[WoodsCustom]

Here Stairman...

TerraServer - The Leader In Online Imagery - Aerial Photos & Satellite Images

Take a swig of Geratol and take a nap, you will be okay.

WC

[TheAvatar]

Thanks a lot guys! I really appreciate the help

[stairman]

WC , I copied and pasted. Not sure why it didnt link.

[LaRemnant]

How about Customized Topo Maps, Aerial Photos, and Hybrids | MyTopo.com. I heard that you can also make hybrid maps... that is, you can get any sized topo map and have it overlaid with roads, buildings whatever.

[CuriousGeorge]

I use MyTopo.com, same as LaRemnant

[CuriousGeorge]

TheAvatar - see you live in PA. Not sure what areas you are looking for, but if you go to the Pennsylvania Game Commission webpage you can access and print maps of most State Game Lands within the state.

[TheAvatar]

Thanks CuriousGeorge I didn't know that. I will look into it

[AlpineZone]

In my own opinion I dont use any of them. I buy my topo's locally for wherever I am travelling. For 4-5.00 its just my opinion that I know I have the latest and most accurate ones for the area. I dont use GPS navigation myself. Its pretty and accurate for fishing etc but I can do just as well with a compass, topo, paper and pencil. And it weighs less, can't really break down for the most part and its just stupid proof once you get the hang of it. Thats just me though.

[Dave_WV]

For those who do use online map resources and print your own, you might consider this little trick if you don't do it already. I use contact paper over the printed map to make it more resistant and water proof.

Here are some maps of the area I will be hiking into in the near future. I broke it into three parts. A northern section, a southern section and an overall view. So instead of fighting with a much larger map I'm only carrying my proposed "operation" area. The maps show major roads and waterways as well as trails and creeks. While not near the quality or detail of a professional commercial map, it still gives me what I need for basic orientation.



This is a closeup of the edge showing my less-than-stellar cutting ability but demonstrating the usefulness of sealing the map.


I also have smaller versions of the map that I'm sending to my hiking partner so he can have a look at what I've tricked him into doing.


Overall I like the ease and flexibility offered by using online mapping services. While they will never take the place of commercial maps I think there's nothing better for getting an idea of what to expect before you take off walking.

[dezertdude]

Originally Posted by WoodsCustom

Free Maps SUK!

These are worth twice what you pay because you build them yourself.

WC

Go to terrago.com and download their FREE yes FREE toolbar, This allows you to download USGS Digital Topo maps FREE yes FREE from the USGS office. It uses adobe acrobat to view them and has tools to edit the maps, etc. You can save them to your hard drive and print them out at 100% for full scale maps FREE. You are only limited by the paper size of your printer. If you had a plotter you could print fullsize topos of anywhere in the US for FREE thats right FREE. I have over 100 usgs topos on my computer right now of the mountain and desert quadrangles here in southern California and they didn't cost me one thin dime!!. I print out the section of the map I will be using at 100% and if need be you can always carefully tape and join more areas to get a larger area mapped.