Also note that a GPS whether in the vehicle or hand held may also be quite useless in rugged heavily treed terrain. They need a signal from a min. of 2 satellites to get a position and the more satellites the better and more accurate they are.
That's why I say, make your first method of orientation be your map. They are a whole lot cheaper than a GPS and are available practically everywhere.
I do agree with your general comments about the limitations of hand held GPS units. I've hiked in this type of terrain and GPS coverage is certainly spotty. However, I would like to point out that typically you can find a hole in the tree cover and stand still and get a bearing.
Also, the new SiRF-III based units such as the Garmin 60CSx do much better in difficult cover.
That said, your point about cheap leveraged solutions reminded me that even a small, cheap compass can be a highly leveraged aid, even with gross level landmarks/maps. Especially when dealing with rugged terrain.
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