Here are some tips for finding direction without the aid of a compass.

Finding direction by using your watch...
If you have a watch set for local time, you can quickly determine an approximation of the points of the compass as long as the position of the sun is visible.
The method used varies depending upon which hemisphere (north or south) that you happen to be in. The following methods are described using an analog watch, (that's a watch with an hour and a minute hand) but they can be applied just as well with a digital watch - just use your imagination to superimpose the 12 hourly numerals and the relevant position of the 'hour hand' on the face of your digital watch.

Northern Hemisphere
Holding your watch horizontally, point the 'hour hand' of your watch at the sun.
Note the direction that lies exactly midway between the 'hour hand' and the numeral twelve on your watch. This will be South on a north/south line. Once you have established this it will be easy to determine the other points of the compass.
If there is any doubt as to which end of the line is north, remember the sun rises in the east, sets in the west and is due south at noon. The sun is in the east before noon and in the west after noon.

Southern Hemisphere
Holding your watch horizontally, point the numeral twelve on your watch at the sun.
Note the direction that lies exactly midway between the twelve and the 'hour hand'.
This will be North on a north/south line.

These methods give you a good approximation of direction and are not intended as a substitute for a compass.
If your watch is adjusted for daylight saving, then remove the adjustment for greater accuracy.

Another method of determining compass points can be used if you don't have a watch. This method takes longer and requires enough sunlight to cast a shadow..

To find North without a watch
Before noon, on level terrain, position a stick of about 3ft upright into the ground.
Mark the tip of its shadow with a peg or stone.
Using the tip of the shadow as a radius, draw an arc around the stick.
The shadow will shorten as it approaches noon, pulling back from the arc. It will then lengthen again - where the afternoon shadow once again touches the arc, place another peg or stone.
Now draw a straight line between the two pegs/stones - this will be an East/West line, with the first peg being in the westerly direction.
You can now draw a North/South line at right angles to the East/West line.

Hope that's of interest!
George Spearing

Footwear - The make or type will vary with individual preferences, intentions and foot shape.
For extended trips carrying a heavy pack, I prefer a leather boot such as produced by Asolo or Garmont. These give good support, will stand the rigours of being submerged in river crossings and also handle the attachment of crampons if ever needed.
Care should be taken to get the correct fit. Unfortunately, the only foolproof method of knowing you have a correct fit is to hike in them!
However, the following points may help in selecting and using your footwear...
Always wear the socks that you will be hiking in. Tap your foot forward in the unlaced boot and you should be able to easily get a finger down between the back of your foot and the boot. This will indicate the space you will normally have between the end of your toes and the front of the boot when your foot is back in the normal position.
Take out the boot's insert, place the insert on the floor and stand on it - this will give you a good visual on how your foot fits inside the boot. Lace the boots up and walk around in them. There should be no undue movement around the heel area and the boot should not feel as if it is cramping the foot anywhere, particularly in the toe area. Take into account that there will be a certain amount of 'give' in leather but remember that your feet will expand when hiking and carrying any weight.
As a general rule, you will want your boots at least one size bigger than your normal 'town' shoes.
Take care of your boots with a good application of protectant before and after a hike. When they get wet, let them dry out naturally and they should last you for many miles.
Wear two pairs of socks. A thin inner pair of synthetic material that will wick moisture away from the foot and an outer thick sock. Double socks will help in preventing blisters, keeping the foot dryer and also giving more protection from any 'foot slide' within the boot.
Keep your boots on for river and creek crossings - river and creek beds are uneven and usually invisible. Your boots will give you the necessary protection. Removing your socks before crossing will help regain 'dryness' after the crossing.
Flipflops make good camp footwear, they are cheap, extremely light and allow your feet to air at the end of a day.

