OLD-SCHOOL NAVIGATION

How hard can it be? After all, if you want to go “up” on a map, you just follow the direction that your compass is pointing, right? Well, it’s actually a bit more complicated than that.

There are three different “norths” — true north, magnetic north, and grid north.

True north refers to the very top of the globe (the North Pole), magnetic north is where the north-seeking arrow of your compass points, and grid north is the direction the vertical grid lines on your map point. Why are they different, and how does this affect your ability to navigate accurately? Follow along to find out.

True North and Magnetic North

True north and magnetic north are different because, despite what many believe, the North Pole isn’t magnetic and your compass doesn't point there. Instead, your compass points to a giant ore deposit in Northern Canada. Therefore, depending on where you’re standing in the world, your compass may actually point off to the side of true north.

For example, in parts of Tennessee and Alabama, magnetic north and true north are in line with each other so there’s no perceptible difference between the two at that location.

However, the variance gets worse the further east or west you are. For example, in parts of Georgia, your compass will indicate