View Full Version : Shrinking guidebook maps
earlyriser26
10-27-2009, 13:01
I have noticed some of the more recent At guidebooks only show a fairly narrow picture of the AT, often just leaving the area farther away blank. I know the intent is to focus just on the AT, but this information can be valuable if you must hike out on a road.
I agree. I find it disorienting not to see nearby features such as towns, lakes, roads, etc., on some of the AT maps. It's nice to have a wider sense of "where you are".
Rain Man
10-27-2009, 15:07
I thought it was just that I was hiking in a different State and the maps were different for different areas. But I agree. I'm a map lover and like good maps.
Rain:sunMan
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earlyriser26
10-27-2009, 15:20
I started this thread because a couple of weeks ago I was in a situation where I may have had to hike out from a road crossing. The map maybe showed a couple miles on either side of the AT crossing and I may as well have flipped a coin. I did not know if the nearest phone was 3 miles or 15 and which direction was which.:confused:
Map making tends to require hitting a happy medium. There's also quite a lot of posts about "why does the map show all this stuff" and "there's too many maps making it too heavy/expensive for a long hike".
Or, "there's too many contours making everything look cluttered and confusing" - then when the contour interval is increased, "can't tell where the hills are anymore, we liked it better before". :)
In making maps, I try to go out in coverage area to the first town or the first parallel road so you know how to run around between road crossings if you're a dayhiker, or maybe somehow to get out or to resupply if you're doing a long section or a thru. (And, if they're pre-printed, to do both sides. ;) )
Rockhound
10-27-2009, 16:57
I go with Rand McNally. Did you know St Louis is only 1287 miles off the trail? Just hang a left when you get to Damascus.
garlic08
10-27-2009, 17:05
Find a friend who's a member of AAA and get free road maps to carry with.
If you like good maps, you can't go wrong with US Topographic maps. Technically they put the AT on some of those maps, but that's obviously unreliable.
Back when I was young and too stupid to know that you should spend 200+ dollars on official maps, I went with the cheaper option. Digital maps printed out, with the trail etched onto them. The level of detail is incomparable. It is true that some minor changes were made, but not many. It really didn't affect my hike at all. They even have the shelters put on there. $25.00
http://www.edigitalmaps.com/product_info.php?products_id=184
I honestly don't know why people don't use them. I printed off a ton, double sided, and kept them in the bounce box. Usually one to two sides of the page would be a full days hike. Can't recommend them enough. Everyone who saw them commented at the level of detail and I got several jealous looks.
It is true that some minor changes were made, but not many. It really didn't affect my hike at all.
I know of one quad map in PA where the A.T. route is 54 years out of date. If you follow that route NOBO, you'll miss the Doyle. :D
I know of one quad map in PA where the A.T. route is 54 years out of date. If you follow that route NOBO, you'll miss the Doyle. :D
Wow. Yeah that would be a tragedy. But, I don't advocate using them to navigate. I just really enjoyed seeing what was around me, placing it all in context really.
The down side, is that with such detail, you can see some of the more annoying things that the trail planners do. "I'm going up that mountain just to come down a quarter of a mile away from here? And there's a direct route to get from here to there?"
Or the much much worse one: "You want me to descend 3000 feet down into that valley, turn around and come back up 5 miles away from here? There's no views. I can walk on top of this wide stone wall and watch the hawks circle in the updrafts. It's flat, it's beautiful, it's in the sunshine, and it's heart shuddering views every step of the way. Hey that car is stopping. Why yes, I'm a hiker. Beer? Thank you so much. Oh and a bag of chips too. Pictures? Sure. Nice to meet you folks. Hey that other car is stopping. Beer? Don't mind if I do........Forget this. I'm walking on the road."
True story.