[pct-l] Maps & E-mail for thru-hikers

[Tony@TonyNitz.com (Tony Nitz)]

Hi James,

I saw your post on the PCT-L a little more than a month ago, but was not able to respond until now.  For the past couple of years I've been hosting a small web site for long-distance hikers.  I've been trying to get custom, downloadable topo maps of the entire PCT produced and posted.  Right now, you can download southern California sections from the Mexico boarder to Wrightwood, and the entire state of Oregon (actually from Seiad Valley, CA, to White Pass, WA).  The California maps are formatted to print on either A4 or 8.5x11 paper at 150dpi.  The Oregon maps are formatted to print on 8.5x14 paper at 150dpi.  I've hand drawn the PCT route based on USGS maps, guide books, some GPS data and NIMA satellite imagery, and personal hiking experience in these sections.  The maps are, also, annotated with waypoints indicating landmarks, water, resupply stops, road access, and distances from the Mexico boarder.  I've even included a trail profile and section statistics such as gross elevation gain.  Each map covers an average of 15 miles of trail.  I had intended to have the entire Trail online in time for this year's thru-hike season, but was recalled to active duty by the Air Force, and deployed overseas this past September.  I've only now been able to access my data and a computer on the Internet to get these updated maps loaded.  They're all free, and even though they won't cover the entire trail this year, I think they're the best available maps for thru-hikers.  View or download them at the Hiker Trash Haven, http://www.HikerTrash.net, and follow the link from the home page, or go straight to http://www.HikerMaps.com, if you want to skip the other stuff on the site.

Also, if you'd like to get free, web based e-mail, just like Yahoo! or Hotmail, I can provide a fully functional "yourname@HikerTrash.com" e-mail account for you, or anyone else interested.  You can read the details, or sign up, at http://www.hikertrash.net/email.htm, if your interested.

Enjoy your hike.  Maybe I'll be back in time to finish this year myself.

Take it easy,
Tony


---ORIGINAL MESSAGE---
From: "James Spires" <jspires@austin.rr.com>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 23:38:12 -0600
Subject: [pct-l] Map Question

I am a bit new to hiking.  I say a bit because I used to do it like
crazy when I was growing up.  That was 20 years ago.  My question has to
do with topo maps.  I see places all over the net about where to get
USGS maps.  A local friend of mine had a topo map from Geo-graphic that
looked pretty good.
 
My question is: Are there trail topo maps that are better than the usual
USGS maps?
 
If anyone has any other ideas for navigating I all ears.
 
Thanks,
 
James