Dear Keegan Harkavy,
I am a orienteer, and I am a runner. Being a runner has it’s pros and cons when orienteering. One of the biggest cons is that I often times run faster than I can navigate and get lost. What is something I can do to find myself if I am lost?
Sincerely, Colin Milton
Dear Colin Milton,
First off, Colin, I would try to slow down and not get lost. Even if you are going really slowly, you're still probably going to go faster than if you get lost while running fast. If you do get lost, however, my first recommendation would be to stop the second you realize it. Next, I would try to figure out what you did wrong to see if you can find the path you actually took. If this does not work, I would try to find the biggest, clearest feature near you and see if you can find it on your map. If you can, check other smaller features around you with the map as well. If you are still lost I would recommend going up hill and then looking at your map for hilltops to see if you can find the one you are on. If all else fails and you're still lost, I would use my safety bearing or ask someone.
A few things to keep in mind is how far you have traveled since you last knew where you were, so you have an idea for the area of the map you are in. Also, you should always have your map oriented or it will be a lot harder to find yourself. Finally, try to find the last place you knew you were. This will help a lot. Also, keep in mind that you can go back the way you came to see if you can find a place that you knew where you were.
Sincerely, Keegan Harkavy
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