In this blog we will discuss map skills needed for rockhounding. 

This is not all encompassing, but designed to get you started and headed in the right direction (no pun intended!). If you are going off the beaten path, it is always good idea to take some old-fashion paper maps. As previously stated, there is plenty of Rockhounding books and websites with maps to good collecting areas. Keep in mind though, some of these maps are very rudimentary, may be outdated or not exactly accurate. Though GPS is great, you may not always have service, the battery could run low, or your device could get broken or lost. Therefore, a variety of maps and good map reading skills are essential. You can simply print out a Google or MapQuest map for backup, just in case.

But if you are really going exploring there are several different types of maps you might want to take along. There are a lot of different types of maps, but for our purposes here, we recommend a street map, a trail map and possibly a topographic map:

Road maps (or street maps) are navigational maps that usually show all roads and boundaries (state lines, city lines, county lines, National Parks and Forest, etc.), waterways such as rivers and lakes, some points of interest, some prominent buildings, recreational facilities such as parks and camping areas, train stations and airports. These maps come in different sizes, shapes, and scales. A collection of road maps bound together in a book is referred to as road atlas. A road map may also have some non-automotive routes. A Google Maps, or MapQuest printout can count as this type of map.

A trail map (or county map) is designed more for the hiker or outdoors adventures. A trail map can give details on trails, boundaries such as state land, federal land, or private land) and nearby features, hazards, places of interest, and sometimes interesting facts.

A topographic map (often called a topo map) is a type of map characterized by large-scale detail and actual representation of relief features (such as mountains, and canyons), usually using elevation contour lines (connecting points of equal elevation from sea level) to show the shape of the Earth's surface. These lines are placed at a fixed distance, such as 100 feet apart. Contours make it possible to show the height and shape of mountains, the depths of the ocean and canyon bottoms, and even the steepness of slopes. On a steep slope the lines will be close together, and they will be further apart on a gentle slope. Topographic maps also show many other kinds of geographic features including roads, railroads, rivers, streams, featured places, trails and much more. Topo maps are a more advanced reference and are not necessary for simple rockhounding trips, but it never hurts to familiarize yourself with both the map and the terrain you plan to visit!

In map reading, the most important skill is orientation. Orienting your map simply means aligning it so that north on the map corresponds to north in the terrain and top of the map’s topography correlates to the real-world topography in front of you, what's on the right of the map is to the right of you, etc. Generally, a map will have north at the top of it and a compass rose in the upper right showing north, east south, and west. But you may not be facing north and you will need to turn or rotate the map to face the way you are looking. When it comes to how to orientate a map, there are two main ways to do it. The easiest way to orientate a map is to relate the features in front of you to the features on the map. The obvious problem here is if you can’t identify what's on the map and what's in front of you. The better solution is to use a compass to work out which direction magnetic north is and orientate from there. Maps will often employ a grid system consisting of lines of latitude and longitude to also help you figure out where you are.

The next skill you should learn before venturing out is understanding map symbols that represent the different features in the real world. These symbols represent various geographical features such as roads, rivers, lakes, buildings, camping areas and forests. Most maps come with a map key or map legend, usually in the bottom right corner, that tells you what each symbol means. The symbols are often universal, for example a blue line usually indicates a river, a solid black line indicates a road. Often the thickness of those lines indicates how big that river or road is. Road maps also use colors to define boundaries.

And the last skill is understanding the scale of the map . Understanding the scale of a map is essential for accurately estimating distances between two points or the size of a geographic area. The scale of a map can vary quite a bit, depending on the are the map covers. Map scales can be represented in several ways, such as a ratio (1:100,000), a statement (1 inch represents 1 mile), or a graphical representation (a scale bar). And this scale is usually found with the may key or map legend.

Rockhounding, also referred to as rock hunting and mineral collecting, is the hobby of going out in the field to look for and collect interesting rocks.

I am writing a series of blogs that deal with this hobby. This series is mostly geared towards the beginner or hobbyist, not the commercial collector. But even a seasoned rockhounder might pick up some new tricks, so read on!

Last month we talked about how to prepare for rockhounding, and what you may want to take with you.

Check out that blog here: https://www.oakrocks.net/blog/rockhounding/

And once again, you should familiarize yourself with the Rockhounding rules here:

https://www.oakrocks.net/rockhounding-rules/

Next month we will discuss good sense and common courtesy Field Conduct.

Happy hunting!