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  • Free Printable Nat Geo Maps

    I haven't tried it yet but I saw this news posted earlier today & wanted to pass it along... https://petapixel.com/2016/08/06/nat...raphical-maps/

    Thoughts?

  • #2
    More about it in this thread from last summer:
    Saw a story on-line about this dated 8/12/16 so I assume this is a new feature. From the NatGeo web site: "National Geographic has built an easy to use


    USGS Topo 7.5' maps have been available for free from ... the USGS. The latest versions can be downloaded from the National Map (created by the USGS). Alternately, you can use Caltopo to print maps (USGS and others) in whatever scale you desire.
    Looking for views!

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    • #3
      Duplicative of what has long been available elsewhere (USGS and others).
      "Now I see the secret of making the best person, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth." -Walt Whitman

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      • #4
        Gotcha, thanks.
        I usually either use mytopo.com for USGS topos, or docs.unh.edu if I'd rather have the contour intervals in feet instead of meters. Wasn't sure if the Nat Geo would be any better or easier to use. Thanks for the feedback.

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        • #5
          I'm a huge fan of RideWithGps.com for route planning.

          It is focused on the cycling community but works very well as a hiking tool.

          It has the OSM trails as one of the base layers. The "Follow Roads" feature will automatically create a route as you click on waypoints along the OSM trails. 90% of the time it selects the route I would have chosen, but if not you can drag and drop anywhere along the route and it will "snap" to the new path.

          Where the OSM trail is missing you can switch to "Draw Lines" mode and trace the trail from the USGS Scan layer. Other useful layers include Satellite, Ersi Topo, and Google Maps.

          There'a an integration with Google Street View so that you can get an image of the area anywhere your route intersects with a public road.

          You can add Points of Interest to your route with descriptions, photos, and URL's.

          The software calculates not only the mileage for your route but also the gross elevation gain.

          An elevation profile is created below the route and as you drag your mouse along the profile a corresponding blue dot follows the mapped route.

          Option to work with imperial or metric measurements.

          All of these features included with the free version. The paid version allows you to upload and download to your GPS.

          Each route you create is assigned it's own permanent URL so that it can be shared online.

          For the final route I'll usually save the Google Maps layer (with terain) as it gives the best overall visual representation of the hike.

          As an example, here is a route I've created for an upcoming spring hike in the AMR.

          Most of the route was available in OSM but for four of the sections I needed to switch to the USGS layer and trace by hand.

          AP

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          • #6
            @AvalanchePass

            That's an excellent planning tool! Thanks for sharing it with us!

            I'm going to ask you a favor. If you plan to bring a GPS, please send me a copy of the recorded track. Ideally, if others in your group will have GPS receivers, I'd like their tracks as well.

            I need that data to improve the accuracy of existing trails, as well as add missing trails, located in the Adirondack Mountain Reserve (AMR). More details here:
            OpenStreetMap.org (https://www.openstreetmap.org/) allows the general public to modify its maps. You can login and add/subtract features like roads, trails,


            The more tracks the better because drawing a trail based on only one GPS track isn't terribly accurate.

            After I add the missing trails to OSM, they'll appear in all mapping tools that use OSM maps (like Caltopo, RideWithGPS, and many others).

            Trail that are missing or need improvement:
            • East River Trail (all)
            • Trail from Gill Brook to Fish Hawk Cliffs
            • Trail from Indianhead down to the Lake Road
            • Spur trail to Rainbow Falls
            • West River Trail (all)
            • Trail(s) to Cathedral Rocks
            • Trail to Lost Lookout


            PS
            Your map in RideWithGps includes a POI for "Lost Lookout" ... but the trail it shows isn't correct. Be advised that the section of the West River Trail lying southwest of Wedge Brook is inaccurate. In addition, there's a separate trail that leads to Lost Lookout (i.e. Lost Lookout isn't along the West River Trail). I don't think a single online map shows it correctly and you need to refer to the ADK Mtn Club's High Peaks map.
            Last edited by Trail Boss; 04-13-2017, 11:04 AM.
            Looking for views!

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            • #7
              Unfortunately I don't have a GPS.

              It is on the wish list.

              When I get one I do plan on contributing to the OSM project. I've seen the instructions you've posted and I'll see if I can figure it out.

              It seems like you've been anticipating our travels. You were adding camping inventory and trails in the Colden / Flowed Lands area when we visited last fall. And you've been improving the trails in the AMR as we've been planning the hike for this spring.

              It's been a huge help so thank you very much.

              Hopefully I can participate as well in the future.

              AP

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              • #8
                Bummer!

                Well, if you can borrow one that'd be great. Otherwise, there are many good navigation apps for smartphones. I currently use a combination of an old Garmin GPS and a smartphone to record tracks for mapping. Then I scour Wikiloc for other people's tracks.

                Good luck and have fun!
                Looking for views!

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