topo software for the catskills

[Adk_dib]

anyone know of a good topo software for the catskills? I have topo ver 2.01 for the adirondacks but they dont seem to have the same for the catskills. what i like about the adk software is I can also measure the distance from a village to the trail head.

 

[DougPaul]

anyone know of a good topo software for the catskills? I have topo ver 2.01 for the adirondacks

Topo ver 2.01 doesn't say much... What manufacturer?

National Geographic TOPO! New York and New Jersey should be able to do the job.
http://www.rei.com/product/737975
or
http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/...O! Outdoor Recreation Software/?cid=135&tid=3

Doug

 

[jbreen]

I have Topo! 2.7.7 for the Cats (Greater NY, Long Island, and Poconos). I think Weekend Explorer for the same area is the replacement product.

Jim

 

[RTSpoons]

Catskill topo

I have National Geographic New York and N.J. It does cover the Catskill's

 

[Jay H]

I have Maptech's Terrain Navigator for the entire Northeast and NY, but if you look at the General Backcountry, there was an awesome link to

http://mapper.acme.com/

that seems to integrate road maps with satellite imagy AND topo maps...

Jay

 

[paul ron]

I once had DeLorm TOPO USA NE region but it didn't have any of the trails like the paper map set do. Do the newer versions of topogrpahic programs include these trails and updates of the trails or are they still the old scaned 1950 USGS topo maps?

None of the sport shops ever have em on demo so I never bought another.

 

[DougPaul]

I once had DeLorm TOPO USA NE region but it didn't have any of the trails like the paper map set do. Do the newer versions of topogrpahic programs include these trails and updates of the trails or are they still the old scaned 1950 USGS topo maps?

Don't know about the DeLorme maps, but you can get free 300 dpi scans of the USGS 24/25K topos from http://libre.redjar.org/maps/. (These maps probably won't work with the DeLorme software.) These will show the trails, but do not have the latest updates. (But they are often good for finding old trails... )

The above maps will work with other software. They are the basis for a number of the mapping products.

Doug

 

[paul ron]

Excluding online maps, is there a computer program product that has trail maps built into them?

Do you know which programs they are?

 

[DougPaul]

Excluding online maps, is there a computer program product that has trail maps built into them?

Do you know which programs they are?

Have you actually checked out any of the answers already given?

NG TOPO! and Maptech Terrain Navigator use DRG images of the USGS topos. Whatever trails appear on the topos are in the product.

Garmin Mapsource US Topo has DLG images of USGS 100K topos, again including whatever maps are on the originals. (The Garmin National Parks East (24K) maps do not include the Cats.)

At least for the WMNF, if you want the most recently updated maps, you will have to use the paper guidebook maps. I don't know about the Cats.

Doug

 

[paul ron]

Yes I have read the other posts and none of them actually say if the paper map set trails are included in the product.

I really don't understand this DWG thing. Do you download maps adn import them into the product? If that is so then none of these programs include the same trails the paper maps have.

So again, which programs have the same trails as the paper map sets?

 

[DougPaul]

Yes I have read the other posts and none of them actually say if the paper map set trails are included in the product.

There are 2 basic kinds of paper topos--USGS topos (which are not updated very often) and special (typically guidebook) topos (which may be updated more often). The USGS 100K and 24/25K scale topos include trails. Special topos, if their scale is appropriate, typically include trails. (Special topos frequently start with a USGS topo and edit them to add, subtract, or update features.)

I really don't understand this DWG thing. Do you download maps adn import them into the product? If that is so then none of these programs include the same trails the paper maps have.

A number of years ago, the USGS contracted for the paper topos to be scanned, producing a set of 300 dpi DRG (digital raster graphics) images of the maps. Many consumer digital map products (eg NG TOPO! and Maptech Terrain Navigator) use these scans as a starting point. Thus, these maps show the same trails as the paper maps that they are based upon. (Free copies of the original USGS DRGs can be found at http://libre.redjar.org/maps/ in the form of TIFF files, however the data format is incompatible with the above commercial products.)

Note 1: many commercial manufacturers use propriatary formats for their map data so you cannot just use the USGS DRGs.

Note 2: Most consumer GPSes use mapping data in DLG (digital line graphics) formats (for maps to be loaded into the GPS). This is incompatible with DRG formats. In general, only maps purchased from the manufacturer can be used with a consumer GPS. (Some professional GPSes can use DRG maps.)

Note 3: Oziexplorer is a product which can use USGS DRGs and interact with a GPS. It cannot load these maps onto a GPS. http://www.oziexplorer.com/

So again, which programs have the same trails as the paper map sets?

* Same as USGS Topos: NG TOPO! and (I think) Maptech Terrain Navigator.
* Same as special guidebook topos: none.

Your question has been answered several times by now. If you still do not understand, NG TOPO! NY (state series) or Maptech Terrain Navigator for NY are probably as close to what you want as anything. They both include digital versions of 24/25K scale USGS topos. The trails could be 10 years or more out of date. (Warning: if you get a country-wide topo product, it likely only contains 100K scale maps. The NG TOPO! state series contains both 24/25K and 100K scale maps, don't know about Terrain Navigator.)

Doug

 

[paul ron]

No my question hasn't been answered, it's been side stepped several times since you seem to think the paper trail maps are the same as the USGS topo maps.

I am refering to the paper "trail map sets" bought in EMS and REI labeled as Catskills region or ADKS, Whites... etc. These are "trail maps" not plain jane USGS topos void of trail information.

Now, do any software companies offer such programs that include these "trail maps" in their software? None. correct?

That's all I needed to hear, not a disertation on maps or condecending answers asking if I read the above posts.

 

[jbreen]

For the Cats, the trail maps you are referring to are probably the ones sold by the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. Excellent maps IMO.

If you purchase Topo and you go to the NG website Map Exchange section, you can download GPS tracks of the NYNJTC trails.

This will give you a close representation of the tyvek maps you are referring to. But, what you don't get is the markers for water, lean-tos, parking areas, nor the trail notes and mileage listings that accompany each trail.

If you want to load those maps into a GPS, that is a multi-step process based on brand.

 

[Frosty]

Read the next to the last paragraph (with the two asterisks) in the post above yours.

No my question hasn't been answered, it's been side stepped several times since you seem to think the paper trail maps are the same as the USGS topo maps.

I am refering to the paper "trail map sets" bought in EMS and REI labeled as Catskills region or ADKS, Whites... etc. These are "trail maps" not plain jane USGS topos void of trail information.

Now, do any software companies offer such programs that include these "trail maps" in their software? None. correct?

That's all I needed to hear, not a disertation on maps or condecending answers asking if I read the above posts.