Survival guides · Shelter & Fire

Find North by the Sun

WHEN TO USE THISNo compass, sunny day, Northern Hemisphere.

1. Plant a stick

   
   • Open, sunny ground.
   • A straight stick, 2–3 feet, upright.
   • Mark the tip of its shadow with a rock. That's roughly west.

2. Wait, mark again

   • 15–20 minutes — longer is more accurate.
   • Mark the new shadow tip. That's roughly east.

3. Read the line

   • Draw a line between the two marks: west → east.
   • First mark on your left, second on your right: you're facing north.
   Why

   The sun moves east to west, so the shadow tip moves west to east.

Sources: US Army FM 3-05.70 Survival · US Army FM 3-25.26 Map Reading and Land Navigation

General information to help in an emergency — not a substitute for training or professional care.