WMNF GIS trails data - GPX

[Becca M]

Hi MichaelJ - OOPS!!! Thanks for the browser info. I have a MAC OS.... would not work with Safari, but, did work with Mozilla!!! I should be all set with this phase!!!! THANKS!!!

 

[Becca M]

ARGGGGGGG!!!! MAC OS & GARMIN & .gpx files

Hi all!!! I've been struggling for more hours than I can admit trying to pull the .gpx files into my garmin thru my mac. I can "see" the files on my computer but when I try to import them to the gps (a Garmin 60CSx), the mac gives an ALERT message and chokes - I've reached the "maximum number of tracks and trackpoints." I get the same message if I try to import even one track, never mind the entire collection of trails.

In the other replies in this thread, people suggested creating a transparent garmin-compatible map using GPSMapeditor. I cannot find any GPS Map Editor that works on the mac. I've tried all Garmin's MAC downloads. No dice!!!! I've searched for patches on the web and no dice again!!!

Any ideas???? THANKS!!!!! --Becca

 

[MichaelJ]

Becca,
Have you tried Garmin's BaseCamp software for the Mac? That allows importing individual GPX files, working with them, and exporting all, some, or one track to the handheld unit.

There are definitely model-specific limits to the number of trackpoints allowed in one track. If you feel like getting creative, you can use a tool like GPSBabel on a GPX file with an individual track in it, and there's a setting to "simplify" the track that takes a maximum number of points to allow in it. Create a new simplified GPX and try that one out.

 

[Becca M]

Becca,
Have you tried Garmin's BaseCamp software for the Mac? That allows importing individual GPX files, working with them, and exporting all, some, or one track to the handheld unit.

There are definitely model-specific limits to the number of trackpoints allowed in one track. If you feel like getting creative, you can use a tool like GPSBabel on a GPX file with an individual track in it, and there's a setting to "simplify" the track that takes a maximum number of points to allow in it. Create a new simplified GPX and try that one out.

HI! I tried basecamp, but, it choked. I tried dragging and dropping in the finder window - the gps only shows up as a device in the basecamp window. I tried gpsbabel (mac version), but, couldn't find a way to import even one .gpx file to play with the file. Next step is to use a friend's pc.... WHITE FLAG - I GIVE UP!!!! Thanks for trying to help, though!!! --Becca

 

[DougPaul]

The 60CSx has limits of 10K active track points, 20 saved tracks, and 500 points per saved track.

The GPS itself generates active tracks (multiple tracks, each of which can have multiple track segments) for a total of up to 10K points. These tracks can be saved on the GPS (automatically shrunken to 500 points).

When you download the tracks from the GPS, you can distinguish the tracks by their names. When you upload tracks to the GPS, the GPS
automatically determines the type by the track name.

Here is a sample GPX track file containing a very short saved track followed by a very short active track. The active tracks are distinguished by their numbers (#23 in this case).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<gpx>

<trk>
<name>Random saved track</name>
<number>2</number>
<trkseg>
<trkpt lat="44.057605946" lon="-71.504497994">
<ele>29999.039062</ele>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lat="44.057685994" lon="-71.504514925">
<ele>29999.039062</ele>
</trkpt>
</trkseg>
</trk>

<trk>
<name>ACTIVE LOG #23</name>
<number>31</number>
<trkseg>
<trkpt lat="44.063574029" lon="-71.587886950">
<ele>352.460571</ele>
<time>2011-02-23T19:36:00Z</time>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lat="44.063594565" lon="-71.587982085">
<ele>351.979858</ele>
<time>2011-02-23T19:36:37Z</time>
</trkpt>
</trkseg>
</trk>

</gpx>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Doug

 

[PETCH]

Becca, sorry to hear you are having such issues with the s'ware. I'm not going to advocate becoming a PC person, because I know many a Mac person and such a statement is cause for death by stoning.
However, when you do get it figured out it will be worth it.

I'm still a novice with the GPS (less than one year of usage), and have a Garmin Vista Hcx with Garmin Topo Northeast 24k s'ware (PC version) using Garmin Basecamp. I find many of the trails in the Garmin software innaccurate. I've compared my tracks of the actual trail to the Garmin trails and very few times did they actually overlay correctly. I know trails can get altered from time to time, but it was a pretty poor percentage none the less.
I've downloaded the tracks from this FTP site about a month ago and so far, they have been dead on. On last weekend's hike I put together a track from the different trail sections over on the Carters. The Garmin software showed the Carter Dome trail before Zeta pass as fairly straight. The track from the FTP site showed a couple switchbacks. Sure enough, the FTP tracks were spot on. I think this FTP site is quite a find.

I still carry a map and encompass, but do embrace technology.

good luck
Petch

 

[DougPaul]

I'm still a novice with the GPS (less than one year of usage), and have a Garmin Vista Hcx with Garmin Topo Northeast 24k s'ware (PC version) using Garmin Basecamp. I find many of the trails in the Garmin software innaccurate. I've compared my tracks of the actual trail to the Garmin trails and very few times did they actually overlay correctly. I know trails can get altered from time to time, but it was a pretty poor percentage none the less.

Those topo maps are basically USGS topos--the trails shown are from the USGS topos and were never very accurate and, of course, do not show any changes since the topos were made. Remember too, that your GPS is only a consumer unit (not a survey-grade GPS) and it too may have significant errors.

