Does anyone know of any very detailed maps of the Presis? For years I've relied on AMC, Wilderness, and USGS maps for hiking and backpacking. Digital maps can also be useful. However, being the map geek that I am, I love to follow along on maps with books, videos, etc. For example, I am currently reading Ty Gagne's latest book and I've encountered some landmarks, gullies, etc. with which I'm not familiar. Most times I can figure it out by doing a bit of internet research but I just wondered if there is an easier way. Thx!
Detailed Presi maps
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ImYourHuckleberry
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Not sure if it's still available, but the Bradford Washburn map of the Presidential Range is the best I've ever owned.
ImYourHuckleberry
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I bet between us here we can help explain the location of most of them. You have any examples?
Just searched and found a high resolution scan of this map. Hadn't heard of it, so thanks for the suggestion. It is beautiful and detailed.
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~349872~90117259
If you wish to save a copy, click on the Export button at top right.
ImYourHuckleberry
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That's a pretty cool site - I didn't know it was possible to find high quality scans of old maps like this.
Another good online map is from CalTopo.
https://caltopo.com/
Zoom in to Mount Washington or some other point to get started. Select the menu at top right, "Base Layers", then choose "Scanned Topos", "Forest Service", "Historic" and others.
I often use CalTopo to plan routes, you can draw your route and have it follow existing trails. Then you can view info such as profile, elevation gain, distance.
Screenshot:
Last edited:
And here's another, USGS National Map:
https://apps.nationalmap.gov/viewer/
You can select various base maps here too.
Screenshot:
https://apps.nationalmap.gov/viewer/
You can select various base maps here too.
Screenshot:
Just for the sake of comparison, I'll add a screenshot of the Brad Washburn map from
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~349872~90117259
It really is a beautiful map.
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~349872~90117259
It really is a beautiful map.
On paper, I use the AMC map set that comes with the guidebook; and also the Map Adventures map, now in its 6th edition.
TEO
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It is superlative.
I agree that this map is beautiful and one of Brad Washburn’s finest of his many fine mapmaking efforts. He began the surveying in 1978 and did not complete the editing until 1987; the first edition is dated 1988. I feel so fortunate to have a signed/inscribed copy.
I met Brad and his “rodman” Casey Hodgdon on several occasions when they were surveying, one time hanging out with Casey on the large roche moutonnee north of Boott Spur on the Bigelow Lawn for a couple hours waiting for enough clouds to lift so that Brad could get a clear shot from the Summit with his laser theodolite. All of the small aluminum disks that you see imbedded on summits and other bedrock outcrops throughout the Presi’s were installed by Brad to fix his theodolite positions (before the time of GPS).
I did not know that - thanks.
DayTrip
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Am I missing something? All these maps pretty much look like exactly what I view in Gaia. (I actually thought they were screenshots until the continued different posts made me read the comments more closely). And with all the layers in Gaia (or CalTopo or others) you can add and remove pretty much whatever layers you want to create whatever kind of map you want, mark it with waypoints, routes, notes and all kinds of other stuff.
ImYourHuckleberry
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I've switched to digital maps as well. But still that Washburn map!
There's a copy of the printed 1st edition of the Washburn map for sale on Abe Books at the moment for about $121.
It's at abebooks.com, search for "Mount Washington and the Heart of the Presidential Range New Hampshire".
It's at abebooks.com, search for "Mount Washington and the Heart of the Presidential Range New Hampshire".
ImYourHuckleberry
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Wow. I have a 1st edition but it's pretty beat up.
I have a third edition in excellent condition. I might frame it. 1989.
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