Here's to Happy Feet!
George Spearing

Don't haul unnecessary gear. Go through your equipment and clothing determining if it is really necessary or whether another item you carry can double for both tasks. One pot, cup, and a spoon should cover culinary needs. Clothing can double as a pillow. Consider dehydrated foods as they will save a lot of weight. Bear in mind they require a water source to prepare them. Carry a small multi-function knife. (Swiss army)

Lining your pack with a large plastic rubbish bin bag is an efficient way to keep the contents dry. Pack covers have limited success in heavy rainfall, none in river crossings and are extra gear that you have to haul.

Load your pack with heaviest items towards the top and close to your back. This lifts the weight higher on your back making an easier load to balance and carry.
Make sure that any items that may be needed in a hurry (clothing, med kit etc.) are easily accessible and not buried in your pack.

There are two basic pack types, internal and external frame.
Internal frame packs have superseded the external frame in popularity. Both have their pros and cons.
An advantage of the internal frame is if you are hiking through heavily vegetated areas it is less prone to 'snagging'. It also tends to sit more comfortably on your back as it is more form fitting than the external frame thus making for better balance.
Being closer fitting it also traps more body heat, which often is not a bad thing.
External frame packs are wider and therefore easier to load and access. They will also sit 'cooler' on your back.
Heavily loaded packs sometimes cause the adjustment of shoulder straps to continuously slip, dropping the pack down your back - if you experience this, consider adding small strips of 'hook & loop' tape to the ends of the straps and to a fixed non moving part of your pack, (standing part of the strap) so that the ends of the straps can be easily 'locked' down holding them in the desired position.

Plastic soft drink bottles make excellent water bottles being extremely strong and light. When empty, flatten to take up less pack space - blow into them to return to normal shape.
An accessible way to carry a 2 litre bottle is to loop a cord noose around its neck. Attach the other end of the cord to one side of the pack, running it across the top of the pack with the bottle hanging on the opposite side. A collar of 'hook & loop' tape attached to the pack can be secured around the lower part of the bottle.

Happy hiking!
George Spearing

It's a good idea to carry a light camping stove along with fuel and source of ignition. That way you are not dependent on weather conditions and availability of natural fuel.
There may be times however, when you have to build a fire from available material, so it pays to carry a few back up items.
There are several methods and means of starting fire, amongst them friction methods, but they all require time, a degree of skill and correct materials. However, here are a few 'sure fire' methods of getting results...

Carry a few rubber bands in your pack cut from old bicycle inner tubes. These can act as 'fire lighters' if kindling is scarce or is wet. They will burn for some time and can also double as 'elastic bands' if required.

Cotton balls impregnated with petroleum jelly (Vaseline) also make good fire starters - keep them in a ziplock bag.

Carry matches, along with a strip of abrasive in a waterproof tubular plastic film canister.

Small gas lighters are very convenient and the spark from them may be of use even when empty of gas.

Carry a candle stub - this will save matches and will burn for longer.

A small magnifying glass can be used for igniting tinder on sunny days.

Waterproof matches can be bought, or you can make your own by sealing conventional matches in layers of wax, in effect making miniature candles that will be waterproofed and also burn longer.

Always strike your match in cupped hands, facing into the wind and with the head of the match in a downward position.

Light your kindling on the windward side so that the flame is blown into the material.

Before starting your fire, gather and prepare enough fuel to keep it going.

If there is no small kindling available, kindling can be made by shaving pieces off a larger piece of timber or stick or, using your knife, slice a series of small thin 'wings' on the surface of a larger stick.
The 'wings' will ignite easier and in turn ignite the larger body of the stick. This can be helpful if the available wood is a bit damp.

Make sure your fire gets sufficient oxygen by not building it too densely.
One method is to build a small platform of twigs an inch or so above the ground, supported at the edges.
Load the platform with tinder material (pine needles, smaller twigs, dry moss) then build a pyramid or tepee of kindling sticks over and around this. Once the fire is established, larger fuel can be added.

Make sure your fire is extinguished before moving on!