I've downloaded the tracks from this FTP site about a month ago and so far, they have been dead on. On last weekend's hike I put together a track from the different trail sections over on the Carters. The Garmin software showed the Carter Dome trail before Zeta pass as fairly straight. The track from the FTP site showed a couple switchbacks. Sure enough, the FTP tracks were spot on. I think this FTP site is quite a find.

On our "little" Pemi ski loop trip Becca and I were forced to navigate at certain spots by comparing the WMNF GIS tracks to our current position to find or stay in the trail corridors--the accuracy on the ground was impressive--we would have had to turn back without them. More details in the trip report thread when I get my report posted.

Doug

 

[PETCH]

Great points DougPaul. I think a lot of us thought the USGS topo trails would be accurate- hey I dropped $100 bucks on the s'ware? it's gotta be accurate for that coin, right? Live and learn.....

Petch

 

[Becca M]

It worked!!!! Yaaaaaaaayyyyy!

I finally got it to work in only slightly less time than one of my average wilderness adventures.

The deal: I couldn't find the right file format in gpsbabel. It turned out to be GPX XML. Imported the file, exported after simplifying (VERY OBSCURE interface selections in the gpsbabel front end) to 400pts (individual trails - one trail per track), loaded it as an input file onto the gps thru the mac's basecamp. Still kludgy, but, with these trails becoming more and more obscure, I really needed to know how to do it.

Thanks for working with me - YIPPPPPEEEEEEE!!! --Becca

 

[DougPaul]

Great points DougPaul. I think a lot of us thought the USGS topo trails would be accurate- hey I dropped $100 bucks on the s'ware? it's gotta be accurate for that coin, right? Live and learn.....

There has been a fundamental change with the introduction of consumer GPSes--ordinary people suddenly got the ability to determine their locations to an accuracy greater than that of many maps. Many have not yet learned how to deal with it.

Doug

 

[PETCH]

There has been a fundamental change with the introduction of consumer GPSes--ordinary people suddenly got the ability to determine their locations to an accuracy greater than that of many maps. Many have not yet learned how to deal with it.

Doug

Oh, I've learned.....USGS topo tracks bad, WMNF GIS tracks good.

Petch

 

[yvon]

WOW!!!! 396 trails, Thank you
It will help me in future hikes.

 

[Kimball]

WMNF GIS trail data on TrailsNH.com

I just bumped into this old thread. I wanted to add that the WMNF GIS trail data is up on TrailsNH.com.

We built transparent map tiles from the data for zoom levels 8 thru 15. The tiles load pretty fast. The trail layer can be used as an overlay on any base layer: street map, terrain, satellite, topo. The trail layer can also be used over the NOAA snow depth estimate map layer, but that's a little buggy right now. And the trail layer has a toggle so you can turn it off.

For example see http://trailsnh.com/?ll=44.171,-71.57&z=12&type=Terrain

-Kimball

 

[JustBob]

Just stumbled across this thread, but it looks like the nhtrails directory is no longer on ftp.mytopo.com. Is it hosted anywhere else?

Thanks
b

 

[Kimball]

I've renamed "00 - AllTrails.zip" to be clear what it is, and copied it to TrailsNH.com.

You can download it from here:
http://trailsnh.com/GPS/WMNF-2008-trails-GPX-files.zip

Thanks Jeffrey Carter for having a copy of the file, and letting me know the ftp.mytopo.com version was missing.

 

[JustBob]

Thanks Kimball

b

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

All the WMNF trails are found on the transparent Garmin My Trails-High Quality Trail and POI Maps Map:

The maps now cover 37 states including all of the Eastern US.

These are transparent trails and points maps. They are meant to show things City Navigator does not have. These maps will show on top of whatever map you have loaded on your GPS. While they are optimized for use with City Navigator, they will work with any of the other maps on this site. There are very detailed maps for IL, MO, IN, CA, CO, OH, PA, DC, NM, AR, KY, Iowa, MN, GA, MD, FL, TN, WV, MI, DE, HI, ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RH, NC, SC, LA, MS, AL, WI, NY, NY, KS, ND, SD, and VA. There are many places in these states that thereis no coverage for. But they represent the best data I have been able to find on the Internet, from agencies, or other users. There is also some minor coverage in TX and OK and complete coverage in Yellowstone/Grand Teton NPs.

The maps have many gaps as they are based on whatever information their creator could find. I do not use this map myself as I have long ago made my own transparent map of the WMNF, and these days I rarely hike outside that area.

 

[JCarter]

Thanks Kimball

b

Double-thanks. I've also carved up this file into some "region-specific" sub-files, since my GPS will only display "one" trackfile at a time, but totally falls over dead if you try to load the whole thing at once. Then you don't have to fool with switching back-and-forth during an outing that traverses more than one trail. In my copious free time (right), I'll send them over.

 

[sardog1]

Deepest thanks to Kimball for this public service. Worked like a charm with Safari and Garmin's BaseCamp to get all this onto my Oregon 450t in less time than it took to write this.

 

[Trail Bandit]

Thanks Kimball. Last Saturday I went to North Moat Mtn. via the Moat Mtn. Trail from Diana's Baths and back down the Red Ridge Trail. I was pleasantly surprised to find that when I superimposed my GPS track on top of your .GPX data, that they were the same. With the lack of maintenance that is enforced by the WMNF, the blazes along many trails leave much to be desired. In the future, I will load your .GPX track for the desired route and hopefully never get lost on a new hike again. I didn't get lost on last week's hike.