American/Canadian Wilderness Areas

[jsnitz]

Just found an interesting tool for you back country folks. National Geographic on their website sells topographical maps on CD. One feature is that you can "draw" a route and the software will convert it into distances and elevations.

I got the one for Arizona (home state) - was $100 for an 8-CD set, so pretty pricy. A friend is going to buy the $100 set for the Northeast states (one set for 5 states) to plan bicycle trips for the scouts.

 

[rancar]

Thanks Jim....I'll check out the Natl Geographic website.

I would never go into backcountry without a topo map. These provide a highly detailed, two dimensional 'look' of what the surrounding topography is like in terms of contour, elevation, water supply/streams, and even trails. I'd be lost without these maps. I've usually picked mine up at sporting goods stores and hiking/bike rental shops somewhere in the vicinity of the wilderness areas and trailheads I'm interested in.

 

[rancar]

Hi Eric...

Grand Staircase Escalante Natl Monument.....where is this exactly? Just pulled out a map of southern Utah and I don't see it. Is it relatively new? Is it down by the 4 corners?

I've been throughout southern Utah....Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches Natl Park from the time I attended university in Logan in the 1970s. I agree....this part of the country is beautiful in its desolation. I'm going to consider this as I also am interested in the San Juan wilderness area in SW Colorado.

Bird....

Yep...I've been to Kanab. This is actually quite a quaint little town with just about all the amenities one needs after coming back from a good backcountry trip...things like a warm shower, groceries and other sundry items, and a good hamburger at the local diner. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bob

 

[utahmule]

Bird,

I know Kanab well. Have you been to Houston's Trails End Cafe on Main St? Best meal in Kanab and then some. The Monument headquarters is actually in Kanab.

The entire southwest Utah area is filled w/ scenery, outdoors activities from Snow skiing to waterskiing. There's a Tony award-winning Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City, for those who like culture w/ there scenery.

Sorry for the brief travelogue, we really like the area!

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>Have you been to Houston's Trails End Cafe on Main St?</font color=blue>

Nope, guess we missed that, but sure did like the RV park and the folks at the golf course and the barbershop./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif Of course we haven't been there since '91 and the other thing I remember was that it was the only town we ever stayed in that didn't have a single ATM machine in the town/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif, but they said the bank was going to put one in "next year" so I guess they probably have one now.