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Learn essential map-reading and compass skills in two instructor-led Zoom sessions from Brunswick, Maine. Ideal for hikers, geocachers, and future Registered Maine Guides seeking practical, terrain-specific navigation training.
Learn essential map-reading and compass skills in two instructor-led Zoom sessions from Brunswick, Maine. Ideal for hikers, geocachers, and future Registered Maine Guides seeking practical, terrain-specific navigation training.
Book with Alice's Awesome Adventures
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Operated by Alice's Awesome Adventures · Brunswick, Maine
Map and Compass Fundamentals brings practical navigation training to outdoor enthusiasts from Brunswick, Maine and beyond. Delivered via Zoom Presentation, this two-class course makes map-reading and compass use accessible to hikers, geocachers, and aspiring Registered Maine Guides. Situated in Brunswick — a coastal Midcoast Maine town surrounded by forests, rocky headlands, and freshwater lakes — the course ties classic navigation techniques to the glacially sculpted terrain that defines the region. Over two instructor-led sessions you’ll learn how to read topographic maps, interpret contour lines and symbols, plot routes, and find your location without relying on electronics. The curriculum covers handheld compass fundamentals (a two-degree baseplate compass is required), inside-and-outside sighting techniques, route selection to avoid dangerous slopes or wetlands, and creating practice courses that reinforce spatial thinking. The package includes a downloadable online textbook, printable worksheets, and personalized feedback between classes. What makes this offering stand out is its focus on practical application for the specific landscape around Brunswick and broader Maine: glacial erratics, cobble beaches, coastal spruce-pine forests, and inland bogs all present navigation challenges that map-and-compass skills solve. The instructor frames exercises against real-world route choices — choosing safe approaches around cliffs, reading valley drains to avoid bogs, and orienting with tidal and coastal references — making the lessons immediately useful for day hikes, family outings, and professional guides-in-training. Students should read the online textbook three to seven days before the first Zoom meeting, buy or borrow a two-degree baseplate compass, and print the supplied worksheets. Sessions total roughly three hours of live instruction (two two-hour classes with homework between), and check-in is on the Zoom Presentation; organizers ask participants to log in about five minutes early and be in a quiet, well-lit room. A Delorme Maine Gazetteer is recommended but not required. For visitors planning field practice, Brunswick offers nearby trails, river corridors, and access to coastal features where you can put new skills to work. Whether you’re aiming for the Registered Maine Guide track, want to feel confident off-trail, or simply wish to read the land more clearly, Map and Compass Fundamentals pairs old-school navigation tools with modern teaching techniques. Bring your compass, worksheets, a notebook, and curiosity—this course turns maps into dependable guides and gives you the confidence to choose safer, smarter routes on Maine’s varied terrain. Classes welcome students as young as ten and are paced for adults and teens balancing busy schedules. Expect hands-on homework between sessions that builds toward independent navigation, with instructors offering follow-up clarification. This course requires only a basic compass and curiosity; it removes barriers to confident, low-impact exploration of Maine’s trails and coastlines. Sign up through the Zoom Presentation booking and prepare to turn paper maps into reliable companions.
easy.
3 hours (two 2-hour sessions).
Minimal physical fitness required; suitable for teens and adults comfortable sitting through interactive lessons and doing light field practice afterward.
No. Any two-degree baseplate compass will work for this course; sighting compasses are not required.
Yes. The curriculum is paced for beginners while offering depth useful to experienced hikers and guides-in-training.
You can still attend the first Zoom session; instructors will accommodate students who obtain tools between classes.
It’s recommended but not required—any edition of a Delorme Maine Gazetteer will be useful for local route exercises.
Minimum age is 10; sessions are tailored for teens and adults capable of focused online learning and outdoor practice.
Check in on the Zoom Presentation about five minutes early; you’ll receive login details after booking.
This course supports students pursuing Registered Maine Guide skills, connecting modern instruction to Maine’s long outdoor guiding tradition.
Instructors emphasize low-impact navigation and Leave No Trace principles to protect coastal tide flats, bogs, and forest understories.
Alice's Awesome Adventures is a Maine-based guiding company led by Master Maine Guide Alice. She offers a mix of outdoor experiences and certified safety courses that combine local history, wildlife kayaking, and practical skills training. Offerings include sea kayaking trips in Casco Bay and Mere Point Bay — guided paddles to Malaga Island, oyster-farm visits with sampling at Mere Point Oyster Company, and short scenic island excursions suitable for beginners and experienced paddlers alike. Safety and education are central to the program. The business provides NRA Basic Pistol Safety and NRA Women's Only classes with interactive lectures and guided live-fire sessions at a private range. USCCA Coed and Women's Defensive Pistol & Concealed Carry Fundamentals courses use SIRT laser pistols for safe, realistic practice and include home defense and concealed carry preparation. Registered Maine Guide training and a course on how to become a Registered Maine Guide are offered for those pursuing professional guiding credentials. Mindful outdoor programming includes Forest Bathing sessions led by a Kripalu-trained Master Maine Guide, emphasizing nature connection and guided reflection. Seasonal workshops cover winter outdoor camping and survival skills. Alice's Awesome Adventures emphasizes local expertise, hands-on instruction, and historically informed interpretation—especially in programs focused on Malaga Island and coastal Maine history. The business operates with certified instructors, structured curricula, and site-specific safety protocols to support learner confidence and memorable outdoor experiences. Programs are suitable for individuals, small groups, and educational outings, with tailored itineraries, equipment guidance, and clear pre-trip communications for participant readiness and accessibility options.
Book with Alice's Awesome Adventures