Basic Map Reading: Identify Terrain Features

[@paulinemcleggan7585]

Don’t laugh I am almost 60 and I am planning to go hiking. As I need to learn to use a map and compass your video is a great help to me. I want to learn the basics BEFORE I venture out

[@MrInfamous1977]

There are a lot of great videos on KZbin to help with the basics. Be safe and happy venturing.

[@vegasvato55]

i am 68 years old and i absolutely do not let that low me down.. At first it was a little difficult because i had been a Couche potato for decades. but the more i went out the stronger and heathier i got...

[@stormytrails]

One of the worst mistakes people make is to not have a map of the area you are visiting even more worse is to not be able to read a map with contours. Fewer even understand how to use a compass. Scary. Dang you are doing such a great job and this is the first I've seen someone actually address 'How To Read a Map'!!! Perhaps you could begin by pointing out the elevations and the differences and how to tell up from down. Grins, I taught Grading and Drainage for Landscape Architects. Once and this didn't relate to elevations, I had just sold my design to a new client based on pretty graphics and maps...while we were signing contracts and checks the client excitedly asked me; "What flower is that ?" while pointing to a graphic of a tree. I was far more careful after that.

[@vgullotta]

Hill, Valley, Ridge, Salad, Depression, got it. Salad always makes me depressed too lol

[@Keen_Collector]

You’re the best teacher I’ve had so far for Land Nav. Keep up the great work and May God bless you.

[@rodneyspence8098]

Look at that, Adirondak park. My favorite area in all of NY is the NE bank of Avalanche lake just W of Mount Colvin and Ausable lake! Going to take a look at some of your self-reliance courses.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I know exactly where you are talking about

[@deannadavis2426]

I am teaching a backpack class, and I have to be able to teach all of this, and actually have them remember it too! You explain it so easily, I will never forget it, so thank you. Here's a little tip as you requested. 5 Major: Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing. 5 Minor: Does Sally Climb, crawl, or fall? Sounds stupid, but the dumber it is, the more likely you will remember it. "C-L-I" Are the first 3 letters for both Climb, and Cliff. So, if I can remember the first 3 letters, the rest is easy. You can either climb over a cliff, crawl over a cliff, or fall off a cliff. Don't know about you, or if this helps you, but I will never forget the minors.

[@mikeabell4893]

I was about to reinvent the wheel to help teach novice outdoorsmen how not to get lost, terrain features was obviously one block of instruction, came across your video and you saved me a bunch of time! Well done. Thank you brother

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I have a lot more of these that I wanted to do but they didn't generate much interest so I put them on the back burner

[@mikeabell4893]

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret Well there's a movement of 20 to 30 somethings who didn't grow up hunting or fishing or doing really anything outdoors that need help. I've taught 2 in person land nav classes for hunters this year. The class I am doing involves hunting specific items like how to use the sunrise/set and thermals to your advantage etc. But I have to explain terrain features, which is where your class is damn good. RLTW! Brother

[@jonnyM_007]

This was a GREAT step by step- Grateful 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@kurohikes5857]

Map reading and orienteering are skills that I need to improve. I appreciate this information. Thank you!

[@lenin4095]

Love your material I'm hooked and trying to absorb it all. Wish you had more map reading and navigation content. I think it is an essential skill that's difficult to come by or find a good instructor on now a days. Thank you for creating all this content I keep rewatching your videos😀👌

[@at6062]

Excellent video. It's not an acronym, but I was taught the phrase, "Cowboy Cliff works on the railroad," to remember the minors. Draw and spur remind you of a cowboy and, as you've said, cut and fill are usually associated with railroads.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Nice!

[@kidbach]

I was wondering why I'm getting a notification for some guy named, "The Gray Bearded Green Beret (allegedly)" you explained more in a introduction video than some people in a whole 100 part series, that doesn't even cover terrain features and names. Thanks for sharing.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Thanks, kidbach! I recently changed the name of my channel because folks would ask me face to face what my channel was and when I would say my last name they would look at me funny and probably never found me. This way, they can not find me depending on their spelling of "gray", and that is progress

[@chrisiman3451]

Hidden Valley Ranch is the best!! I loved map & compass in the military. It taught me a lot that I was able to use later on when spending a good deal of time in unfamiliar terrain in a foreign country. A good topographic map is always protected from the elements, in plastic. I wish we had ziploc baggies back then..

[@lazarusnazarite4748]

GBGB Thank You, I'm a 60 yo Army Medic 83-86 back when we were 91B then 91A. I've recently gotten back into land nav and this video is Very Helpful, thank you again, HOOAH !

[@etiennerochon62]

WoW, what a great video. This is so good to compare the map and the pictures, that clearly show us what it is. Thank you, merci.

