I’ll be thru-hiking the FT in January and wanted to get input from other hikers who have completed the FT about the necessity of the FT maps. Before I go on, let me qualify this by saying that I’m an experienced hiker and understand the importance, specifically safety, of carrying a map, but from two long distance hikes I have done on the Tahoe Rim Trail & the PCT, I found that I rarely used the maps I purchased. In fact, I only looked at the PCT maps when I wanted to know how many switchbacks I had until I reached the top of a crest.
I will purchase the FT databook for sure, mainly for water, campsites and other information.
lil’ buddha