Get “Lost” In Yosemite (With A Ranger)

Yosemite Association to conduct wilderness navigation skills classes ranging from maps and compasses to the latest GPS technology June 18-19

Forget marking hiking trails with breadcrumbs and reading stars in the sky. Today, modern satellite technology and a pocket sized receiver called a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit can tell you exactly where you are on Earth at any moment. In addition to the traditional methods of maps and compasses, GPS units are the latest tool aiding hikers and backpackers to navigate their way in the backcountry wilderness.

Recognizing that outdoor navigation is continually changing with modern innovations, the Yosemite Association, a non-profit organization known for their award-winning Outdoor Adventures program, will offer two classes over Father’s Day weekend related to skills needed to safely find your way in the wilderness. The June 18 class, geared toward beginners, focuses on compass instruction and deciphering the language of maps. The June 19 class explores the popular new outdoor activity of geocaching and understanding how to operate GPS units. Attendees of the June 19 class must provide their own GPS receiver for the session.

Class instructors are Dick Ewart, a National Park Service Ranger who has worked in Yosemite for over thirty years and Jeff Duesing, one of California’s leading experts in GPS technology.

Course fees are $68 for Yosemite Association (YA) members and $80 for non-members. Free camping at YA shared campsites is included in the course fee. For non-campers, a limited number of overnight accommodations have been set aside in Yosemite Valley, at an additional cost.

Advanced reservations are required for both courses and can be made by calling (209) 379-2321 or online at www.yosemite.org.

About the Yosemite Association

The Yosemite Association offers over 80 field courses on a wide variety of outdoor related topics throughout Yosemite serving all levels of ability. Subjects include art and writing, astronomy, birding, cultural history, interpretive backpacks, Native American, natural history, outdoor skills, photography, volunteer service, wildflowers and botany, as well as classes customized for families, children and women.

Yosemite Outdoor Adventure participants do not have to be a member of Yosemite Association to attend field courses. However, those who wish to become a steward of Yosemite, one of the world’s most beautiful places, can join the Yosemite Association with memberships starting at $35 per year. Membership benefits include discounted room rates in and around Yosemite, a 15% discount on all outdoor adventures, subscription to “ Yosemite,” the quarterly journal of the Association, 15% discount on all books, maps, posters and calendars, and regular email newsletters.

Founded in 1923, Yosemite Association revenues are used to support education, museum, research and environmental programs in Yosemite through donations to the National Park Service.

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