Topo maps

[Mack]

Where is the best place to get good maps?
I'm having a tough time finding them.

 

[Bob W]

Is there a survey supply store in your area? They should have a good selection of regional topo quads. Outdoor/backpacking stores carry them too, but rarely a complete selection.

You can also order them directly from the USGS.

Or you can print your own from any of the available commercial topo map software programs. But a hint, printing full-size topo maps at Kinko's costs as much as, or more than, buying the originals in color.

 

[Mack]

Thanks, I'll check into them.

 

[Bob W]

For example there's a large survey supply shop in Albuquerque. They keep every single quad map for the entire state in stock, and have a limited selection of maps for nearby surrounding states. Plus, they can order any map not in stock.

Backpacking/outdoor shops tend to mostly stock recreational maps, but sometimes have a selection of USGS quads. But here, sadly, the local outdoor shops carry nothing!

 

[Mack]

Backpacking/outdoor shops tend to mostly stock recreational maps, but sometimes have a selection of USGS quads. But here, sadly, the local outdoor shops carry nothing!

That's what I'm running into. I'll check into the survey supply shops. I never would have thought about them.
Thanks again.

 

[Brian Andrews]

Check out Terrain Navigator. It rocks. It is basically a set of computer tools built around scanned in versions of USGS maps.

You buy it by the state, and you get ALL the USGS maps for your state. If you bought them all separately, you would be broke

Here is also a very good read about navigation that recommends Terrain Navigator:

Backcountry Navigation

B

 

[northern1]

if you have a printer than my favorite way is to just use GOOGLE MAPS or TERRA SERVER USA.

they both have topo's with the goggle maps being a bit better i think and whats really good for me with hunting is they both have aerial / satellite shots as well.

i just pull them up and print them out and dont have to worry about getting them wet or messed up in the field since i can go home and print 10 more.you can also buy that water proof mapping paper to print them on so that what you do print up is really nice,thick and water proof like those good national geographic maps and actually thats who makes the paper i think.

 

[The REAL Commander]

I actually need a good map of a place called "Barnes Lake" up here in my neck of the woods in S.W. Alberta Canada. Barnes lake in the Cowsnest pass area, just south of highway 3 between Coleman and Sparwood. I know where the lake is, but I have not yet been able to find anyone who can suggest a more tame route to the lake, I have only ever known of the horrific foot climb which my old bones can no longer take. A friend of my neighbor says he has seen conservation officers at the lake on horseback, which leads me to beleiev there is an alternate route up; one more suited for an elderly gent such as myself. If anyone knows where I may find information regarding Barnes Lake, AB, please let me know as soon as possible.

Thanks
Glenn

 

[CShepherd]

Mytopo.com is a really great store. You choose the area of coverage, the size of the printed map, whether you want it on waterproof paper or not, and whether you want it rolled or folded. You can also add in waypoints, choose lat/longitude gridding or UTM gridding to be printed on the map and a few other nice features as well.

They're not cheap but very nice. I've used them before and had real good service.

As a disclaimer I do not work for them, have just used them.

Charlie

 

[Mack]

Just checked out Terrain Navigator. Great suggestion.
You guys are incredible! Ask a question, get good answers. What a concept!

 

[mete]

The better hand held Garmin GPS like my 60CSx can download or buy ba mini chip with topo maps covering a large area.

 

[Bob W]

Just an FYI...

if you have a printer than my favorite way is to just use GOOGLE MAPS or TERRA SERVER USA.

A printer capable of producing 7.5 minute topo maps costs big $$, like thousands of dollars. We bought a used one for the office for $1500, as I recall.

Of course if you want smaller map sections, using a regular printer and online/software map sources is an excellent option. Two of the many options:
AllTopo has CD sets of USGS topo maps for ~$100 per state. You can add your own locations, match up map edges, and interact with most GPS models. Unlike many other programs, these are exact productions of USGS maps.

National Geographic and DeLorme have topo programs, about $100 for the entire country. Interact with GPS units, view in 3D, etc.

There are also many freeware GIS/mapping programs. This gets rather complicated. A post of mine cut from an old topic:

I found an old forum topic at another website where I listed these three freeware programs as having GPS interactive capabilities: Terrain, MicroDEM, and 3DEM.
I no longer have these installed, so I can't provide much additional information. Perhaps I can find some download links...

Here ya' go,
Terrain: http://www.softree.com/products/ttools.htm
Microdem: http://www.usna.edu/Users/oceano/pgu...e/microdem.htm
3DEM: http://www.visualizationsoftware.com/3dem.html

These should keep you busy for a while.
The 'fun' part is learning about government GIS data file sets, and figuring out which file formats are compatible with which programs.