View Full Version : Maps for thru-hike
How necessary are the maps for sale by the Appalachina Trail Conservancy to a successful thru-hike? I would like to avoid the 200 dollars for the maps but am not sure if the data book and thru-hiker companion will be adequate.
mrmike48/4000
03-20-2006, 18:07
get wingfoots thru-hikers handbook 15.95$...lots of info but no maps, i guess it is almost the bible for the AT..
the goat
03-20-2006, 18:12
How necessary are the maps for sale by the Appalachina Trail Conservancy to a successful thru-hike?
not necessary whatsoever. rather, they are a luxury item.
max patch
03-20-2006, 18:21
They are necessary to hike the trail at all unless you get sick or injured and need to leave the trail as soon as possible or you get lost and you need to find the trail.
Maps are kinda like seat belts. You always wear them but hope you don't need them.
In other words, they are a necessity.
You don't need to spend $200 on maps. ATC has an annual sale of guidebooks, maps, and data book every year from Tgiving to Christmas for about $170 or so. Also check on ebay or sites like this for a used set.
max patch
03-20-2006, 18:23
They are necessary to hike the trail at all unless you get sick or injured and need to leave the trail as soon as possible or you get lost and you need to find the trail.
Should be...They are NOT necessary to hike the trail at all unless you get sick or injured and need to leave the trail as soon as possible or you get lost and you need to find the trail.
maps not needed,i carry wingfoots book:cool: neo
http://www.trailplace.com/portal/display.php?page=handbook_2006
Whistler
03-20-2006, 20:47
The Data Book or THH give lots of info to keep you on track, and the AT is generally very well marked. Never felt like I've needed them on the AT, but then again, I've never needed them. You'll need to evaluate your own skill and comfort levels.
-Mark
You are hiking above treeline in the Whites with extreme weather forcasted on your radio for within the next hour. Do you know where your closest escape route is off the ridgetop?
icemanat95
03-20-2006, 21:19
When you NEED maps, you NEED them NOW.
If you insist on not carrying maps, you are relying on luck and the efforts of others to keep you found. If you get lost and injured and require rescue, and the authorities find you without a map and compass, they should probably charge you for the rescue on the basis of willful negligence.
I'm adamant on this one. You may be able to get by with out them, but that doesn't mean that you don't need to have them and know how to use them.
DawnTreader
03-20-2006, 23:27
In New Hampshire, if a rescue is needed and the victim is found negligent, they are charged for the rescue, a new law enacted by the lobbying from Mountain Rescue Services in New Hampshire...I think lack of map and lack of compass leading to persons lost and rescue needed, does apply to negligence, so keep in mind, preparedness could save you a bunch of money in the long run, not to mention saving your life
You're not going to get a solid answer on this one from most Whiteblazers. HOwever, here are reasons my wife and I carried - most are already stated above:
Escape routes
Clarifying your curiosity of peaks, towns, lakes, etc.
Elevation profiles - these were fun to look at when planning the days hike - helped with my worst case scenario mph:-)
If you don't carry, chances are someone in a group you'll find yourself in will have them.
P.S. The seatbelt anaology was PERFECT!
I've always been a map guy. Hate not knowing where I am. My brain is wired in a such a way that guidebooks don't work as well for me as maps.
I've also noticed on the AT that the people who did not buy maps were often asking to borrow mine! :)
the goat
03-21-2006, 14:16
You are hiking above treeline in the Whites with extreme weather forcasted on your radio for within the next hour. Do you know where your closest escape route is off the ridgetop?
sure! to the left, and to the right.:D
sparky2000
03-21-2006, 14:26
If you need assistance and you are lost, a map will be of no help in the woods. A compass will usually mislead one as the trail goes all over the place - up, down, and all around. Don't walk alone if you are one that needs a command center to determine direction.
Maps and a compass are in the same category as a first aid kit. Hope you never need them. But if you ever do need either of them, assuming you have basic knowledge of their use, they are one of the most valuable items you can carry.
If you need assistance and you are lost, a map will be of no help in the woods. A compass will usually mislead one as the trail goes all over the place - up, down, and all around. Don't walk alone if you are one that needs a command center to determine direction.
??????
I must say, that advice is counterintuituve to all my experience in the backcountry.
Don't carry a map and comapss because if you get lost it won't be of use?
Never though of a map and compass as a "command center", just a normal precaution in the woods.
I will be the first to admit, needing a map and compass is not as needed as on the AT, but well...then why were people asking to look at my maps. :D
Anyway, I just can't agree with "If you need assistance and you are lost, a map will be of no help in the woods"....
Old Spice
03-21-2006, 15:48
Not to sound like an arse, but if you choose not to purchase the maps, then keep in mind that others (such as myself) may resent you if you have to "borrow" theirs too often.
RockyTrail
03-21-2006, 17:05
If you need assistance and you are lost, a map will be of no help in the woods. A compass will usually mislead one as the trail goes all over the place - up, down, and all around. Don't walk alone if you are one that needs a command center to determine direction.
