Troop 48 takes great pride in their ability to use a compass and read a topographic map, after all or nickname is The Pathfinders. With so many people becoming ever reliant on GPS systems to find their way out of a parking lot being able to read a map is a dying art that we aim to preserve. On this page you'll find tips, tricks and questions and answers about orienteering. Check back often to stay sharp and learn new things. Who knows when your Mom's GPS will go on the fritz and you'll be needed to find the way back home.

Q: How many colors are on a topographic map and what does each color represent?

A: There can be up to 7 colors on a topographic map—

Black — Man-made objects like houses, roads, silos, railroad tracks and lots more

Red — Major highways

Brown — Elevation. Brown lines on the map are called contour lines and they show us changes in the shape of the land.

Blue — Water, like lakes, rivers and ponds

Green— Vegetation, like woodlands, fields, marshy areas and orchards

Purple—Changes to the map since the last printing

Yellow — Dense areas of population like cities and towns

Q: Where can I find the Marginal Data?

A: I the margins of the Map! This was sort of a trick question but in the margins you'll find a scale to determine how far a mile is on the map, a reference for special symbols used, the date when the map was printed, the compass rose to help you orient the map and more.

Q: How do I orient a map?

A: Orienting a map means rotating it so that north on the map aligns with north on your compass. It's sort of embarrassing to follow a map for any distance only to find out you've been walking south when you wanted to go north. Use your map and compass together as a way-finding team.

Q: What is the difference between true north and magnetic north?

A: True north is at the very top of the world at what we commonly call the "North Pole". Unfortunately compasses point slightly away from the true north pole because they are attracted to a large magnetic mass in the earth near but not directly under the pole. That means that when you orient your map, you'll need to use the magnetic designation for north noted in your marginal data, not the true north shown on the compass rose so that your map is oriented the same as your compass.