Skip to main content

Learn how to navigate the backcountry from your computer with Aim Adventure U

Don’t have the time or money for expensive in-person backcountry navigation courses, but intend on adventuring through the wilderness just the same? Aim Adventure U offers an online class in Backcountry Navigation so that you can learn basic skills without leaving the comfort of your own home.

This course was put together by the Colorado Outward Bound School and Backpacker magazine, and all the sections are taught by veteran Colorado Outward Bound School instructor Sienna Fry. The program is designed to be taken at your own pace, with all lessons available to be retaken as many times as you please. Once you’ve purchased the course, the materials are yours forever.

Recommended Videos

The sections are broken down into videos, reading, practice assignments, and quizzes. The practice assignments are intended to get you outside to apply your skills in the real world while the quizzes are intended to help you perfect the material and identify areas you might be struggling with.

Aim Adventure U’s Backcountry Navigation course is broken down into eight sections. The first section is on maps and teaches you how to read them, how to match contour lines to the landscape, and how to use latitude and longitude. The second section is on using a compass, offering tips on taking a bearing and location triangulation.

After teaching these basic skills, the course progresses to route planning, providing a comprehensive overview of how to calculate distance, measure elevation gain or loss, and identify landmarks. The fourth section is on digital GPS devices and how to implement real-world orienteering skills alongside a smartphone app or unit.

The fifth section takes all these skills and applies them to actual travel, whether on or off the trail. The course offers tips on how to stay found, navigate around obstacles, and what to do if you lose the trail. The sixth section touches on special navigation issues such as visibility and extreme weather and the seventh section addresses what to do if you do get lost, including how to backtrack and when to call for rescue.

The entire course takes around eight to ten hours to complete and can be purchased for $150 from Aim Adventure U.

Amanda Ellis
Amanda is an outdoor junkie and digital nomad with an insatiable hunger for gear. Based out of Raleigh, NC she travels to…
Be ready for storm season: Dual fuel portable generator is $150 off today
Pulsar dual fuel portable generator with gas can in background

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that a ton of early Black Friday deals have dropped. There are the usual suspects like laptops, electronics, gaming gear, and beyond. But me, I prefer to pick up unusual items during the huge holiday sales. You know exactly what I mean, the kind of stuff that doesn't usually go on sale any other time. One of those items is a portable generator. Where I live it seems like they rarely go on sale, and when you need them most they're never in stock. People flock to the stores to buy them just before a big storm. Well, right now, Pulsar and Walmart have an incredible deal on a 12,000-watt dual-fuel generator. Normally $900 it's down to $749 which saves you $151. It can run for up to 12 hours on an 8-gallon fuel tank.

 
Why shop the Pulsar 12,000-watt dual-fuel portable generator for Black Friday?

Read more
The BLUETTI Handsfree 2 is a solar backpack and power station — It’s $200 off
BLUETTI Handsfree 2 solar backpack and power station -- black friday deal

While you're busy shopping through all of the Best Cyber Monday deals, here's a little something that might pique your interest. You'll be even more excited if you spend a lot of time outdoors or off-grid. You might want to wait on grabbing that Cyber Monday portable power station deal. Allow me to explain. The BLUETTI Handsfree 2 is a backpack, like any other outdoor pack you might encounter, except for one thing. It's also a power station and solar generator. Believe me when I say this thing is insane and super useful. But for Cyber Monday, there's a deal that includes the BLUETTI Handsfree 2 and a 100-watt solar panel to charge it on the go. Normally $799, it's yours for just $599, saving you $200. Wow. You have to read what it can all do, so don't leave just yet.

 
Why buy the BLUETTI Handsfree 2 solar backpack and power station?

Read more
Cyber Monday is here: Shop these snow blower deals while you can!
The Ego 24-inch Self-Propelled 2-Stage XP Snow Blower on a white background.

When you think of Cyber Monday, you might think of Cyber Monday TV deals, but now is also the time for more practical items like snow blowers. We’ve picked out all the best Cyber Monday snow blower deals with big savings on popular brands, and we’ve also taken the time to provide you with some buying advice so you know what to look for when buying one.

With so many different snow blowers out there, we’ve considered everything you need to know about and included different budgets in our decision-making process, too. Read on, and we’ll take you through all these great Cyber Monday deals. If you’re looking for something a little more fun (but still practical), we’ve picked out all the best Cyber Monday Apple Watch deals, too. Let’s take a look together.
Our top pick: Greenworks 40V 20-inch Brushless Cordless Snow Blower -- $247 $420 41% off

Read more