In the first part of this article, we covered how to read a topographic map. Take a look at the article and re-familiarize yourself with the concepts, as we will assume knowledge of contour lines, topographic maps, and the different colors used on the map for this article.
Hiking with Impunity 101 - The Ten Essentials; or, "How to Keep Yourself Safe in the Great Outdoors"
In the 1930's, a Seattle-based organization of people who loved climbing and the great outdoors - The Mountaineers - developed a list of ten essentials that every outdoors person should carry. In 2003, the same group updated the way they taught the 10 essentials using more of a "systems" approach (Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, The Mountaineers Books, 2010).
While it is interesting to know what is now referred to as the "classic" ten essentials, I will be focusing on this "systems" based approach instead.
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