Source for maps

General discussions relating to the story.
Husky
Posts: 57
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 6:04 am

Source for maps

Postby Husky » Tue Sep 24, 2013 7:25 am

Good idea to have a map before going out to the bus.

You need to buy topo maps from the USGS. www.usgs.gov Get the smallest scale for the most details. You can also usually get the quadrangle size maps at Denali Park visitor center. But sometimes they run out. Best to get "section" maps for more detail before you leave home. the scale on them is about 1 inch to the mile.

Unfortunately none of the maps are very accurate. If you want to see what I mean go to usgs.gov and to their STORE page and to the Map Locator and Downloader page and on the Alaska main map and zoom until you see
8 Mile Lake in the center of a satellite photo. Switch the view to topo (in the upper right hand corner of the photo) and it will convert to a topo map and show you how far off the topo map trail is from the actual photo of where the trail is. (Not to mention that the topo map also shows two trails.)

That satellite photo is the same as on Google Earth and has pretty good detail when you zoom in tight except for right at the Teklanika River (doesn't that figure!). I find it useful to follow the trail on Google Earth and then print out the more confusing looking areas for quick reference out on the trail.

Don't be confused by the 2 white lines which show up on Google Earth if you have the "roads" box checked. Neither of them is accurate. One is the summer road and the other goes off on the winter tundra trail. If you zoom in tight you can clearly see the summer road from 8 Mile Lake all the way to the bus except a mile or so right at the Tek River.

Here is a link to program which will download all the USGS topographic maps and add them to your Google Earth files. http://kml.gina.alaska.edu/ On that page click on USGS Topos and it will let you download. Then a new box will be available on Google Earth along with all the others labeled "SDMI DRGS". Click the box next to that label and whatever satellite photo you are looking at will convert to the Topo of that area.

This is a big program and takes a pretty fast computer to work smoothly but it is invaluable for Alaska because Google Earth does not label most of the creeks and rivers up here. So by switching to Topo mode you will get the topo map showing names of everything and you can orient yourself to what you are looking at. As you zoom in and out the map scale will change and add more details. And Google Earth icons of photos, roads, stores, et al will appear on the topo. You can click back and forth between the satellite imagery and the topo map and really get a feeling for how inaccurate topo maps can sometimes be.
AND, you can print the topo or satellite image on your own printer and thus have free maps...
Here we are in the years
Where the showman shifts the gears
Lives become careers
Children cry in fear
Let us out of here! Neal Young

Don't let fear stand in the way.
There's nothing to it
but to do it! Husky

vannilla
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 7:51 am

Re: Source for maps

Postby vannilla » Thu Jan 16, 2014 5:51 am

Date of satellite photos in Google Earth? Is there any way to determine the age of satellite photos in Google Earth? They seem to be quite old. Are there any websites that have more recent photos?

Husky
Posts: 57
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 6:04 am

Re: Source for maps

Postby Husky » Fri Feb 28, 2014 9:05 am

Yes. One of the icons on top looks like a clock- click it and a info bar appears with date of current photos and allows access to older satellite photos too. Newest on Stampede is from July 2011. It's good to compare older photos and see how the trail has changed with use.
Here we are in the years
Where the showman shifts the gears
Lives become careers
Children cry in fear
Let us out of here! Neal Young

Don't let fear stand in the way.
There's nothing to it
but to do it! Husky

Gleedaniel13
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2013 12:48 pm
Contact:

Re: Source for maps

Postby Gleedaniel13 » Thu Apr 03, 2014 10:22 am

Good idea to have a map before going out to the bus.

You need to buy topo maps from the USGS. www.usgs.gov Get the smallest scale for the most details. You can also usually get the quadrangle size maps at Denali Park visitor center. But sometimes they run out. Best to get "section" maps for more detail before you leave home. the scale on them is about 1 inch to the mile.

Unfortunately none of the maps are very accurate. If you want to see what I mean go to usgs.gov and to their STORE page and to the Map Locator and Downloader page and on the Alaska main map and zoom until you see
8 Mile Lake in the center of a satellite photo. Switch the view to topo (in the upper right hand corner of the photo) and it will convert to a topo map and show you how far off the topo map trail is from the actual photo of where the trail is. (Not to mention that the topo map also shows two trails.)


Having a map before traveling is very important so that you will know the best way to go for. I think Philippines is one of the country implementing an application on android phone where you can locate the places to go for.
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