Apparatus and methods are provided for determining a person's compass orientation from data generated by one or more sensors embedded within a portable device transported by the person. Such sensors may include an accelerometer, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, a magnetometer (e.g., a compass), a barometer, etc. In some scenarios (e.g., when the person is walking), the person's initial orientation is directly determined and is used to calculate an initial orientation delta describing a difference between the person's initial orientation and an initial orientation of the device. In other scenarios, the person's current orientation is calculated based on an initial orientation of the device and a known or assumed orientation delta. Later in time, the orientation delta can be applied to the device's current orientation to determine the person's current orientation. As events involving the person and/or the device are observed, an orientation delta may be updated.