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Declination of Washington Cascades

  • Joedabaker
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18 years 7 months ago #178449 by Joedabaker
Declination of Washington Cascades was created by Joedabaker
I was trying to update my compass declination and could not find a resource on local declination in the Washington Cascades.
Mine is 18 degrees, but I have been reading where it is now 20 degrees.
Anyone know for sure?
Amar must know this one. ;)
Thanks,
Joe

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  • Larry_Trotter
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18 years 7 months ago - 18 years 7 months ago #178453 by Larry_Trotter
Replied by Larry_Trotter on topic Re: Declination of Washington Cascades
Using 46 X 123 degrees, Declination = 17° 1' E changing by 0° 9' W/year
Using 46 X 122 degrees, Declination = 16° 50' E changing by 0° 9' W/year
Using 46 X 121 degrees, Declination = 16° 38' E changing by 0° 9' W/year

Actually, I am a little surprised... I always assumed 18 degrees.  Didn't realize how sensitive the parameter is. 

This is from a cool NOAA site: www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/geomag/jsp/Declination.jsp

Site Home: www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/geomag/declination.shtml

It looks like the Magnetic North Pole is traveling West, causing our declination to decrease:
Year Latitude (°N) Longitude (°W)
2001     81.3              110.8
2002     81.6              111.6
2003     82.0              112.4
2004     82.3              113.4
2005     82.7              114.4




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  • Scottk
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18 years 7 months ago #178455 by Scottk
Replied by Scottk on topic Re: Declination of Washington Cascades
I knew that magnetic north moved around and it even switches poles every few thousand years, but I had no idea that it changed so quickly over time. I have been using 22 degrees for Washington State since I started climbing around 1980. Based on that handy website it appears that you have to go back to 1960 for this declination to be correct. I'm not sure what this suggests but I'm thinking I was using some old USGS topo maps when I started climbing.

This updated information should dramatically reduce the amount of time I spend wandering around in the wilderness totally lost.

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  • Joedabaker
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18 years 7 months ago #178456 by Joedabaker
Replied by Joedabaker on topic Re: Declination of Washington Cascades
Thanks Larry!
Great website need to bookmark that one, so when I travel to other locations.
My Topo map that I printed out said 17 degrees and I thought it was on the fritz.
That is why I asked-need to update the preset declination on the compass.

So one degree is 60 arcminutes.

Good Stuff,
Joe


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