Delorme (Coleman) State topo maps at STP

[Jay H]

Anybody see these on sale for $10 at STP:

STP link

Are these detailed in that do they cover alot of backroads and stuff? It looks like it is multiple pages so they could really go into detail if they have good information. Does anybody know what year their data iis from? I'm just wondering seeing that they still have NJ and NY available if it's worth the $10...

Jay

 

[spencer]

Jay,

I've never seen Delorme maps with the Coleman name attached, but I have a few of the regular Delorme Gazetteers. The Maine version is by far the most detailed I've seen and it is the Bible for driving in Maine. It might have something to do with the fact that Delorme is based in ME.

They are based on aerial photography and several other sources. They get updated periodically. the ones I have are terrific and well worth the $20 they normally cost. If you can get them for $10, go for it.

spencer

 

[JOD]

what a deal

I think these map books are great. I've used them in Colorado and New Hampshire. They show logging roads, dirt roads and topo.

 

[Rivet]

I have the NY and MA versions.

The NY one is terrible. The scale is too small. It is hard to even pick out Thruway exits.

MA is much better. I think they used a larger scale.

 

[Jay H]

I found some more detailed info on them from GPSNOW.COM:

http://www.gpsnow.com/agnj.htm

http://www.gpsnow.com/agny.htm

It does say that NY's contour intergals are 50m intervals which is like 164ft!

However, I'm more interested in the NJ map, because I have MapTech's TN for the entire NE and also NY state. It includes a bunch of NJ because the Quads overlap but it doesn't include most of the area south of where I live so I thought it might be useful. I've looked at STP to see if anything else I need but haven't found anything else really, it's something that I would buy if there was something else I needed...

Jay

 

[RoySwkr]

I think these map books are great. I've used them in Colorado and New Hampshire. They show logging roads, dirt roads and topo.

The DeLorme ME book is great, there are 100 or more peaks there that were easier for me because of it.

The DeLorme NH book is good for showing public reservation boundaries, but back road coverage is terrible - gated and impassible roads have the same width as paved ones. Do not take short cuts it shows if you aren't willing to turn around.

 

[teejay]

Delorme's

"New York State Atlas & Gazeteer" proudly proclaims on the cover "Topo Maps of the Entire State." They are utterly useless as topographic maps. Find Wright Peak which has a prominence of over 500' between it and Algonquin, Delorme puts the summit on a contour line and it appears to be just a shoulder of "Big Al". The contour lines are almost impossible to see and marked contour lines are almost nonexistent. As a road map, however, it is very useful although it is hard to distinguish major roads, such as Interstates, from other highways.

$10 is a good price (cover price $19.95) although I wonder if it is a close-out just before the printing of a revised (improved) version.

teejay

 

[RoySwkr]

Did you know that DeLorme hides a small drawing in each atlas, sorta like a "where's Waldo" hunt?

I found the one in MI (station wagon with luggage rack) and asked the company what it meant. They explained about the trivia but said they didn't give rewards for finding them.

 

[spencer]

How small of a picture are we talking about?

 

[Rivet]

hidden drawings

I think the NY one has a picture of Rip Van Winkle taking a nap in the NE Catskill area.

 

[RoySwkr]

How small of a picture are we talking about?

About the same size as the icons for natural area, historic site, etc. I thought it was just another icon but wrote to them when I couldn't find it in the legend.

 

[nazdarovye]

This is also one of the things mapmakers do to protect against copyright infringement (if an icon like that, or a fake place or feature, show up on another map, it helps them prove it was copied).

 

[Mark Schaefer]

I own about a dozen of the DeLorme Atlases - all of the northeast including NY and NJ. I find them very helpful when I want to find a scenic back road driving route to my destination. They appear to show every road and city street (not all by name obviously). It is true they show some private and closed roads (e.g. the carriage roads in the Gunks) undistinguished from public roads.

As others have mentioned the detail is not sufficient for hiking. But they do identify places outside the high peak areas that have unique natural features and/or hiking trails. It is then easy to use the coordinates or place names from the DeLorme to create more detailed topo maps online. As a photographer I also like that they show orchards and vineyards.

I always wondered about that strange marking on the east side of Kaaterskill High Peak. With a magnifying glass and Rivet's insight I now can see the bearded old Rip leaning on his gun with the z's above his head. It is an appropriate location above Palenville which claims to be Rip's home.