Navigating Without a Compass

Never try to navigate without a compass unless you are an expert or truly lost in the middle of nowhere. Even for practice, always keep a compass with you. If you are still unequipped, here are some useful tips.

Vegetation

In the forest, moss generally grows on the north side of trees. However, it is better to examine the moss in the middle of the tree, as the base is likely to be exposed to moisture throughout the day. Additionally, check the moss on different trees, those with more or less intense vegetation and foliage, to compare. Once you have clearly distinguished the mossy side of the trees, the next step is to try to orient yourself by looking at the landscape.

When observing a mountain, you will see that there is more vegetation on the north side of the mountain than on the south side, unless you are in a jungle or a place with medium to high humidity. If there are no trees, look for the greenest/most fertile part of the landscape. The same goes for a valley. Observe the slopes on each side of the valley. If the valley extends from north to south, there will be more vegetation on the north slope than on the south slope.

The "Shadow and Sun" Method

Another method to find north is by using the sun, a stick, earthy (or dusty) ground, and two stones.

1. First, place a straight stick about 1 meter long into the ground early in the day before noon. Note the shadow cast by the stick. Mark the tip of the shadow by pushing a small stone or twig (or nail) into the ground.
2. Next, draw a circle as symmetrical as possible around the stick from the stone. Once completed, the stick will be directly in the center of the circle and the stone on the edge.
3. When noon arrives a bit later (the technical term is "solar noon," when the sun is at its highest point in the sky, which is generally noon on a clock, although this depends on your location and time zones), the sun will be at its peak. This means the shadow from the stick (in the center) will be at its shortest point.
4. In the hours that follow, the sun will begin a gentle descent. As the day progresses, the shadow of the stick (in the center) will start to point more and more towards the circle you drew in the ground.
5. Once the shadow reaches the edge of the circle, mark it with the second stone or twig. Congratulations, you can now identify east and west by drawing a line in the ground from the first stone/twig to the second.
6. If you are in the northern hemisphere, the first stone/twig will indicate west and the second will indicate east. Conversely, if you are in the southern hemisphere, the first stone will indicate east, not west.

The Watch Method

First, you will need an analog watch (with hands) set to the correct time. If daylight saving time is recorded, you must set it back by one hour.

In the Northern Hemisphere

1. Point the hour hand (the small one) towards the sun.
2. Imagine there is a line in the middle of the angle between the hour hand and the 12 o'clock mark.
3. The middle line of the angle indicates south, so the opposite direction is north.

In the Southern Hemisphere

1. Point the 12 o'clock mark towards the sun.
2. Imagine there is a line in the middle of the angle between the 12 o'clock mark and the hour hand.
3. The middle line of the angle indicates north.

If you have the time, it is advisable to test and use these methods combined to more accurately confirm the direction to take.