Ted, The best source for 'natural' indicators of direction can be found in recent back issues of Wilderness Way magazine. Compass , and GPS references are numerous. What references do you have? Simple familiarity with your 'home range' is often the best of all. those native bearers didn't desert because of King Kong, they were out of their turf! I have a friend who INSISTS my compasses are wrong. Why? The Pacific Coast highway will take you to San Francisco, which is north. Unfortuneately, our stretch is pointed west. I made up a 72 hour pack for her, she gets lost frequently!