In CalTopo, another recommended platform, use the MapBuilder Topo layer. When recreation maps are not available, the next best option is to create your own. If you are Premium member of GaiaGPS ($30 per year), you can access the Trails Illustrated maps digitally (via the website or app) from the website, they can also be printed. Individual recreation maps cost $10 to $15 and are available online and from local retailers. Encompass a specific area, like a National Park or Wilderness Area, where my entire trip will probably take place.Conveniently include things like parking areas, backcountry campsite locations or zones, and services like permit office and visitors centers and,.For field use, it’s better to use a map without shaded relif.įor an overview map, I prefer to use a commercial recreation map, such as from National Geographic Trails Illustrated, Tom Harrison, Green Trail Maps, or Beartooth Publishing, because they: When a shaded relief map is viewed upside down, the shading can fool your eyes, making canyons look like ridgetops and mountains look like valleys. These maps are most useful when planning a trip, and may be sufficient in the field only for on-trail itineraries. The upper map of Utah is at a scale of 1:75,000, or more than 1 mile per inch the lower map is 1:250,000, or 4 miles per inch. A closeup reveals how much topographic detail is compressed onto these maps. The shading causes features to stand out more, but plays tricks with your eyes when not viewed from the south side of the map and looking north. Whereas the map I will use next month in Rocky Mountain National Park is printed at 1:50,000 with 50-foot contour lines, making the topography appear 37 percent less steep.Īlso, these popular maps almost always have shaded relief. For example, the overview map I used in July of Yosemite National Park is printed at 1:80,000 and has 50-foot contour lines. Making matters worse, popular overview maps do not use a standard scale or contour interval, so your brain must relearn this relationship with every new map. If your map-reading skills are only so-so, trying to improve them using small-scale maps will generate limited results. However, I’d caution against this: it’s a missed learning opportunity.īy definition, the topographic detail on a small-scale map is compressed, making it difficult to associate features on the map with features in the field, particularly subtle ones. On its own, an overview map can be adequate for on-trail navigating. Using our Trails Illustrated overview map, we concluded that it was Mount Goddard, 30 miles away and still inside the park! From Colby Pass in Sequoia-Kings Canyon, we were intrigued by a prominent peak on the north horizon. In the field, overview maps are useful for pinpointing distant landmarks, mid-trip planning discussions, self-evacuations, and detours. When unavailable, I custom print USGS 30- x 60-minute or 250k map series on 11×17 paper (upper right). Commercial recreation maps are best since they are updated regularly and include more than just topographic data. Work through logistics, like travel, permits, and resupply.Identify a general route, and potential alternates and,.Develop a general understanding of the landscape, including the main watersheds, the road system, and trail network.While planning a trip, I use these small-scale maps to: inch, centimeter, thumbnail) equals 50,000 or 100,000 units in the field. Overview maps normally have a scale of 1:50,000 to 1:100,000, meaning that one unit on the map (e.g. Printing tipsĮlsewhere I have detailed my process and recommendations for exporting and printing custom maps. The mapping software can reliably pinpoint your location, and quickly calculate distance and vertical and for a long trip, it’s also more cost-effective. A phone or handheld GPS is more pocket-table and less unwieldy. They don’t require a good printer or a trip to REI. I understand the appeal of digital maps, however. Are more easily viewed by multiple people, like when discussing route choices.Do not require batteries or recharging.
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