Re: [pct-l] PCT Maps

[Bighummel@aol.com]

Perhaps the best set of "overview" topo maps available are U.S.G.S. county 
topo maps.  I believe 8 cover the entire Sierra Nevada (probably only 4 or 5 
necessary for the PCT route).  They give you an overview of the entire 
county, have a gross topo interval, all of the major and a few of the minor 
roads, cities, lakes, reservoirs, nuclear waste sites, wilderness, NF and NP 
boundaries, ADZPCTKOP site, etc.  

An even grander overview is available with the USGS 1:500,000 topo series.  
They have one for Nth Calif, Sth Calif, Ore and Wash.  These are great for 
the "BIG" picture, long range planning, geographic coordination to outside 
interests, etc.  I have cut up and patched together the Nth and Sth Calif. 
ones to show all of the Sierras in one framed map.  It is coming together and 
will be the only topo of the entire Sierras that I have ever seen.  It will 
go on my office wall for frequent hike planning.

I love maps also.  There are also satellite and high altitude photographs 
available from the Feds from the EROS center: http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/
They are very reasonable but the high altitude photos generally only cover a 
small area, the satellite photos generally only cover a large area and, of 
course neither have geographic markings on them.  For specific areas that are 
of interest to you I highly recommend them though.  The high altitude 
photograph I bought of Mt. Ritter helped me to see all sorts of details, 
faults, lithology changes, routes, etc. when I climbed it last summer.  If 
you are planning to climb any of the volcanoes in Oregon or Washington, check 
it out.  It is easy to locate the photos that will show you what you want, 
they have a geographic search engine.

IMHO,

Greg "Strider" Hummel
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