[@weirdowackoify]

The map almost turned into a image while you were explaining. Thank you for your video man.

[@getrudemafuya3996]

I spent two days not finding terrain features and I have to teach a class … I found this video hours before my class and finally I was able to find all the features.. thank you so much

[@Palmetto705]

The best tutorial on map reading I’ve seen. Your use of photos to illustrate have probably helped more beginners understand map reading than you know. I am teaching my grandson to navigate and will show him these examples. I have a 23 yr. 11B 50 background myself. Thanks

[@danielturk497]

DSCCF (Direct Survivable, Clear-Cut Functions) Man I can’t wait to take your Live Navigation Course!

[@DomenikusLombardi]

It is a master class for terrain features. Very good explained. Thank you Josh for your effort.

[@QuantumPyrite_88.9]

very Good is LMFAO

[@samsmith8870]

Excellent refresher! I haven't read a map since PLDC in 96. Now I'm getting into backpacking so much appreciated! (Actually terrain features are about the only thing I remembered lol)

[@sledzep01]

Awesome. I knew before... But now I understand.

[@livhonestly]

Awesome knowledge!

[@cephasmcpher67peteroutdoorspip]

NICE! Your in the Adirondacks! I love paddling the Ausable, beautiful country. This is on of the best navigation/feature identification videos I've seen.

[@jamesmcnamara7484]

Wish I had time and money to take one of your courses. Great information, and good humor make an enjoyable, and effective learning experience.

[@chrisharbst7711]

Brother i am new to your channel. i have watched a lot of your videos. i thank you for sharing your knowledge and i commend you for your talent of teaching. You explain everything so i and my 8 year old son can both understand and put to action. we salute you for your service to our country and thank you for sharing your skills.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Chris Harbst glad to hear it, I appreciate the feedback! Awesome that you are watching with your son

[@ohmehgah]

Thanks so much for sharing, incredibly helpful and concise.

[@dwaldpilar9309]

Thanks for another great video. Your vids are hands down the most helpful and easily understandable ones I have yet to find. They are so common sense yet things i never thought of. Thank you sir, and thank you for serving our country.

[@LGSkywalker82]

Glad I went back and found the beginning of this series. Now for part 2..

[@hoshboshbgosh514]

I've struck gold for info with your channel. Yeow.

[@toddgibson9861]

you're bringing back old memories......Great job....!!

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Thanks, Todd! This one was a bear to edit but such is life for the KZbin classroom

[@toddgibson9861]

I hope you do some more on this subject....and cover the map margin data, which no one seems to teach anymore. I just think Land Nav is one of the most important things for a woodsman to know to ensure safety....that and risk assessments. If you can prevent getting lost and stupid accidents (from not assessing hazards), you've just about won the war...lol

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

There will deftly be more, Marginal Data will be in the next one or two most likely, might try to squeeze it on on the next one about the basic colors, will have to see how long it ends up being. Anyway, I am planning on covering the whole shebang before I am done with the series

[@barrysmith916]

the one subject in the military that challenged me . map reading. thanks for the refresher .

[@mjt4941]

When did cut and fill stop being referred to as supplemental terrain features? I must be getting old after all, lol.

[@sebastianmange1834]

Awesome video. This is the first time I understand a map. Thank you so much

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

You are welcome, thanks for watching

[@michaelhuerta9390]

Awesome tutorial my brother. This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Semper Fi! And keep bringing it!

[@urbanjungle9600]

Brilliant! So glad I watched this. I’m just getting into learning about navigation with my compass and I found this so useful. Thanks for sharing your expertise.

[@conversationswithkat5710]

I learned so much from this video!!!!! You are a master teacher!!! Thank you so much 💖

[@karamelles98]

Usefull video for refreshing the knowledge, been a while since i used topographic map.

[@RobFomenko]

Learned most of this courtesy of the US government a long time ago, and still remember most, but a few I must have forgot, so thanks for the lesson. You do have a way of teaching that is easy to listen to, and you get the job done. Its a skill I am sure glad I have.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

You likely didn’t forget. I think it was mid-‘90’s when they updated the terrain features from 5 Major, 3 Minor, and 2 Supplementary to the 5 Major and 5 Minor that I am teaching here. Same features just different categories

[@RobFomenko]

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret well that explains it then! My tour was '76-80 at Bragg and then Stewart. 11B airborne. 2 times at Ft Sherman too. Learned a lot then but always more to learn and relearn. Appreciate your efforts to educate me.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

@@RobFomenko awesome, appreciate your service, brother! I was at Hunter Army Airfield near Stewart, Ft. Campbell, and Ft. Bragg myself. I got to go to Sherman three times, that was some great fun down there.

