[pct-l] Best gps iPhone app?

[Denis Stanton]

Hi Laura

I'd like to add one more to the detailed and excellent analysis from  
Bill

I used Phil Endecott's 'Topo Maps' app on my last section hike and  
highly recommend it.

I was daunted by it at first and it took me a while to appreciate what  
it does.  It is not a substitute for Google Maps as it doesn't have a  
searchable index of every place name you can think of. In the version  
I used on the PCT in June it could only search by map name.  This  
seems to have been expanded a lot and it now seems to have a list of  
geographical points of interest.

It is not a substitute for MotionX GPS as it doesn't have all the  
average speed, distance to waypoint, estimated time of arrival etc.  
calculations

Don't be put off (as I was at first) by what it doesn't have.  What it  
does have is fantastic.  It has the ability to download and store any  
of the thousands of USGS 1:24,000 and Natural Resources Canada  
1:50,000 maps.  The maps take a while to download (5 or 10 minutes  
each for me) so you do this BEFORE you leave home.  The maps are then  
securely cached so when you are on the trail all you need is the GPS  
signal (free from the sky above), not the cell-phone connection (from  
the cell tower which is probably out of range).

On my trip in June I did the Rae Lakes Loop.  I spent an evening at  
home downloading 20 or so maps covering the whole trip from Road's End  
to Vidette Meadows, Rae Lakes, Woods Creek and the PCT as far as VVR  
just in case.  This was a moderately laborious task because each map  
takes a while to download and then you have to follow the PCT across  
the map and figure out which map you want to get next.

Having done this the Topo Maps application became my best friend on  
the trail.  Just click a button to place yourself accurately on these  
really detailed maps that have the PCT clearly marked.  Some other  
maps are really made for motorists and don't bother much with serious  
trails, but the USGS 1:24,000 are the ones you would be carrying all  
the way if you could afford to buy them all and manage the weight

I came over Glen Pass in light snow.  The trail was buried knee-deep  
and although I could see the Rae Lakes in the distance I have to make  
my own way down.  I post-holed until I felt it was safe to slide and  
then sat down and glissaded happily down the hill.  Incidentally this  
was a much nicer experience than last year when I tried something  
similar on the north side of Forrester, got out of control and  
discovered to my cost that you can't self arrest by planting your only  
hiking pole in the snow between your knees as you slide.

When I got the end of the snow I had no idea where the actual trail  
was.  I came off the snow into a maze of scrubby bushes and small  
trees, patches of snow and lots of streams.  I thought the most likely  
place for the trail was on the stony ridge away to my right.   Another  
hiker following a similar trajectory down the snow called out to ask  
if I knew which way to go and I suggested the ridge looked likely.   
Then I took out the iPhone, opened Top Maps and touched the "show me  
where I am button".  A couple of seconds later if dropped a blue dot  
onto the map and I could see the red line of the PCT was nearby on my  
left.  I shouted back "I think it's about 20 feet that way", walked  
around a patch of scrub and that's exactly where it was.  That one  
moment easily repaid the $6.99.  I could have wasted a lot of energy  
climbing onto the wrong ridge.

I see Phil has added a lot more features since my last hike.  I look  
forward to trying it out.  There are many other GPS apps that are fun  
and interesting.  This one could really be a life saver.

Denis


On 23/09/2009, at 5:11 AM, Laura Newman wrote:

> Any recommendations? Thanks, laura
>