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[at-l] maps information
Well, here's my two cents worth as I wind down on Christmas day "eve."
I bought the full map/guides deal from the ATC - around $140 I think; I
also bought a CD-ROM that has all the shelter/campground/water/roads
waypoints, and lets you print out three levels of detail on your own
custom-made itenerary; finally, I bought the AT Thru-hiker's companion,
put out by the ATLDHA. After about a month on the Trail, all the maps
went home, and I mailed myself about 8 pages from my custom itenerary
printout, plus about 20 pages from the Thru-hiker's companion, and
that's all I used for the next 1,000 miles . . . {I didn't quite finish
- had to come home to patch things up with an understanding, but human
wife and daughter! - gonna try to finish in '02 and if need be, '03!]
Anyhow, the maps are great for context, but if you have any good trail
instincts, they are not crucial for navigation - at least not if you are
a NOBO starting between March and May . . . because you will see enough
other people to get too lost . . . and I could always borrow a map for a
quick look if the urge hit me. Also, a critical warning that many of
the group(s) I hiked with strongly agreed with: Do NOT get too attached
to those darn elevation profiles on the maps - many is the day I rued
asking to look at those confounded things, for then the old expectations
game was on! "oh, this will be a piece of cake, just look how smooth
that elevation profile looks" we'd say one bright morning, only to limp
in 20 miles later cussing all the way! Or, we'd say "good grief, that
profile looks like I need my belay harness, stealth rubber climbing
shoes, and a rope" and then we'd cruise in 20 miles later saying "that
was not bad at all." In each case, we decided that it was the
map-elevation-profile-derived expectations that came to define our day,
and so I decided that I did not want some map to define my expectations
for ANY more days! :) I truly came to enjoy not knowing what was around
the next bend [or, more accurately, over the next Hill, after the last
GAP, or thru the next NOTCH, or down in the next PASS, or over the next
KNOB, or thru the next PATCH - you get the idea!
If I had to rank the value of the paper things I brought, it would be my
journal first, the Thru-hiker's companion pages second, my printout of
the mileage to the next shelter/road/water/etc. third, and the maps
fourth. As an Eagle Scout and long-time map reader/lover, I know this
is heresy, but it's truly how I came to see things on the AT - again, as
I said, assuming you are doing a NOBO hike during the "rush" season.
Which, by the way, is how I would recommend most folks do their first AT
thru-hike, due to the incredible number of great trail friends you will
make!!
Hope this monologue is not too boring, so to all a Merry Christmas and
all a good night - full of dreams of that long, narrow, winding,
never-ending snowy/foggy/sunny/muddy path always tempting us to go
further!
Hike On!
Clark Wright
[Thru-Thinker . . . GA-PA, VT, NH - '01]
"Anderson, Paula_(MD)" wrote:
>
> I'd not worry about what the weight of ALL the maps is together as you won't
> be carrying all maps at once. At the most, you may have 2 when they cross.
> Most of the maps are printed on both sides so you can go quite a ways w/
> one. I'd be surprised if they weighted over 3 oz each. most likely in the
> 1.5 to 2 range. Most people have the maps mailed to them at some point
> prior to when they would be needed. Even if you aren't doing maildrops,
> you'll want some way to get mail from family & friends or you'll be sending
> letters off yourself.
>
> Remember the ATC always has a sale going on this time of year where you get
> the maps & books for the price of just the maps I believe its around 100 to
> 140? I've alwasy found the books worth it as they have more campsites and
> water sources noted than the maps and databook. Also explicit instructions
> as to where the water is. Lots of those odd sites in misc gaps etc the
> water is NOT marked by a blue blaze. W/o any idea of where to look, you may
> not find that tiny spring or waste a lot of time. I used water sources many
> walked right by and then listened to them complain there was no water along
> that section of the trail. Many people simply make notes on the map
> referencing data from the guidebooks, I myself don't mind carrying the pages
> I rip out of the guidebooks - they make good firestarter when someone wants
> to make a fire!
>
> Paula
> -----Original Message-----
> From: roni h [mailto:roni_h3000@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Monday, December 24, 2001 3:53 PM
> To: at-l@mailman.backcountry.net
> Subject: [at-l] maps information
>
> Hi
>
> As you may remember I asked you a couple of weeks ago
> about cheap and light map alternatives for the atc
> maps.
> I got a couple of interesting answers (thank's for
> that) but they all seem irelevent for me.
> I am now slowly (and painfully...) starting to
> recognize the fact that to fully enjoy the trail I
> might have to purchase the heavy atc maps. But
> unfortunaly I can't find in any place the information
> of what is the total weight of the the atc maps. I
> posted this question in a forum and got different
> answers.
> I asked the ATC online store this question and got no
> reply at all.
> Can any one tell me the total weight of the whole of
> the A.T.C maps combined or will this little but
> improtent bit of information continue to remain a
> mystery for ever ;-) ?
>
> And (to eas the financial pain ... ) -
> do you know of anywhere or anyplace where I can
> purchase these maps in used condition. (I do know maps
> change slightly over the years ).
> I believe that maps (like books) should be used, and
> shoul'd not spend most of their life sitting on
> someones book shelf, waiting in vein for some future
> use never to come.
> So if any of you is not using his/her map's next
> summer I'll be happy to buy from you the maps and as
> my 2002 thruhike is done, I'll send the maps back to
> you free of charge. (I'd rather the maps stand on your
> shelf then on mine).
>
> In any case - HAVE A VERY VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY
>
>
> Roni (roni_h3000@yahoo.com)
>
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