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A map is a representation of the Earth, or part of it. The distinctive character-istic of a topographic map is that the shape of the Earth’s surface is shown by contour lines. Contours are imag-inary lines that join points of equal elevation on the surface of the land above or below a reference surface, such as mean sea level. Contours
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The distinctive characteristic of a topographic map is the use of elevation contour lines to show the shape of the Earth's surface. Elevation contours are imaginary lines connecting points having the same elevation on the surface of the land above or below a reference surface, which is usually mean sea level.
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- How Contour Lines Describe Terrain
- Map Scales
- Other Useful Map Details
- Where to Get Topo Maps
Simple trail maps are useful for trip planning but NOT for navigation in the field. Topographic maps go further, giving you the power to visualize three-dimensional terrain from a flat piece of paper. The feature that makes this possible is contour lines: Contour lines indicate the steepness of terrain.Contour lines connect points that share the sa...
The map's scale tells you how detailed your map is. A 1:24000 scale, for example, means one inch on the map equals 24,000 inches of real-world terrain. If the scale ratio had a number like 1:65,000, though, that would mean that each inch on the map covered 65,000 inches of terrain. A map with that scale covers a larger area overall—but it has less ...
Look closely at the map legend.It's loaded with map-reading clues and navigational data. Start by studying what each line, symbol and color means. Generally, green indicates denser vegetation, while light or colorless areas suggest open terrain. And, as you'd expect, streams and lakes are shown in blue. The legend also lists key data like the map's...
USGS Maps
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) used to be the gold standard for topo maps. Covering the entire country, its maps consisted of rectangular areas of land called quadrangles ("quads" for short). Once available in most REI stores and other outdoor shops, preprinted USGS maps are being phased out now and replaced by an online resourcethat allows map data to be continually updated. Maps downloaded and printed from here have some major drawbacks: limited trail information and lack of in-the-field...
Maps from Specialty Companies
Several companies produce enhanced topographic maps. They highlight key features and update details regularly. These maps are more likely to be available for popular areas. (Finding a map for a lesser-known area will be more difficult.) Additional features that can make a map more valuable include: 1. Highlighted trails 2. Elevation callouts 3. Distances between trail junctions and landmarks 4. Primitive trails 5. Backcountry campsites 6. Springs 7. Highlighted boundary lines Shop paper maps
Mapping Websites
Offering similar advantages to mapping software, a rapidly growing number of websites offer you the option to customize and download maps. Some are free; others are subscription based.
Sep 14, 2020 · Navigation: Elevation maps can help great deal in navigating while trekking or hiking. These maps give a good idea about the topology of the area making it possible to plan movement and camping grounds. Navigation, in general, is also helped tremendously by the elevation maps. Precision farming: Elevation map is an important tool for precision ...
Topographic Mapping and the USGS. A longstanding goal of the USGS has been to provide complete, large-scale topographic map coverage of the United States. The result is a series of more than 54,000 maps that cover in detail the entire area of the 48 contiguous States and Hawaii. Produced at a scale of 1:24,000 (some metric maps are produced at ...
What is a Topographic Map? Mapping is a crucial part of Earth science. Topographic maps represent the locations of geographical features, such as hills and valleys. Topographic maps use contour lines to show different elevations on a map. A contour line is a type of isoline; in this case, a line of equal elevation.
