If you encounter an impassable boulder field while tracking a bearing, which method helps you bypass and return to your exact original course?

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When you’re following a bearing and an obstacle blocks your path, the goal is to bypass the obstacle while returning to your original line of travel. The most reliable method is a 90-degree detour around the obstacle that creates a small “box” around it: turn 90 degrees away from your bearing, walk past or around the obstacle, then turn 90 degrees back toward your original bearing and continue. This keeps you off the obstacle but returns you to the same course beyond it, so you don’t drift off track.

This approach works well because it preserves your overall direction and doesn’t require a reorientation to a new line or relying on tools that might not be available. Other options either don’t guarantee rejoining the original line, would push you off course, or depend on GPS, which isn’t always practical in field conditions.