Question about Plumas National Forest (living, to move, title)

[Bulldogdad]

USGS Plumas National Forest.

[.highnlite]

Anyone who spends time thinking about backcountry travel, or, doing back country travel should get thsi, it is all the topographic maps for the state of California, and several different larger formats.
Topo!

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

Anyone who spends time thinking about backcountry travel, or, doing back country travel should get thsi, it is all the topographic maps for the state of California, and several different larger formats.
Topo!

I can't remember if this is what I had on my Garmin Etrex Venture a few years ago when I was using it. I had the topo/quad maps for the entire United States. Not all of it would fit at once on the Etrex of course - if I recall, I could get something like 25% of Colorado on it.

Thanks for reminding me about this. I need to dig up the software and see if I can get the Plumas National Forest loaded. If it's the same software, then it's definitely worthwhile. I remember using it quite extensively for a while when we hiked frequently in the Rocky Mountains. But then I eventually quit because it turns out most of the trails we hiked were well marked and my simple large-scale maps were sufficient.

It'd be fun to load the California stuff though.

[80skeys]

It turns out what I have for the Etrex is the Garmin TOPO U.S. 2008. 1:100,000, shows roads, terrain contour, elevation, trails, streams, lakes. Uses Garmin's "Mapsource" software to transfer map data, waypoints and routes between computer and GPS.

[.highnlite]

I use Topo more for planning, and will print a map of an area I want to visit. I don't think it is a good idea to use GPS in the woods. It creates false sense of security. The only place a gps is needed in North America are the huge flat feature less areas of northern Canada.

In the US, one should be able to handily and easily navigate by landscape. There are frequent rescues of people who said, "but my gps said....."

[DMenscha]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

In the US, one should be able to handily and easily navigate by landscape. There are frequent rescues of people who said, "but my gps said....."

I field a lot of questions from folks that are not from around here that echo this comment. They show up at my office asking for directions.

It's nice that the GPS will tell you exactly where you are, it's a shame that it seems most of the map data isn't either up to date, or not coordinated with the various formats of GPS.

[.highnlite]

I believe that learning to use a paper map, compass and observation is what is important.

[Bulldogdad]

Spatial skills are important in navigation by terrain association.

Practice them before heading into the wilds.

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

I don't think it is a good idea to use GPS in the woods. It creates false sense of security. The only place a gps is needed in North America are the huge flat feature less areas of northern Canada.

In the US, one should be able to handily and easily navigate by landscape. There are frequent rescues of people who said, "but my gps said....."

I disagree with your first statement, and I agree with your second as long as some clarification is added.

GPS is certainly useful for normal backpacking and hiking activities. I wouldn't rely on it as the only means of knowing where you are. That's where some people get into trouble, if they blindly depend on it. My attitude is that it should be used in conjuction with other methods.

There are cases where GPS has led people into stupid situations, and there are opposite cases as well. For example, my parents' neighbors are hunters and one time when they were out in middle of nowhere on their 4-wheelers they came across an injured person. They were able to use their GPS to tell the rescue helicopter exactly where there were located which made it super easy for the helicopter to find them.

By the way, I'm not a novice backpacker nor a novice at navigation. The tips people are giving on this thread may be useful to other people, but I'm personally not looking for that type of information. I'm just looking for tips on cool places to backpack in the Sierras as I'm new to California. I have many years of backpacking and camping all over the Rocky mountains from New Mexico up through Idaho.

[.highnlite]

I own and use gps, but, I use them for specific professional purposes.

If your friends had cell service they were not out in the middle of nowhere.

gps and cellphone are commonly abused.

Leave the gps and cellphone at home and carry SPOT.

Your questions where to hike can best be answered here;high sierra hiking