Guide: How to read hiking maps

Guest Post: Øystein Ormåsen at Wild Voss

My name is Øystein Ormåsen, and I am the managing director of Wild Voss. We offer outdoor experiences all year round, helping hiking enthusiasts embark on hiking, skiing, and climbing adventures. Based in Voss, we frequently explore the Vossafjella mountains. I feel most comfortable hiking –that's when I feel at home. I started Wild Voss to share my passion for the outdoors and help others experience the joy I find in nature.

The best hiking experiences are often found off the beaten path, where you have to navigate the terrain yourself. This requires making constant route choices, placing your feet precisely, and awareness of the surroundings. It is different from following a marked trail! To navigate in the wild successfully, knowing how to use a map and compass is crucial.

You might wonder, "Why use a map when I have GPS and an app-packed phone?" While digital tools are handy, there are better ideas than relying on technology on long hikes, especially in rainy or cold weather. This is where knowing how to read a map becomes invaluable.

What is a map?

A map is a simple representation of reality. You might as well call it a sketch. This means that the map provides a lot of important information, but also that many details are missing.

The most common maps we use for hiking have a scale of 1 to 50,000 (written as 1:50,000). This means 1 cm on the map covers 50,000 cm (500 meters) in the terrain. Therefore, it is very limited how much information can be included on the map.

It is possible to obtain maps with more detail (known as 'large scale' maps), such as orienteering maps. The downside of these maps is that you need a whole stack of them to cover the area you want to hike in – especially if you're planning a long trip. This can become both complicated and expensive. That's why, in most cases, we manage with hiking maps at a scale of 1:50,000.

How do you read and understand maps?

The map shows where to find roads, trails, lakes, rivers, mountain peaks, cliffs, vegetation, cabins, settlements, and more. To fully understand all the symbols used on the map, you must study the symbols at the bottom of the map sheet. It may sound like a lot of work, but you can quickly get a handle on most of it. Below, I focus on the three numbers I've marked on the map above and highlight some important details around them.

1. Orienting the map means holding the map so that the north direction on the map aligns with what is north in the terrain (in reality). This often makes reading the map and comparing it with the surroundings easier. You can find north, in fact, by using a compass.

When you need to tell someone where you are on the map, refer to the cardinal directions, not right or left, up or down. For example: "I am standing by the small lake north of Spannstjørnane, directly south of Ruvlenutane. To the west is Spannsdalen."

2. The map has many blue grids. The grids are square and measure two centimeters in each direction, which means that each grid represents one kilometer in reality. We call them 'kilometer grids.' This is useful because it indicates the distances between landmarks on the map and, therefore, how far you need to walk in the terrain to get from one point to another.

To the left of and above the number two, you see a series of blue numbers. Together with the kilometer grid, these numbers form the coordinate system into which the map is drawn. We refer to this as the map's grid. We use the grid to specify positions, just as we have learned to use the coordinate system in the world of mathematics.

For example: Ruvlenutane is located in the square kilometer with the coordinates 92 02. The number 92 represents the 'x-coordinate', while the number 02 represents the 'y-coordinate' of the square kilometer. It is somewhat imprecise to specify a position by referring to an entire square kilometer, that is, a square kilometer. Therefore, it is common to divide each square kilometer into new tenths, to be able to provide a 'six-figure grid reference'. This gives a much more precise position.

3. The grid where number 3 is located tells us something interesting about the terrain. We see that parts of the area are marked in green, while other regions are white/beige. The green represents vegetation, such as trees or forests, while the white areas indicate no forest cover. Combined with information about the elevation (approximately 900 meters above sea level), we learn that forest grows in the southwest-facing slopes of Spannsdalen, even up to about 1000 meters. This suggests that the valley is likely sheltered from the harshest winds and has a relatively mild climate. This is useful to know if we need firewood, shelter from the wind, or are planning to hunt ptarmigan.

A bit about contour lines and equidistance

The map uses contour lines (also called "contours") to represent how steep the terrain is, as well as differences in elevation in the terrain. Above, I have attempted to create a drawing that shows what contour lines are and how they can be read.

The drawing on the left shows how a small hill might appear on a map. We see several contour lines within each other, each slightly smaller than the one outside. The drawing on the right shows the same hill, as the cross-section of it might have looked in reality.

Contour interval is the term used to describe the vertical distance between two contour lines on a map. A contour interval of 20 meters means there is a 20-meter elevation difference between two contour lines. Be aware that every point on the same contour line is at the same elevation above sea level. In the figure to the left, I have noted the elevation of the lowest contour line: 100 meters. I am at the same elevation above sea level if I walk around the hill and stay on this curve the entire time.

The horizontal distance between contour lines tells us something about the steepness of the terrain. Where the contour lines are close together, the terrain is steep. There, the elevation changes significantly over a short horizontal distance. The figure to the right illustrates this. The eastern side of the hill is much steeper than the western side, where a marked, gentler ridge leads to the two peaks.

By counting contour lines, we can determine the elevation difference, and thus approximately how much we need to ascend or descend during a hike. The drawing indicates that we need to climb about 100 meters in elevation to get from the start of the incline to the highest point.

Notice that the contour lines on the southern side of the ridge bend distinctly inwards (northwards). We can see that the inflection points are aligned vertically. This tells us that there is a depression or a stream valley on this slope. The drawing to the right approximately shows where this depression meets the ridge crest – at the lowest point between the peaks. Often, you can assume that there are such stream valleys or depressions where the contour lines are 'crinkled' or uneven. It can be tricky to cross such formations.

One last point about contour lines: Be aware that quite high cliffs, escarpments, and elevations can be present on a map – without being marked with their own contour lines. Such "hidden surprises" can contribute to confusion in navigation, or delay progress.

Summary

To become proficient at reading maps, you need to practice a lot. The map must always be with you. Study it carefully both before and during the trip. Make it a habit to have the map out when you're on a trip in good weather, and take many short stops where you try to locate the terrain details around you on the map.

Before you set out on a trip, thoroughly read the map to visualize the terrain you will encounter. This creates an expectation of what the terrain should look like. When you are out on the trip, you get the actual results, and your expectations meet reality. If you are surprised by the terrain you encounter, you need to practice reading maps more.

Good luck!