![]() He somehow found time to be vice-president of the International Ski Federation and was actively involved in the Swedish, U.S., and International Orienteering Federations. A professional orienteering map followed, and soon training events were a regular occurrence one hour north of New York City. He had the 4,700-acre Ward Pound Ridge Reservation as his backyard, so to speak, and quickly made it a point to clear and mark cross-country ski and hiking trails. He moved permanently to Westchester County, New York, in the late 1950s. He is credited with introducing the sport of orienteering to North America, and even with coining the English word orienteering. In 1946, my father took his first business trip to the United States, during which he helped Scout leaders organize the first orienteering event in the United States, at Indiana Dunes State Park, near Lake Michigan. Silva compasses became the standard, selling over 500,000 a year in the United States alone. Together they made history by producing and marketing the first protractor-compass, the concept of which still defines the modern orienteering compass today. An entrepreneur from the start, he registered the company that was to become known the world over as Silva at the ripe age of nineteen.Ī few years later, in 1933, he and his brother, Alvar, joined forces with another young orienteer named Gunnar Tillander. My father had been a Championship Orienteer, on foot and on skis, in his native Sweden, though his passion was admittedly for nature and the compass, not for trophies and medals. It was Green Bar Bill, Bill Hillcourt, a hero in American scouting circles, who initially encouraged my father to write this guide. This book, however, is still the ideal for anyone who wants to learn the basics of compass navigation, as it helps you get comfortable with map and compass skills and gets you ready to participate in or organize a local orienteering event. Global Positioning Systems, known as GPS, were certainly not a readily available consumer item just a few years ago. ![]() International and national -level orienteering has continued to develop into a highly technical sport, utilizing the most modern techniques and materials. Many things are different from when my late father, Björn Kjellström, last updated this book in 1994, with the help of one of my dear brothers, Tord. ![]() For many, it rekindles memories of the great outdoor opportunities it led them to for others, it seems to remind them of younger, simpler days spent fidgeting with the dials and trying to master the mystery of magnetism. From former Boy Scouts to Marines to avid deer hunters to 4-H leaders to search-and-rescue dog teams, I have been impressed by the number of people who become animated when the book is brought up. I am always pleased when I meet people from all walks of life who are familiar with, and indeed fond of, this book. Over 500,000 copies have been sold in English- language editions, and it has been published in French, Italian, and Chinese. First published in 1955, Be Expert with Map & Compasshas become an institution as a guide for generations of people seeking important basic navigational skills. This book has been around for longer than I have, and I am no spring chicken, as they say, having just crossed that notorious half -century mark. ![]() Read moreījörn Kjellström at his beloved cabin in Sweden in the 1960s. If you want to feel at home in the wilderness, this updated guide is an indispensable reference. ![]() Now updated to include information on GPS as well as current Web sites, references, sources, and photographs, Be Expert with Map and Compass remains the book of choice for professional outdoorsmen and novice orienteers, as well as teachers, scout leaders, recreational hikers, hunters, and others around the world.Ĭoverage includes understanding map symbols traveling by map alone, by compass alone, or by map and compass together finding bearings sketching maps and traveling in the wilderness. This popular, easy-to-use orienteering handbook has been helping people find their way for more than fifty years. GPS devices are great, but they can break, get lost, or easily be hampered by weather conditions, making basic map and compass skills essential for anyone who spends time outdoors. This classic map and compass navigation guide-newly revised for the age of GPS-offers a clear and concise master class on the art of orienteering. ![]()
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