Field Expedition Hunter Gatherer Primitive Skills Wilderness First Responder Wilderness Navigator

Discover the Art of Wilderness Navigation

The 14-Day Navigator Course at BOSS is the ultimate test of backcountry navigation skills, offering our most challenging and immersive map-and-compass experience. It equips you with the advanced skills needed to read the land, use a map and compass, and plan routes through some of the most rugged terrain in Southern Utah. This course will teach you the art of backcountry navigation, all while embracing BOSS’s low-impact, minimalist approach to wilderness travel. You'll not only learn to find your way but also to see the land with new eyes—understanding its patterns, challenges, and natural routes.

The Challenge

This is a physically and mentally demanding course that requires both focus and endurance. Some days will be mostly stationary, others you will hike long distances—sometimes 10 or more miles in a single day—while navigating through canyons, mesas, and mountains. As you gain confidence with your navigation skills, you’ll be responsible for guiding your group through increasingly difficult terrain. The course culminates with a three-day solo navigation challenge, where you’ll travel alone using only your map, compass, and the skills you’ve acquired. Because of the mental demands of this course, the Wilderness Navigator is one of the few courses at BOSS where you’re allowed to take a modern pack.

Prerequisites

  • Open to anyone with a desire to learn wilderness navigation. No previous BOSS course is required is required, but students should come prepared for the physical and mental demands of extended wilderness travel.
  • A physical examination and physician approval are required before enrollment.
  • Students must be at least 18 years old.
  • Participants must complete a timed 1.5-mile run during course orientation.

Upcoming Courses

14 DAYS

June 01 - June 14

Enroll Now

14 DAYS

May 31 - June 13

Enroll Now
More Course Dates

Food

Enjoy standard rations every day to fuel you through your journey.

Travel

Short hikes while learning, then longer group hikes, culminating in a challenging solo orienteering journey.

Shelter

Bring a modern pack and spend nights in poncho shelters and natural and pre-built primitive shelters where available.

Navigation

Rely on yourself and skills learned in a mulit-day solo travel through the wilderness.

Wilderness Navigator

What to expect

The 14-Day Navigator Course at BOSS combines advanced map and compass techniques with low-impact wilderness travel. You’ll learn to navigate through rugged backcountry while refining your skills in wilderness travel and orienteering. Over the course of two weeks, you’ll gradually take on more navigation responsibility, culminating in a solo navigation challenge.

See Upcoming Courses

Skills Taught

Low-Impact Wilderness Travel

Practice BOSS’s low-impact travel techniques to navigate through the landscape while minimizing your environmental footprint.

Topographical Maps

Familiarize yourself with USGS topographical maps and learn to translate from map to land and vice versa.

Coordinate Systems

Become proficient in using UTM, Latitude/Longitude, and familiarize yourself with Township & Range coordinate systems.

Compass Use

Master compass techniques for setting declination, taking bearings, triangulating your location, and maintaining your direction of travel.

Declination & Magnetic Fields

Learn how to adjust for magnetic declination and apply it to real-world navigation.

Route Planning & Travel

Understand how to plan your route, select trails, and adjust travel based on terrain.

Problem-Solving When Lost

Develop the mindset and strategies to manage stress and safely navigate when you’re uncertain of your location.

Solo Backcountry Travel

Learn to plan, prepare, and execute solo backcountry backpacking trips.

Campsite Selection & Shelter Building

Learn to choose optimal locations and construct effective shelters.

Water Location & Purification

Learn methods for finding and purifying water.

Survival Attitude & Behavior

Develop the resilience needed to handle extreme conditions and circumstances with minimal gear.

Fire Construction

Learn to build and manage a fire in the wilderness safely and effectively.