[@RobFomenko]

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret was in Panama twice. Once before the canal was given away, once after. Was a great learning experience. Now it's a marina, go figure. Good to know guys like you were keeping us safe so I thank you for your service too. It's a dirty job but someone's gotta do it.

[@ScottyM1959]

That's a great way to remember it. Thanks!

[@EOD247]

thanks for the video man. I haven't had to do this since basic and now I have to remember everything by this weekend so this helped me a lot

[@gatitosworld6038]

Thanks for the refresher course! Very infomative👍

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

No problem, thanks for watching

[@markhager8321]

Very good and clear instruction. Thanks Josh.

[@marksadventures3889]

I used to love orienteering as a boy and map reading is central to it, a good start to my later service career. But it's cool seeing other people's maps. In the UK we use Ordinance Survey Maps or Bartholemew's Maps that have great detail, along with G maps you get where you're going. Salad Dressing? Lunchtime was it? lol. 60 in a month and still getting out there when i can, i walk every day and cycle and swim every week. Good video.

[@georgelammers4751]

Great teaching

[@keitho3986]

Great video series , so many kids would be lost with out their cell phones .

[@MillionDollarBanana]

Excellent video. Top notch explanation of all of the features. Keep up the good work!

[@freddiehorn7926]

I was like....who's the Grey Bearded Green Beret? I dig it. Very informative and noticed a couple changes from when I first learned. Fill and cut, good to know.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Haha yeah I had to change it because people cant say or spell my last name (in general). You probably remember that there used to be 5 Major, 3 Minor, and 2 Supplementary (cut and fill), which is how I first learned them. I don't remember exactly what year it was when they changed it and just made the Supplementary features Minor Terrain features but it was during my time in.

[@freddiehorn7926]

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret Enyart, seems easy. Just me I guess. My first lesson was 1978 and some features weren't on maps. Anyway thanks for the lessons, I'll keep watching.

[@eugeneseib5974]

I've got your acronym for the minors ( Dead Sparrows Can't Climb Firs ) Firs as in Fir trees.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Haha right on, I will start using that from now on. Good one.

[@joshatl]

Thank you for breaking down Map reading I going to Ranger school this year and I trying to find pointer.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Right on, enjoy it!

[@Jamessmith-ks8qx]

Brought back some memories. Cheers

[@rebelcatter24]

Very informative video thanks for taking the time to make it!

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

No problem, hope you enjoyed it.

[@lt__1464]

I really like your videos. Lots of usable info explained clearly and succinctly! As a land surveyor, I'm looking forward to the rest of your series on land navigation.I really liked this one. I do however, have one suggestion. You might want to clarify exactly what a contour line represents; a line of a given elevation across a sloping land form. Also, you might discuss contour interval and the labeling of elevations. I think this would help beginners understand just what they're looking at On a topo map. Keep on cranking out your excellent videos! LT

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I talk about the contour interval during the video on Marginal Data. This video is not meant to get that far into another video topic which would be Elevation and Relief. You are looking for information here in this video that I don't teach as part of Identifying Terrain Features

[@vieuxacadian9455]

Good info . thanks .

[@michaelcarter8209]

Outstanding

[@MLochMusic]

Thanks for this mate

[@joelewis7507]

Awesome thanks

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

No problem, Joe! Thanks for watching

[@MikeRyu2]

THIS!!! Great series!

[@adamspears280]

Great information, Thank You!!

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

You are welcome, Adam!

[@rimes3719]

Thanks a lot sir!!!!

[@sourcheeseaa]

Really appreciate this video. Also appreciate that you have an amazon link of what items you use and review. Thanks

[@quietmike134]

Great video. For a mnemonic : Dirty socks cause crusty feet

[@derealovesurvival7549]

Good video thanks for sharing atb

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Thanks for watching!

[@davidanderson2783]

Cherrios Don't Sink Cliff Draw Spur Cherrios Float Cut Fill

[@Chopchop8487]

Dry Socks Clean Cuts Faster

[@tuleimana]

This is very helpful. Thank you

[@willbedone888]

Cliff Drew his Spur and Cut Fill

[@travisodr6393]

Flashbacks

[@MS_249]

Did you continue this series? I love it!

[@jotade2098]

Drunk Sport Cliff Can´t Feel :D

[@elicrowder6894]

Thought the map looked familiar. Then saw Sand Hill.

[@jodyfree953]

💯

[@mjhill72]

Damp Shoes Can Compromise Feet... Deadly Spiders Can Cause Fear... Deadly Snakes Cause Campers Fear... Drathstroke Sends Caped Crusaders Fleeing

[@chris-sc9cv]

Thanks for sharing, you won't find this on no GPS.