Mislead? Hardly.... the map and compass are used TOGETHER, it's like a hammer and an anvil. Either one by itself is less useful, but as a team they are very powerful. It takes a little instruction to learn, but well worth it. AFter a while you can read bearings (directions) off maps within 10 deg just by looking at it and it becomes second nature. I would say don't walk alone unless you have some knowledege of how to orient yourself, by compass, map, sun, or stars, or (cringe) GPS if necessary. Use whatever landmarks are available to figure out where you are and cross-check with map and compass.
I'm in the same boat as Mags, I love to carry maps; you can get a real feel of the countryside and actually know what you are looking at and where you are in relation to other places. Otherwise the AT becomes a long green tunnel between towns, over and by so many nameless mountains, although the AT is so well trodden it's hard to get off-track. But I usually only pull out the map at rest stops, and then everybody wants to know where we are!:)
The Solemates
03-21-2006, 17:14
How necessary are the maps for sale by the Appalachina Trail Conservancy to a successful thru-hike? I would like to avoid the 200 dollars for the maps but am not sure if the data book and thru-hiker companion will be adequate.
i like looking at maps. i like studying maps. but i never carry them on the AT. they are simply not needed at all. you dont need a compass either.
the goat
03-21-2006, 17:25
i like looking at maps. i like studying maps. but i never carry them on the AT. they are simply not needed at all. you dont need a compass either.
amen. let's not forget the original question: are maps necessary? they absolutely are not.
are they nice to have? you bet, but definitely not necessary.
i like looking at maps. i like studying maps. but i never carry them on the AT. they are simply not needed at all. you dont need a compass either.
You absolutely don't need them..you are correct.
However, as I said before, I like having a lay of the land. I enjoy looking at them.
And, I'll say it a third time: Often times most (not all) the people who chose not to buy maps were using mine and others ??!?!
BTW I'd change "they are simply not needed at all" to "MAY not be needed at all". A slight, but important difference. (Talk to Baltimore Jack and ask about his S&R experience).
More than likely you may not need them. I can't disagree.
You MAY need them..and more than likely you WILL want them. (Again, based on people who asked to look at mine).
Look at it this way. Do you just want to follow white blazes? Or do you want to know what is around you? Found it far easier to look at topo lines and see what the climb is up ahead.
Guidebooks just don't do it for me in that regard. I'll be the first to admit I am not "wired" that way. I get lost reading guidebooks! They confuse me! :)
Finally, if you have any intention of doing trails other than the AT (esp. out west), it would be advisable to start practicing on an easier trail (logistically). Learn to realte the topo lines on your maps to the climb you are about to do.
So do you absolutely need them? Nope. Many, many, many people do the AT without maps.
Will you *want* maps? Probably. Or maybe not.
As with all things, this is just my opinion and may not reflect your needs, wants and desires.
Prosseroo
03-21-2006, 17:44
Are they necessary? No. Most competent hikers can follow the AT.
But I would never hike far without one. I like the trail profile to help me plan my next days hike. The guidebook and map help me pick camp spots and water sources along the trail.
The Solemates
03-21-2006, 18:06
i think the issue with wanting to have maps mainly boils down to your outlook. we could care less what climb is ahead...we enjoy it when it comes. besides, you can get a feel for what is ahead without maps. we also dont really care about picking camp spots or water sources beforehand either. when we are thirsty, we stop for water. when the day is done and we feel like stopping, we start looking for a camp spot.
this is not to say I wouldnt take maps on other trails, or in other areas. I often take maps when I hike out west, when hiking in unknown territories, or when hiking in areas that have many trail intersections. But for a thru-hike of the AT, maps are just extra weight. go north (well most of the time :) )
certainly maps would be helpful in emergency situations. but then again, the AT is never really that far from civilization, and other hikers coming down the trail would also help out. and i know that "emergencies" cannot be predicted and shouldnt be danced around, but real emergencies are few and far between on the AT. if you want to carry maps for security purposes for these emergency situations, then by all means appeal to your preparedness nature and carry them. but, they are not a necessity.
Like Jack says, it's irresponsible to hike without maps. You never know when they might save your butt.
Like Jack says, it's irresponsible to hike without maps. You never know when they might save your butt.
From the to-and-fro of this discussion I'm going to assume that my intention of buying an older (say 2003-2005) set of maps to save me some money should be fine then? Or does the trail move so much that I might be confused (or not on the map) in an emergency?
From the to-and-fro of this discussion I'm going to assume that my intention of buying an older (say 2003-2005) set of maps to save me some money should be fine then? Or does the trail move so much that I might be confused (or not on the map) in an emergency?
While the trail does change from year to year, for 99.5% of the trail, recent maps will work just fine. It seems that usually, there is one or two sections of the trail where there is a major relocation. But, in general, recent maps as just fine. Guidebooks typically update on maybe a 5 to 10 year cycle. So, even it you bought maps now, the most recent relocations may not even be on the maps yet. I've used maps that are several years old, and haven't had a problem. The trail still crosses places like Springer, Clingmans, Neels Gap, etc.
Having said that, if my Wingfoot or ALDHA Companion were more than a year or two old, I would definately replace it with an up to date edition. Lots of changes in the hiker services in the small towns.