[splendidtube]

Most maps for hiking/backcountry use are topographic. If you generally know what line you’re on, like a trail or along a creek, you can match your altitude to the elevation on the map and identify your position. It’s a lot quicker and easier than finding a point, taking the angle from a compass, and plotting your position on the map.

[chiph]

And a time-saver over the old technique used in case of getting lost where you just went downhill until you reached a road (this got some friends & myself un-lost in the Sierras back in the 80's)

[s0rce]

Careful, there was just a rescue the other day in socal on my. Baldy where a woman got stuck trying to do basically this. It was too steep to go back up and there was a waterfall below. Had to be rescued. Still not the worst idea.