If I'm out hiking in bushland and get lost will I be able to return to safety if I only have a gps on me?

Question

If I'm out hiking in bushland and get lost will I be able to return to safety if I only have a gps on me?

Answer 1

Your GPS receiver should work properly anywhere on the earth as long as you are getting reception. Places like Canyons may impede that ability. You should be able to hike your way out, especially if you have topographical maps loaded in order to navigate around any obstacles.

Answer 2

If you are asking this question you have no business being out in the woods.  In order to put yourself in that situation you must have proper orientiering skills with a standard compass.  A GPS is a piece of technology that can fail....yes a compass can fail, but you can make one with very simple household items.  I recommend that you read up on orientiering, go to a park that you are familiar with and learn what you are doing.  As you gain experience you can progressively move into the woods/bush.  You need to be smart about this, always take a knife, matches/firestarter, space blanket and plenty of water and anything else you may need.

Answer 3

As long as you have a clear view of the sky, your GPS should work for you. Using to get back to where you want to be depend upon how well you know the unit and how to use it.

Answer 4

I'm with Jason.  Take an orienteering course and learn how to use a map and compass.  Then, and only then, should you use a GPS.  I'm in SAR in Arizona, and I can't tell you how many folks we rescue who think a GPS will magically return them to the parking lot somehow.  That includes, by the way, numerous Boy Scout groups.  (The scouts were great, the leaders something else.)

At minimum, mark your location wherever you park.  Then you can use the goto function to return to that point.  Assuming that your straight line course does not put you over a cliff.  Hence the need to always use a GPS unit with a map.