Hiking map: Difference between revisions
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Hiking maps are different from other kinds of maps (e.g. tourist or street maps). Unless there is well maintained trail indication and markup system like in Switzerland one usually needs maps with the following features | Hiking maps are different from other kinds of maps (e.g. tourist or street maps). Unless there is well maintained trail indication and markup system like in Switzerland one usually needs maps with the following features | ||
* A quantitative representation of relief (contour lines) | |||
* A qualitative representation of relief (you should "see" the terrain). This is fairly tricky and some countries don't seem to have the know how. | |||
* 1:25000 resolution (4 cm / kilometer) | * 1:25000 resolution (4 cm / kilometer) | ||
* all trails included and (optionally) the "best" hiking trails in a different color | * all trails included and (optionally) the "best" hiking trails in a different color | ||
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* Several coordinate systems (at least the national one plus the "standard" GPS coordinates) | * Several coordinate systems (at least the national one plus the "standard" GPS coordinates) | ||
* topographical contours | * topographical contours | ||
Hiking maps are in principle the same as military maps, but include extra information, e.g. special markup for nice trails, accomodation and such. | |||
See Wikipedia's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topographic_map topographic map] article for more background information. | |||
== Digital hiking maps by countries == | == Digital hiking maps by countries == | ||
Digital hiking maps usually can be bought as DVDs or CDs (and sometimes online). | Digital hiking maps usually can be bought as DVDs or CDs (and sometimes online). If you are not short on money, it's best to buy a DVD. Online services are just too slow (for me). | ||
For some countries at least, there are possibilities to get free printouts for selected areas. Below I just included Switzerland and France for now | |||
=== Switzerland === | === Switzerland === | ||
* | All good Swiss maps are based on [http://www.swisstopo.admin.ch/internet/swisstopo/en/home.html Swisstop], the federal geo-information service. | ||
; Commercial DVDs and maps for mobile devices | |||
* [http://www.swisstopo.admin.ch/internet/swisstopo/en/home/products/maps.html Maps]. Products include CDs, paper maps, maps for mobile devices (Windows Mobile, Symbian S60 (Nokia), iPhone and Sony Ecrison). Examples | |||
* E.g. the section western switzerland in all resolutions between 1:25000 to 1:1 million for a mobile device costs CHF 89 (about 60 Euros). The maps (600-730MB) will sit in the phone memory. Warning: if you use google maps instead for hiking you can wind up paying a ''few hundred'' Euros / hiking trip ....). Buying a memory card + all maps you like can be '''much''' cheaper. | |||
; Free map generation tools | |||
* [http://map.schweizmobil.ch/ Schweiz mobil] has an interactive map that allows to overlay various information (e.g. hiking trails, cycling, mountainbiking) on top of simplified Swiss top maps. Probably the best bet. | |||
* A page can be generated and printed as "real map" in PDF (e.g. "normal swisstop quality). | |||
* You can define the resolution and finetune (move) the rectangle to be printed) | |||
* [http://ecogis.admin.ch/ ecoGIS] is actually not a map service for tourists, but a tool to visualize environment data for switzerland. Since it generates standard Swiss Topo map, you can use this service. Only thing you probably need to understand is that "Drucken" (or "Imprimer" in french) means printing. There is no English interface. | |||
* [http://www.swissgeo.ch/ SwissGeo] is an alternative to "Schweiz mobil", but the interface is not as nice (i.e. too small) and the print version is fairly useless for hiking. | |||
=== France === | |||
; Commercial DVDs | |||
== In education == | |||
Use of "real maps" (vs. google maps and street maps) can be a valuable addition to geography teaching since they include a lot of information that other kinds of maps don't have. | |||
[[Category: Topographic maps]] | [[Category: Topographic maps]] | ||
Revision as of 15:52, 15 August 2009
Introduction
Hiking maps are different from other kinds of maps (e.g. tourist or street maps). Unless there is well maintained trail indication and markup system like in Switzerland one usually needs maps with the following features
- A quantitative representation of relief (contour lines)
- A qualitative representation of relief (you should "see" the terrain). This is fairly tricky and some countries don't seem to have the know how.
- 1:25000 resolution (4 cm / kilometer)
- all trails included and (optionally) the "best" hiking trails in a different color
- precision (in particular in mountain areas) and up-to-date (in many countries trails disappear due to the lack of maintenance and the fact that the locals no longer use the trails)
- Several coordinate systems (at least the national one plus the "standard" GPS coordinates)
- topographical contours
Hiking maps are in principle the same as military maps, but include extra information, e.g. special markup for nice trails, accomodation and such.
See Wikipedia's topographic map article for more background information.
Digital hiking maps by countries
Digital hiking maps usually can be bought as DVDs or CDs (and sometimes online). If you are not short on money, it's best to buy a DVD. Online services are just too slow (for me).
For some countries at least, there are possibilities to get free printouts for selected areas. Below I just included Switzerland and France for now
Switzerland
All good Swiss maps are based on Swisstop, the federal geo-information service.
- Commercial DVDs and maps for mobile devices
- Maps. Products include CDs, paper maps, maps for mobile devices (Windows Mobile, Symbian S60 (Nokia), iPhone and Sony Ecrison). Examples
- E.g. the section western switzerland in all resolutions between 1:25000 to 1:1 million for a mobile device costs CHF 89 (about 60 Euros). The maps (600-730MB) will sit in the phone memory. Warning: if you use google maps instead for hiking you can wind up paying a few hundred Euros / hiking trip ....). Buying a memory card + all maps you like can be much cheaper.
- Free map generation tools
- Schweiz mobil has an interactive map that allows to overlay various information (e.g. hiking trails, cycling, mountainbiking) on top of simplified Swiss top maps. Probably the best bet.
- A page can be generated and printed as "real map" in PDF (e.g. "normal swisstop quality).
- You can define the resolution and finetune (move) the rectangle to be printed)
- ecoGIS is actually not a map service for tourists, but a tool to visualize environment data for switzerland. Since it generates standard Swiss Topo map, you can use this service. Only thing you probably need to understand is that "Drucken" (or "Imprimer" in french) means printing. There is no English interface.
- SwissGeo is an alternative to "Schweiz mobil", but the interface is not as nice (i.e. too small) and the print version is fairly useless for hiking.
France
- Commercial DVDs
In education
Use of "real maps" (vs. google maps and street maps) can be a valuable addition to geography teaching since they include a lot of information that other kinds of maps don't have.