View Full Version : Maps!!!???
PolarFox
04-13-2006, 01:33
Can I get a map of the whole trail, or do I have to spend crazy money getting one of each section of each state? I can't find a map anywhere. I don't want a trail guide with one or two maps to town, but a DETAILED map of the whole trail, including all the towns and shelters and what not. Everything I've come across has other stuff I'm not particularly interested in with it. I'm getting annoyed. Please help.
kittyrock13
04-13-2006, 01:42
i think if there were one it would have to be ginormous.
hammock engineer
04-13-2006, 01:42
Here is a link to the atc store.
http://www.atctrailstore.org/catalog/itemlist.cfm?catid=43&compid=1&pcatid=120
I ordered mine and are very happy with the detail.
hammock engineer
04-13-2006, 01:43
Didn't read close enough. These are a series of maps. I agree, it is not very feasiable to make one giant map.
Uncle Silly
04-13-2006, 02:15
Yeah, you really only have two choices:
1) the poster-map of the whole trail, with the whole trail on one piece of paper but not much fine detail (ie, some small towns, no shelters); or
2) the compleat map set, which provide (most) all the shelters, (very) nearby small towns, road crossings, etc, but aren't very consistent in the scales from section to section (so that buying all the maps and cutting-and-pasting them into one big map is possible, but yields an inconsistent map).
Maybe start a petition (or development project) to use Google Earth to generate a zoomable AT map that shows more detail as you zoom in?
can you not get a gps and down load the trail onto it, anyone know about this?
The Solemates
04-13-2006, 10:57
Can I get a map of the whole trail, or do I have to spend crazy money getting one of each section of each state? I can't find a map anywhere. I don't want a trail guide with one or two maps to town, but a DETAILED map of the whole trail, including all the towns and shelters and what not. Everything I've come across has other stuff I'm not particularly interested in with it. I'm getting annoyed. Please help.
you describe a guidebook. a map this large does not exist. do you realize what you are asking?
wilderness bob
04-13-2006, 11:37
Polarfox,
There is another choice. Get a road map (there isn't much detail however, you can make your own notes on the map). The AT is in fact on the Rand McNally. Pick up the one's that include big sections (many states). Combined with a thru-hikers hand book it gives you different options (re-supply, towns not listed in the hand book, names of lakes etc). I carried one when I went through the Northeast. I gave it to a south bounder when I neared the end of the trail. I was able to find Mount K when I got close to her as well. It also made for "linking up with the family" easier, they had one too. Just a thought, I hope it helps.
Peace WB
astrogirl
04-13-2006, 12:46
Maybe start a petition (or development project) to use Google Earth to generate a zoomable AT map that shows more detail as you zoom in?
I write google mapping software for money.
My man and I are considering doing something like this if we can get a GPS track of the trail. Sadly, we are completely booked up with work and have had no time to pursue this.
vipahman
04-13-2006, 12:46
you describe a guidebook. a map this large does not exist. do you realize what you are asking?
And if it did exist it would be a 100 feet long and about 3 feet thick when folded. OTOH, data in a PDA or GPS is weightless.:bananaNow to find a source.
Uncle Silly
04-13-2006, 16:23
I write google mapping software for money.
My man and I are considering doing something like this if we can get a GPS track of the trail. Sadly, we are completely booked up with work and have had no time to pursue this.
I'm surprised GE doesn't already know where the trail is; seems like it'd be more a matter of getting coordinates for the shelters and such. But I'm stuck on dialup and can't play around with it.
:(
Seems like we could do it pretty easily if we armed trail maintainers with GPS devices.... that'd get expensive tho.
SGTdirtman
04-13-2006, 19:55
There was a post a while ago about the hack for google earth that puts the entire AT on it and shows all the shelters and gives info about them when you click them
I've been using that for a while now and love it
hikerjohnd
04-13-2006, 20:00
... data in a PDA or GPS is weightless...
But the PDA or GPS is not... I love my new PDA, but it does not have a place on the trail. Now if I could just find a GPS that fits my needs...
:sun
LostInSpace
04-13-2006, 21:16
My man and I are considering doing something like this if we can get a GPS track of the trail.
Look here for GPS track:
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.851255/lookup.asp
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=13445
Google Earth is nothing more than a novelty. Totally useless without a constant broadband connection. Yeah, I like to play around with it too. With the AT centerline and shelters, it's cool to fly over, but it ain't gonna create any usable trail maps.
SGTdirtman
04-13-2006, 23:09
Google Earth is nothing more than a novelty. Totally useless without a constant broadband connection. Yeah, I like to play around with it too. With the AT centerline and shelters, it's cool to fly over, but it ain't gonna create any usable trail maps.
Not really usefull for a map unless you carry a computer with you :banana
however you can get pretty accurate GPS information, I used google earth to put info into my GPS to mark shelters. I've also used google earth to find geo caches on the trail without even bringing a GPS :D
2) the compleat map set, which provide (most) all the shelters, (very) nearby small towns, road crossings, etc, but aren't very consistent in the scales from section to section (so that buying all the maps and cutting-and-pasting them into one big map is possible, but yields an inconsistent map).
So the map set sold by the ATC (here (http://www.atctrailstore.org/catalog/iteminfo.cfm?itemid=190&compid=1)) is not the same scale throughout? What is the range of scales? Are there any other differences between the maps?
Mountain Mike
04-14-2006, 19:37
Delorme has a great map program. Map print Pack. After spending hundred of dollars on other programs I found this one to be the best and cheapest at around $40. You can print up to a nine page map in any scale you want. You can also add grids, gps marks, and shading. After finding this program it made much of my older expensive softwar useless!
Mountain Mike
04-14-2006, 19:44
As far as downlading trail on GPS I have Garmins disks But don't like them. Although I only tried downloading stuff foa a PCT hike. They listed lots of trail as roads... I could download the topo for the area though & seemed really accurate.