EISPIRATEN

First I apologize to all that already know about this site. You can download ANY topo, ANYWHERE in the U.S. So far, I haven't had trouble finding any topo I need for trip planning.

I'm sure most of you already know about it, but if there's one person that doesn't, my job is done.

Here's the linky:

http://store.usgs.gov/locator/index.html

JUST FOLLOW THE ON-SCREEN STEPS AND YOU CAN'T FAIL. PM ME IF YOU HAVE ISSUES.

It's a great thing. I use it frequently. It gives me better quality maps than I can get from the Nat'l Geographic software that I paid for.

Jim, Do you think this is as good as the ones you can get from say Glendale Blueprint, Sport Chalet, REI, etc. Not the Tom Harrison Maps, The paper ones that Sport Chalet sells. (the ones that they never have enough of) U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. I think thats it. The Quadrangle ones. Let me start over.
Hi Jim. How's the weather? lol. Do you like these best? regardless of cost. Seems to me they aren't as detailed as the old TOPOGRAPHIC ones.
Thanks

135driver wrote: PM ME IF YOU HAVE ISSUES.

hmm. Thanks but I have already seen all those people. I have issues that nobody could begin to understand let alone solve.
But thanks anyway.

I thought about that right after I wrote it.

Yeah, I've got issues myself, ha ha.

Anyway, the maps are good, they are identical to the 1:24,000 scale topos at REI and the like.

The only downfall is that by using these, you have to print them in sections. I find they are the best for trip planning on the computer, then just print the section you are going to use.

Nothing beats the real thing though. I've always liked to USGS topos better than Tom Harrison, mainly because of the closer view of the contour lines.

Driver

FIGHT ON wrote:Jim, Do you think this is as good as the ones you can get from say Glendale Blueprint, Sport Chalet, REI, etc. Not the Tom Harrison Maps, The paper ones that Sport Chalet sells. (the ones that they never have enough of) U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. I think thats it. The Quadrangle ones. Let me start over.
Hi Jim. How's the weather? lol. Do you like these best? regardless of cost. Seems to me they aren't as detailed as the old TOPOGRAPHIC ones.
Thanks

lol
These are the exact same maps as if you went down to Sport Chalet, REI, A16 or wherever and bought the big 1:24,000 scale, 7.5' (24" x 27" paper size) printed maps except that you have to print them yourself. The pre-printed ones on the 24x27" sheets of paper are nicer, but with the ones I download, I can print off as many as I like. I often will print off copies with the route marked for my wife or for the people I'm hiking with. I won't do that with the nicer, but more expensive pre-printed ones.

I too prefer the USGS 1:24,000 scale, 7.5' maps for land navigation. For planning, I like the Tom Harrison ones since they show a wide area and I can see how the different 1:24k map sheets flow together. The Harrison maps also list trail camps, trail mileages, and some other useful features. Harrison maps are generally a little more current than the USGS ones. For example, the Forsee Creek Basin Trail in the SGW isn't even marked on the USGS map despite the fact that it's a very popular trail and is both an excellent beginner backpack and a good gateway to the western high country of the SGW. On the other hand, Harrison doesn't mark some of the older trails that while no longer maintained are nonetheless there and still quite followable and go to some pretty cool spots or provide links between maintained trails allowing for loop hikes.

Out on the trail, I usually carry the 1:24k map for the places I actually plan to hike and the Harrison map as a back up incase I have to detour into other areas due to conditions on the ground. The Harrison maps are also nice when one is sitting on a peak and looking around trying to figure out what all those peaks in the distance are.

Hmm. Wordy guy aren't I? I guess it shows that I like maps.

Hikin_Jim wrote:Hmm. Wordy guy aren't I? I guess it shows that I like maps.

Not at all! Why do you think I asked you? Great info. I am sure I am not the only one that benefits. Just stay in the middle of the road dammit. Quit acting like your king of the road. Leave the driving to Taco. At least he doesn't hit anybody! With all those middle fingers he is sporting now, who needs brass knuckles?

135driver wrote:I thought about that right after I wrote it.

Yeah, I've got issues myself, ha ha.

Anyway, the maps are good, they are identical to the 1:24,000 scale topos at REI and the like.

The only downfall is that by using these, you have to print them in sections. I find they are the best for trip planning on the computer, then just print the section you are going to use.

Nothing beats the real thing though. I've always liked to USGS topos better than Tom Harrison, mainly because of the closer view of the contour lines.

Driver

So, Kelly/Driver,

Have you figured out a good way to print them in sections? I've just been kind of eye-balling it. Do you have a way of printing them and then re-assembling them for a wider area after printing?

It's a little bit trial and error, but when you open the file, it pops up in PDF. If you click on the little selection tool (it's an icon of a little camera) you can drag a section that you want, and hit print. It will print that section.

You have to zoom in on the section first, probably about four times to get the same zoom level as the Large USGS maps.

**Just make sure that each section you print, you are using the same zoom level.**

I've had a little bit of trouble getting seperate printed sections to line up, but I end up cutting off the white border (if there is one) and trying to make the two maps fit together.

Like I said, trial and error, a slight pain in the ass, but it saves you from driving all over creation looking for the map you need.

I too would much rather have the original map in my pocket but they are hard to find more or less and that's just more money that I could be spending on beer and the like.

driver

how about buying the ones you want from the store and then taking them to kinkos. Take any of those maps and divide it up into quarters and zoom in on them. All of em. Make 20 copies each. Never have to do it again.

Homemade large print editions are a welcome treat for old eyes.

Thanks Driver for pointing out the free Topos.

I like files of the quads...no funky web browser gui, so download from:
http://libremap.org/data/state/california/

I then edit the tif files as needed.

Although google stuff is nice for browsing...

Dude,

Your site seems to be a lot quicker. Same maps in half the time. Thanks for the link.

One-upped again!

driver