[pct-l] maps

[Marion Davison]

Maps, I love them.  I collect them rather obsessively.
The guide book annoys me because I don't like wading through all the 
text to get the info I need. I especially dislike that the text is 
referring to a map on some other page (where is that map anyway?)I also 
don't like not having any informatation about the area surrounding the 
trail.  Where do all those connecting trails go.  The guidebook gives me 
a feeling of tunnel vision.
  I love Tom Harrison maps for many reasons--the shading makes the topo 
features much easier to visualize.  I like the elevation at each point 
and the mileage at each segment.  I like the High Country maps series 
that covers the Sierras from Golden Trout to Emigrant, because it not 
only shows the PCT but all the other connecting trails and bail out 
points. I like to get the big picture of the landscape as I travel 
through it.
In 2009 I used the PCT atlas almost exclusively, and loved it as well.
It was the best of all worlds for me.  I like to look at a map about 
every 5 to 10 minutes and the atlas was the most efficient format I have 
used. It does not overcome the "tunnel vision"effect, however.  I still 
need some bigger maps to deal with that problem.  I have found the new 
map series from the PCTA to be very useful for section hike access 
planning.
Marion