference between grid north (the north that you work with on the map) and
magnetic north (where your compass needle points to) is called declination.
The north indicated by the magnetic needle of
the compass and the north indicated at the top
of the map are aligned only at certain places. In
North America those places are on a line
extending from off the east coast of Florida
through Lake Michigan. This line is called the zero
declination line. To the west of this line the
magnetic needle of a compass will indicate that
magnetic north lies to the east of grid north. This
area has an easterly declination. The opposite is
the case east of the zero declination line.
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Declination for a given area is noted on the border of the
map (as shown to the right). It will be given as a bearing in
degrees and minutes with a date, e.g. 18 degrees 18
minutes (18° 18’) in 1975. (60 minutes = 1 degree). The
annual change is noted as increasing or decreasing (e.g.
annual change decreasing 1.4 minutes). Before the
declination for a given area is used to adjust map bearings
for use in the field or vice versa, the declination has to be
corrected so it is accurate for the current year. For example,
if the declination for a given area in 1975 was 18° 18’ and
the annual change is decreasing 1.4’ per year the
declination for 2010 (close enough for our purposes) is
calculated:
1950 declination – (annual change times years of
change) = 2010 declination.
18° 18’ – (1.4’ x 35 years) = 17° 29’
Compass A compass stripped to the core is a magnetized needle that
responds to the earth magnetic field and is there fore
pointing to magnetic north.
To make it more useful for navigation different features have been added. If you have a compass at home
or available at your school it would be valuable to have it for this chapter.
High quality compasses with a sighting mirror are recommended for most accurate results; however a
compass without a mirror will suffice for casual use. A compass with a declination adjustment is
suggested.
Why do you need a compass? A compass helps you to find where you are and find your way; this is very
useful but can be critical if you get lost and visibility is poor. The main ways you use a compass are:
Orienting the map with the compass so that it matches what you see on the ground
Taking a bearing on the map and using it to identify features or to follow it on your trip. (map to
field)
Taking a bearing in the field to have it set for your trip or to follow it on the map (field to map)
Identifying your own position using 'by following multiple bearings of known features on your
map (field to map)
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Compass features – Compasses come in many designs, but most compass features are the same
regardless of model. You need to make use of some or all of the compass features for different
tasks.
Before you can use a compass to navigate you need to be familiar with the main features.
1. Baseplate - the plastic base. Used to align the compass with the points on the map between
which bearings are to be measured.
2. Compass housing - also called just the housing, rotating dial with a mark every two degrees
covering 360 degrees, and N-S-E-W (the 'cardinal points').
3. Magnetic needle - floats in the housing and red end points to magnetic north.
4. Orienting lines - rotate with the housing and are used to align the compass to the map when
transferring bearings from the field to the map.
5. Orienting arrow - fixed and aligned to north within the compass housing. Used to align the
magnetic needle to magnetic north when taking bearings in the field.
6. Bearing indicator - where the bearing is read. The spot on the circle where the N on the housing
is aligned. Where extension of the direction of travel arrow. Often depicted as a line or narrow
rectangle on some models.
7. Direction of travel arrow - the big arrow at the end of the baseplate.
8. Map scales 1:25 000, 1:50 000 and metric measurer.
The main working part of a compass is the magnetic 'needle' that floats on a central pivot. The red end
always points to the Earth's magnetic north pole and the outer ring is marked with the cardinal points of
the compass (N-S-E-W) and every 2 degrees. These markings are used to get bearings (the direction from
where you are, to where you want to go or from what you see to where you are).
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Working with your compass - The compass is little more than a specialized protractor: it simply
measures angles. These angles are called bearings in navigational terminology. The main working part of
a compass is the magnetic 'needle' that floats on a central pivot. The red end always points to the Earth's
magnetic north pole and the outer ring is marked with the cardinal points of the compass (N-S-E-W) and
every 2 degrees. These markings are used to get bearings (the direction from where you are, to where
you want to go or from what you see to where you are).
On the map, bearings are calculated using grid north as a baseline from which the angle is measured. In
the field, magnetic north is the baseline. The declination given must be reconciled when transferring
bearings from the map to the field and vice versa. Bearings are always measured in a clockwise direction
from north.
Where is north? There is, however, a slight complication (remember that bit about declination?);
magnetic north is not the same as map grid north because magnetic north (where the compass needle
points) changes in different areas of the world, and also changes over time. In fact, the rate of change is
increasing and currently moves about 60km each year!
To get a completely accurate reading you have to adjust the bearing to take account of the difference
between grid north and magnetic north. The degree of declination is printed on topographic maps but as
a rough guideline, for British Columbia you should adjust by 17 degrees. An easy way to remember
whether you need to add or subtract the declination amount is with the following mneumonics:
MOGS – Map onto ground subtract: when taking a bearing on the map you need to subtract the
declination (in our case 17 degrees) to get the magnetic bearing.
GOMA – Ground onto map add: add the declination (17 degrees) to your compass bearing when
taking a bearing from the field to the map.