Fire away!
George Spearing

1. When smoking a fish, one should never inhale.

2. Lint from your navel makes a handy firestarter.

3. Becoming disorientated or lost during a hike can cause natural feelings of panic. Sit down, quietly assess your situation, then try running around in circles, screaming.

4. In an emergency, the drawstring from a parka hood can be used to strangle a snoring tent mate.

5. To start a fire without matches, try eating jalapinos, then breathing on a pile of dry sticks.

6. If you are bald, and lost in the mountains, try using your head as a heliograph to signal S.O.S. and attract the attention of searchers.

7. Bear bells will provide hikers with some degree of safety against grizzly bears. The tricky part is getting them on the bears.

8. If lost, a compass needle can be created, by stroking the fur of a nearby marmot in one direction, and then laying him on an ice-covered lake, or floating him on a small raft. The marmot will spin to a north/south direction.

9. Remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

10. Whilst the Swiss Army Knife has been popular for years, the Swiss Navy Knife, with it's single blade that can function as a tiny raft paddle, has remained largely unheralded.

11. Fabrics that can breathe, will enable hikers to stay dry in a downpour. Avoid fabrics that snore, cough, and belch.

12. A warm pair of campsite slippers can be made, by inserting each foot into a marmot.

13. If your campfire inadvertently starts a forest fire, immediately evacuate the area, and then blame it on static from marmots.

14. In emergency situations, you can easily survive in the wilderness by shooting small game with a slingshot made from the elastic waistband of your underwear.

15. The best backpacks are named after national parks or mountain ranges. Steer clear of packs named after city dumps or maritime disasters.

16. If lost in sub zero temperatures, create a down-filled sleeping bag, by climbing into a plastic garbage bag with several geese.

17. If water quality is suspect and you don't have the means to boil it, try filtering it through a used hiking sock. It won't filter out the Giardia Lamblia, but it will make THEM feel ill.

18. When hiking on popular trails, never ever eat the yellow snow.

19. Forked lightning can be made much more exciting, by viewing it from the top of a nearby pine.

Crossing Alone
1. Try to view the river from above, identifying the shallowest point and smoothest area of river bed, avoiding submerged snags, boulders, etc.
Do not attempt to cross if large debris (logs,
branches) is being carried downstream.
2. Keep your boots on. Wet boots are preferable to
damaged ankles or feet.
Do not cross wearing long pants, these will increase resistance to the current.
Release your pack's waist and chest strap before crossing, then you can free yourself quickly if in a position where your pack is snagged and holding you down. Packs have a certain amount of buoyancy and can serve as a flotation device if necessary.
3. Generally, the safest crossing is between bends in a river. If you imagine the river in the shape of the letter 'S' then the safest area to cross will be the middle of the 'S' between the bends. That way, if you lose your footing, hopefully the current will carry you into the bank on one of the bends. Always look for the best 'run off' section of a river that will carry you to a safe point if swept away.
4. Use a stick about five or six feet in length as support, placing it on your upstream side so that the current forces it into the bottom. Always keep two points of contact on the river bed at all times, cross diagonally downstream, resisting the current much like you would a strong wind. Take shuffling footsteps, feeling for the bottom. Try not to look down at the flowing water, this may upset your equilibrium, look ahead for the best possible route.
Resist temptation to grab at submerged or semi submerged rocks, as this may upset your balance.

Crossing in a party
1. Stand line abreast, each member placing their hands behind the back of the person on either side of them and grasping the lower part of that persons pack shoulder strap. (or clothing if no pack is worn) This will 'interlock' the party. If a pack does not have a quick release buckle on the hip belt, the belt should be left undone and clothing grasped instead.
2. Enter the water parallel to the current, strongest member of the party in the upstream position, breaking the flow for the others. Move with the upstream person just slightly ahead of the next person downstream and so on down the line.
If a member of the party breaks away, remaining members should maintain formation and either back out or complete the crossing before attempting a rescue.
Flowing water is deceptively strong. Do not view river crossings lightly.

Safe Crossing!
George Spearing.