[@haleysharp1247]

For all you people from Kansas, pay attention. I know you've never seen a hill but when you do, your gonna know your not in Kansas anymore. You now know what that the name for a pile of dirt is a hill.

[@lutzfire24]

Where can one buy maps like these.....I’m having no luck finding them. Thanks

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

chris crawford I get mine from mytopo.com

[@keeghansavoir2293]

Fred Says Danny can’t Cuss. Fill Spur Draw Cliff Cut

[@13All31V]

👍

[@Not.Satoshi]

Drew Saw Cliff Cutting Fruit

[@robwhite4190]

Can you tell me where you get your maps at? I'm looking specifically for my area in Upstate New York

[@hondaridgelineenduser5934]

Is the book written by Don Paul on the green berets compass course decent book too?

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Its okay for some purposes, there is a lot of hype that states that it is used by all these different Special Ops units (2 out of 3 I was actually in and had never heard of the system and they still don't use it today so its just marketing). However, the Positive Azimuth Uniform Layout system of self-mapping taught in that book is not the quite ideal as it is taught. It teaches to calculate distance by the amount of time travelled with a math problem rather than using a pace count and I don't feel that is as accurate. My rate of movement on one leg moving one direction will be completely different if I were to travel the same leg in the opposite direction (think uphill one way and downhill the other). Anyway, Dave Canterbury taught me the PAUL system for self-mapping using pace counts instead of time and it is extremely accurate and valuable that way.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

If you watch the couple of videos on Dave Canterbury's channel on the Navigation Playlist called "Mo Map No Problem" he teaches what I feel is a more user-friendly and accurate version of the PAUL System of self-mapping.

[@hondaridgelineenduser5934]

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret thank you and im still saving up my coin to learn off of you your medical and survival techniques. Definitely an future goal to learn off of you and corporals corner before i reach my rural physician goal.

[@hondaridgelineenduser5934]

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret i did not know that, as a dumb civilian i fell for his marketing words when i bought a few of his books on survival shows yea im the sucker i guess haha. Then again over the last few years i just watched alot of channels and just started doing it whatever i found on double c, dave Canterbury, your channel, cody lundin and arizona john Campbell. I guess i have alot more to learn some more then

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Nah that doesn't make you a dumb civilian at all. I imagine many military folks that aren't in specialized units bought off on it as well. People don't have any way of knowing better and marketers (not always the actual person, but sometimes it is) are quick to jump on it and sell it as Special Operations "secrets" after the fact unfortunately. As a general rule, we don't give out any actual secrets. We would go to jail for that.

[@BritneyStinson]

where is the best place to buy updated maps?

[@ducci00]

DId this series continue somewhere into actual compass and map use?

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

It didn’t, it wasn’t really getting a lot of interest on YT so I put it on the back burner

[@ducci00]

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret Completely understand. Just found your channel and loving it. My three boys, 9, 12, and 15 are digging it as well. I don’t do FB or Instagram socials so hopefully I’m not missing to much on those platforms.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

@@ducci00 I actually built my own social media platform on my website for GB2 members to use. It is similar to the others without all the riff-raff and trolls. There is a lot of exclusive content over there also. Its not done, but there will be a full series of the map reading and land nav posted there when I circle back around to it

[@garnettbrown]

Is it possible to get spurs and ridges confused? I sometimes have trouble with the two.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Yes it’s possible. A ridge is a major terrain feature, a spur is a minor. Spurs are basically minor (smaller) versions of ridges. Spurs jut out from ridges which is another way to think about it (a minor coming off the major).

[@ambiorixbelgae9768]

Where can I get the topo maps you are using in this video? Im in northern Michigan

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

mytopo.com

[@deanjtodd]

Drink Some Cold Coffee Frequently

[@joshatl]

I need to talk with you off line, I live in Georgia.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

[e-mail]

[@joshatl]

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret than you so much, will email you later

[@AussieLuvah]

I came up with an acronym for the minors: Don't Smell Crusty Cars

[@beginneroilpaint4064]

Dusty Shoes Can Cause Colds and Flu minors

[@marcbazinet5008]

In

[@joeytucker341]

Dogs Send Cats Climbing Furniture?

[@mjhill72]

I can't stop thinking of these, lol: Don't Support Cancel Culture Foolishness; Don't Swallow Cancer Causing Food; Don't Smell Corporal Corner's Farts 🤣 (another good bushcrafter!)

[@timroseberry9079]

Definitely my weak point

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

You are not alone in that, brother! Its not the sexiest skill so its a challenge to fill seats in a class, but is one of those skills that should be so packed we have a waiting list

[@DeniatitadenCompostela]

Have Very Rich Salad Dressing. DiSCCUF

[@manuelvazquez8758]

Dirty shoes come clean fast.

[@fabianmagallanes842]

P