Some compasses have an adjustment on them (usually a small set screw on the housing or backside of
the baseplate) that allow you to set the declination amount so that you don’t have to think about it
every time you take a bearing.
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Working with map and compass
1. Orienting your map
Many people find it easier to read and actually follow a map when they direct it the way the reality is
facing them in that moment. They turn the map as long as it matches with what they see on the ground.
This is called orienting the map. You can use your compass to do this so that north on the map equals
north in reality:
a) Lay your map out flat on a smooth and level surface.
b) On your compass line up the N for north on the housing with the direction of travel arrow. If you
want to take the areas declination into account subtract the given amount. For example if the
declination is 17: 360 – 17 = 343 degrees
Now, make the number 343 point towards the direction of travel arrow.
c) Place your compass on the map so that the edge of the base plate lines up with one of the blue
north - south grid lines.
d) Turn map and compass together until the red part of the needle is pointing towards N for north
on the housing. The red part of the needle should be over top of the red orienting arrow.
2. To measure a bearing (direction) on the map and following it on your trip
a) Identify the points between which the bearing is to
be taken. Align the compass along the points using
the side of the base plate. The back of the compass
should be at the start point from which the bearing
is to be taken (see picture).
b) Rotate the housing until the orienting lines of the
compass are parallel to the blue grid lines on the
map. Make sure that north on the housing aligns
with north on the map.
c) Read the bearing at the bearing indicator. This is
the map bearing – to use it I the field you need to
subtract the declination to get the magnetic bearing
in the field.
d) To follow this bearing on your trip hold the compass level in front of you, and then turn your
entire body (including your feet) until the red part of the needle is aligned with the orienting
arrow on the housing. The direction of travel arrow will now point in the direction you want to
go or the mountain you wanted to know the name of.
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3. To measure a bearing (direction) in the field and plotting it on the map
a) Holding the compass level
and at arm’s length, sight the
landmark along the direction
of travel arrow on the base
plate.
b) Keeping the object in line
with the directional arrow,
rotate the housing until the
orienting arrow and the red
end of the compass needle are aligned. The magnetic bearing is now set on your compass. You
can use this bearing in times of doubt. It will enable you to hold your course even if the object is
not always visible. Just turn your entire body until the red part of the needle is above the
orienting arrow. The direction of travel arrow then indicates were your landmark is.
c) If you want to follow this magnetic bearing on your map to get an idea of were you are the first
thing you need to do is to add the declination. From here you place one long edge of the base
plate touching the landmark on the map. Now rotate the entire compass until its orienting lines
are parallel with the maps blue grid lines. Make sure that your landmark is always touching the
edge of the base plate. You basically rotate the compass around your landmark on the map.
Once your compass is aligned you can follow the line made by the edge of the base plate. Your
position is somewhere on that line. To get a more accurate position you can repeat the process
with one or two more known landmarks. The point where the lines created by the base plate
cross is then your position.
Note: Precise results or directions require the use of a mirror compass which allows you to aim at the
landmark, and see the north-south arrow and the magnetic needle at the same time.
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Estimating Travel Time Together with knowing how to use a map and compass you also need to be able to estimate your travel
speed in order to plan your route. Use the following times for your initial planning but also take note of
how long it actually takes your group to help with future planning.
Typical hiking speed for an average party:
Good trails = 5km/h
Rough trails = 3km/h
Bushwhacking (off trail) = 1km/h or less.
Add 1 hour for every 300m (or 1000') of elevation gain
On a gentle decline subtract 10 minutes per 300m of descent. On a steep decline (over 12°), add
10 minutes per 300m of descent
Add 10 minutes per hour for breaks
Allow extra time for hazards such as creek crossings
Snow conditions will greatly change time estimates
Typical kayaking and canoeing speed:
empty double sea kayak with no wind = 4-7km/hr
full double sea kayak with moderate wind = 3-6km/hr
empty 2 person canoe with no wind = 4-6km/hr
full 2 person canoe with moderate wind = 3-6km/hr
Wilderness Code of Behavior Review the Wilderness Code of Behavior guidelines in the Participant’s Record Book, pages 18-20. At
Strathcona Park Lodge you’ll hear us use the term “leave no trace” to describe our backcountry practices
but the principle and practice is really the same. Learn more at www.leavenotrace.ca/principles.
extra effort will help hide any indication where you camped and make it less likely that other back try
travelers will camp in the same spot. The less often a pristine campsite is used the better chance it has of
remaining pristine.
Reading Over the Appropriate Sections of the Record Book If you haven’t already, read over pages 16-23 and the appropriate award level in your record book. The
more prepared you are before the trip the easier it will be to complete your report afterwards.
Any Additional Training As Needed In most cases you don’t need any special training before coming on the trip. You should be reasonably
fit, willing to learn and contribute to the group, have a good attitude, and be up for a challenge. The
more you can do to prepare for the trip (break in new hiking boots by going for walks, take a basic first
aid course, do the worksheet on your own instead of copying a friend’s on the way here…) the more