[pct-l] Best gps iPhone app?

[Bill Burge]

Dang!

Now I have to buy (and wring out) another app!

(Actually, I LOVE doing that.  I could go broke doing that for apps  
and devices!  ;-)

Looking for a BlackBerry and money for coverage and apps...  ;-) ;-)

BillB



On Sep 23, 2009, at 1:46 PM, Denis Stanton wrote:

> Hi Laura
>
> I'd like to add one more to the detailed and excellent analysis from
> Bill
>
> I used Phil Endecott's 'Topo Maps' app on my last section hike and
> highly recommend it.
>
> I was daunted by it at first and it took me a while to appreciate what
> it does.  It is not a substitute for Google Maps as it doesn't have a
> searchable index of every place name you can think of. In the version
> I used on the PCT in June it could only search by map name.  This
> seems to have been expanded a lot and it now seems to have a list of
> geographical points of interest.
>
> It is not a substitute for MotionX GPS as it doesn't have all the
> average speed, distance to waypoint, estimated time of arrival etc.
> calculations
>
> Don't be put off (as I was at first) by what it doesn't have.  What it
> does have is fantastic.  It has the ability to download and store any
> of the thousands of USGS 1:24,000 and Natural Resources Canada
> 1:50,000 maps.  The maps take a while to download (5 or 10 minutes
> each for me) so you do this BEFORE you leave home.  The maps are then
> securely cached so when you are on the trail all you need is the GPS
> signal (free from the sky above), not the cell-phone connection (from
> the cell tower which is probably out of range).
>
> On my trip in June I did the Rae Lakes Loop.  I spent an evening at
> home downloading 20 or so maps covering the whole trip from Road's End
> to Vidette Meadows, Rae Lakes, Woods Creek and the PCT as far as VVR
> just in case.  This was a moderately laborious task because each map
> takes a while to download and then you have to follow the PCT across
> the map and figure out which map you want to get next.
>
> Having done this the Topo Maps application became my best friend on
> the trail.  Just click a button to place yourself accurately on these
> really detailed maps that have the PCT clearly marked.  Some other
> maps are really made for motorists and don't bother much with serious
> trails, but the USGS 1:24,000 are the ones you would be carrying all
> the way if you could afford to buy them all and manage the weight
>
> I came over Glen Pass in light snow.  The trail was buried knee-deep
> and although I could see the Rae Lakes in the distance I have to make
> my own way down.  I post-holed until I felt it was safe to slide and
> then sat down and glissaded happily down the hill.  Incidentally this
> was a much nicer experience than last year when I tried something
> similar on the north side of Forrester, got out of control and
> discovered to my cost that you can't self arrest by planting your only
> hiking pole in the snow between your knees as you slide.
>
> When I got the end of the snow I had no idea where the actual trail
> was.  I came off the snow into a maze of scrubby bushes and small
> trees, patches of snow and lots of streams.  I thought the most likely
> place for the trail was on the stony ridge away to my right.   Another
> hiker following a similar trajectory down the snow called out to ask
> if I knew which way to go and I suggested the ridge looked likely.
> Then I took out the iPhone, opened Top Maps and touched the "show me
> where I am button".  A couple of seconds later if dropped a blue dot
> onto the map and I could see the red line of the PCT was nearby on my
> left.  I shouted back "I think it's about 20 feet that way", walked
> around a patch of scrub and that's exactly where it was.  That one
> moment easily repaid the $6.99.  I could have wasted a lot of energy
> climbing onto the wrong ridge.
>
> I see Phil has added a lot more features since my last hike.  I look
> forward to trying it out.  There are many other GPS apps that are fun
> and interesting.  This one could really be a life saver.
>
> Denis
>
>
> On 23/09/2009, at 5:11 AM, Laura Newman wrote:
>
>> Any recommendations? Thanks, laura
>>
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