Imagine … accurately determining your latitude/longitude position and pinpointing your exact location on a map of the National Forest. It takes the guesswork out of trail hiking or backpacking.

Becoming lost isn’t going to happen … unless your batteries die.

Captains do it. Pilots do it. Road rallyists do it. Hikers can and should do it.

Take the time/spacial guesswork out of using topographical maps while hiking the back country, by using handheld GPS receivers with maps built in. Garmin has a good selection ranging from roughly $150 to $1,500.

Handheld GPS receivers are small and lightweight, perfect for a backpack. They receive their position information from satellites, so reception is good even in the back country – unless you venture inside a cave. Some units allow storing of street databases, nautical charts and other cartographic resources.

One of the neatest capabilities is to plan a hike in advance. Sit down at home with your handheld GPS unit, a USGS topo map, and a guidebook of interesting sights along a trail system. With a high-end unit you can get driving directions to a spot near a trailhead to make your drive simple and pleasant.

Enter the position of the trailhead and each point of interest along the trail, as waypoints, by checking the Lat/Lon on the topo map and entering it into the GPS unit.

Then head out on your adventure.

Once on the trail, navigate to each pre-planned spot along the trail. Feel free to add waypoints along the route when you encounter something of special interest that you may want to visit again or share with other hiking buddies.

This is done with push-button ease by saving your current position. Accuracy is so good that you can store a campsite within a campground.

Accuracy is enhanced with a clear view of a larger swath of sky because the receiver can get signals from more satellites, which equates to pinpoint triangulation.

Therefore, when you want the best position accuracy, go up on a hilltop or ridgetop where you can see lots of sky.

A GPS unit can also function as a comforting safety device.

When part of the group wants to venture off from camp, have them take along a compass and the GPS unit with the campsite set as the active “go to” waypoint.

If they get a bit turned around, all the wandering group needs to do is read the bearing to waypoint on the GPS unit and consult the compass to determine which direction to head to return safely to camp.

A handheld GPS unit can help make an excursion fun, and function as an important safety device. Be sure to pack extra batteries.