[Cdt-l] gps with maps question

[Andrew]

I used the gps file depot maps on my Etrex 30 last year and they worked ok.
IMO, that little tiny inch and a half Etrex screen is a lousy substitute for
a map.  

 

The only maps I've seen that show the CDT in its proper location are the
Bearcreek ones.  With a bit of skill, they are good enough to use with a
compass and without gps.  Doing the opposite - using about the smallest gps
made, and without maps showing where the trail actually is does not seem
like a very good way to go.  

 

I hiked two days with a couple who were using just the Bearcreek maps.  They
had a compass but I never saw them pull it out.  They kept track of where
they were on the maps by keeping track of time and knowing how far they
hiked per hour.   They used the mileages on the maps to figure out where
they were and that seemed to work good for them.  

 

The CDT is not like most trails - it's really confusing in places and it's
nice to be prepared.   Personally, I carried the gps, a compass, the
Bearcreek maps, and a few of the Ley maps for alternates.  The gps was my
least favorite tool and I only turned it on a few times.  

 

 

AJ (longhiker)

longhiker.pct at gmail.com

 

From: cdt-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:cdt-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of David Thibault
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2012 8:05 PM
To: cdt-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [Cdt-l] gps with maps question

 

I just picked up an etrex 20 a week ago- seems pretty easy to use so far.
Don't go buying maps just yet check out this link

 

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/state/all

 

 

Free maps of the CDT states are available.  I haven't loaded anything but
the Arizona topos into my gps yet because I am heading out on the AZT for a
couple of days next week - but they look fine to me.  After Thanksgiving
I'll have some time to play around with the GPS a bit more but it seems easy
enough.   It has a 'where to?' function that looks like it would work great
with the compass rose functions on the Ley maps.   For me I mainly just want
to be able to pick out my location on the Ley maps. 

 

Bearcreek has a gps track of the "official CDT" that you can get from the
web.

The CDT will be the first trail I am using a GPS on.  In a way I feel a bit
like I wimped out - succumbing to the "Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My"
fear mongering mentality but then again like Dan'l Boone - I've been know to
be confused for a few days at a time.

 

Day-Late

 

 

 

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2012 05:28:59 +0000
From: "M. Shea" <mshea68 at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Cdt-l] gps with maps question
To: <cdt-l at backcountry.net>
Message-ID: <SNT127-W20ED844919F726B9111743B3690 at phx.gbl>
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