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On place names:
When we get calls from lost hikers often they give us place names - and they are often confusing.
There are two common issues
When we get calls from lost hikers often they give us place names - and they are often confusing.
There are two common issues
First is calling a location by an unofficial name.
The BC Geographical Names Database, contains the "recognized" (by the government) names of pretty much every feature in BC.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/celebrating-british-columbia/historic-places/geographical-names
Here's the database for all of Canada
https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/maps-tools-publications/maps/geographical-names-canada/10786
The BC Geographical Names Database, contains the "recognized" (by the government) names of pretty much every feature in BC.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/celebrating-british-columbia/historic-places/geographical-names
Here's the database for all of Canada
https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/maps-tools-publications/maps/geographical-names-canada/10786
There are LOTS of "unofficial" names. Certain communities (skiing, climbing, mountain biking, dirt biking, etc) have local names for trails, lakes, peaks and other features. These are their shorthand for navigation.
Often these are not on public maps.
Often these are not on public maps.
More confusingly, sometimes the official or unofficial name of a feature is mistakenly applied to a a different location which brings us to issue 2:
Wrong locations.
Less experienced people or bad information causes people to give us a name for the wrong location.
Wrong locations.
Less experienced people or bad information causes people to give us a name for the wrong location.
Communities are quite insular so sometimes an entire community starts using the wrong location for a feature.
This has happened to me (a skier) as an avalanche instructor when I was teaching a Snowmobile club. It happens a lot for SAR.
This has happened to me (a skier) as an avalanche instructor when I was teaching a Snowmobile club. It happens a lot for SAR.
EVEN when someone calls SAR and says they know exactly where they are and give us the name.
EVEN when they're reading it off a sign.
EVEN when they send us their coordinates from a GPS.
We use location gathering services like @yourlo_ca_tion to verify their position.
EVEN when they're reading it off a sign.
EVEN when they send us their coordinates from a GPS.
We use location gathering services like @yourlo_ca_tion to verify their position.
If the person can call us on a cell phone, http://YourLo.ca/tion can send them a text message and PUSH the location back to the SAR team
In STANDARD COORDINATE SYSTEM like Latitude and Longitude, UTM, USNG, etc.
No need to install an app.
In STANDARD COORDINATE SYSTEM like Latitude and Longitude, UTM, USNG, etc.
No need to install an app.
Unlike other services that require the hiker to have an app preinstalled (why would you ever require this?), and unlike other services that use "bespoke" proprietary coordinate systems, http://YourLo.ca/tion does not require an app, and uses standard coordinate systems.
SAR can always use some help.
You can help by knowing how to use a GPS, how to read a map, how to navigate, and how how to understand coordinates.
SAR teams should not be asking you to install a "special" app.
You can help by knowing how to use a GPS, how to read a map, how to navigate, and how how to understand coordinates.
SAR teams should not be asking you to install a "special" app.
To be clear here, I am not making a recommendation to learn any particular name.
The idea here is your name for a place may not be recognizable. If you call for help, be ready for some verification of your location during the process of us getting to you.
The idea here is your name for a place may not be recognizable. If you call for help, be ready for some verification of your location during the process of us getting to you.
