Use an altimeter to help you navigate

An altimeter is not strictly necessary when trekking or hill walking, but it can significantly enhance your experience and safety by simplifying and accelerating several aspects of navigation.

Benefits of Using an Altimeter

Enhanced Location Awareness:

Identifying Position: Knowing your altitude can be invaluable when traversing a long slope with minimal distinguishing features. By comparing your current altitude with your map, you can pinpoint your location more accurately.

Speed and Efficiency: An altimeter provides immediate feedback on your ascent or descent rate, allowing you to estimate how much longer your journey will take based on your progress. This can be particularly useful in planning breaks and managing your energy levels.
Navigating in Poor Visibility:

Critical Turn Points: In conditions of reduced visibility, such as fog or heavy rain, traditional visual landmarks may be obscured. An altimeter can serve as a reliable tool to ensure you make necessary directional changes at specific altitudes, avoiding dangerous terrain.
Bypassing Dangerous Terrain:

For trekkers at an intermediate skill level, an altimeter can help navigate around hazardous areas. By staying at a safe altitude, you can avoid steep cliffs, unstable ground, or other potential dangers indicated on your map.
Altimeter Techniques Based on Skill Level

Novice Technique:
Linear Features Navigation: Beginners can use an altimeter to determine their position while following a linear feature such as a river, road, or wall. By knowing your altitude, you can cross-reference with your map to confirm your location along the feature, making navigation more straightforward.

Intermediate Technique:
Terrain Avoidance: At an intermediate level, trekkers can utilize an altimeter to bypass dangerous terrain. For instance, if a map indicates that a particular hazard lies above or below a certain elevation, you can use your altimeter to ensure you remain at a safe altitude, thus avoiding the risk.

Advanced Technique:
Slope Aspect and Relocation: Experienced navigators often use altimeters to quickly relocate themselves using the slope aspect. While they may have the skills to do this without an altimeter, having one makes the process faster and more efficient. By knowing both the altitude and the direction of the slope, they can rapidly determine their precise location, even in complex or featureless terrain.

Conclusion
While not essential, an altimeter can be a highly useful tool in various trekking scenarios. It enhances situational awareness, aids in navigation through challenging conditions, and helps in avoiding dangerous areas. Whether you are a novice, intermediate, or advanced trekker, incorporating an altimeter into your toolkit can significantly improve your trekking experience and safety.

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00:11 Do you really need an Altimeter
01:53 What is an altimeter
04:13 What ate the two main types of altimeter
05:07 How does a GPS altimeter work
08:11 How does a Barometric altimeter work
09:35 How to use an altimeter
09:58 How to use a GPS altimeter
10:47 How to use a barometric altimeter
13:22 How often to reset the altimeter
14:26 Novice altimeter technique
20:25 Intermediate altimeter technique
23:41 Advanced altimeter technique
27:43 Ordnance Survey online trig point database
28:15 The test – Suunto Core altimeter vs Garmin Fenix 7 altimeter


Link to Ordnance Survey online trig point database
www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/gps/legacy-control-information/triangulation-stations

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